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The Denver Nuggets strengthened their playoff position with a triple-double from history-making Nikola Jokic helping them to a 117-109 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday. The Serb put up 26 points, 13 assists and 16 rebounds, and his 34th triple-double performance ensured he will finish the regular season as just the third player averaging a triple-double across an entire season.
The 15-point comeback victory was the second straight win for interim head coach David Adelman, who took over when Michael Malone was fired on Tuesday in a surprise move. Malone, who led Denver to the NBA championship in 2023, was dismissed after a four-game losing streak. The win means the Nuggets improve to 49-32 on the season and have a real chance of grabbing fourth place and home court advantage in the playoffs.
Aaron Gordon top scored with 33 points for Denver while Jamal Murray, back from a six-game injury absence, played a key role down the stretch and ended with 15 points and seven assists. The game was tied at 108 with 3:30 left but Murray and Jokic saw the Nuggets to the victory. Adelman paid tribute to Murray for the physical effort he put in after a lengthy absence with his ankle injury. "You can tell he was exhausted. He hasn't played in a long time... but the harder it gets, the more tired he gets, the better he plays. To watch those guys play the two-man game at the end, I know I'd buy a ticket to watch that," he said.
Asked about Jokic's latest display and his place in the record books, Adelman said: "If he doesn't win the MVP then it is the greatest season of all-time not to win the MVP". The loss leaves Memphis with a 47-34 record. They face Dallas in the final round of games on Sunday.
