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Nikola Jokic bagged his fourth straight triple-double to start the NBA season on Wednesday to lead the Denver Nuggets to a 122-88 rout of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Serbian star Jokic, a three-time NBA Most Valuable Player, joined Oscar Robertson in 1961 and Russell Westbrook in 2020 as the only players to open a season with four straight triple-doubles.
He delivered 21 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists before sitting out the fourth quarter with the game well in hand.
“I’m just trying to play the right way and I hope everything is going to come my way,” said Jokic, who with 168 career triple-doubles is third on the all-time list led by Westbrook’s 203 and Robertson’s 181.
His services weren’t even needed in the final quarter, after a 24-0 third-quarter run saw the Nuggets push their lead to as many as 36 points.
Denver improved to 3-1 as the hapless Pelicans – led by 21 points from Jeremiah Fears and with 11 from Zion Williamson – fell to 0-4.
“Even in the first half we had like a 15- 16-point lead, then we blew it,” Jokic said. “Then in the second half everything was flowing good for us, offence, defence especially.
“It was a really good third quarter and the goal is to have as much quarters like that in the future.” Austin Reaves was the saviour for the Los Angeles Lakers, driving for the game-winning basket with 1.1 seconds left in a 116-115 victory over the Timberwolves in Minnesota.
With superstar LeBron James sidelined by sciatica and Luka Doncic also nursing injuries, Reaves scored 28 points and handed out 16 assists for the Lakers.
They led by 20 points in the third quarter and by 16 in the fourth before the Timberwolves stormed back.
Minnesota, missing injured Anthony Edwards, seized a 115-114 lead on Julius Randle’s layup with 10.2 seconds to play, but Reaves came through at the buzzer.
The Chicago Bulls, already off to their best start since 2021, improved to 4-0 with a 126-113 home victory over the Sacramento Kings.
Forward Matas Buzelis scored 27 points to lead six Bulls players to score in double figures. Josh Giddey added 20 points and 12 assists and Nikola Vucevic chipped in 13 points and 14 rebounds.
Zach LaVine, traded from the Bulls to the Kings last season, scored 30 points in his return to Chicago, were he received a video-board tribute in the first quarter.
