NBA roundup: Jokic magic falls short as Nuggets suffer defeat to Wizards
The Washington Wizards overcame a remarkable 56-point performance from Denver's Nikola Jokic to secure a 122-113 victory against the Nuggets on Saturday, thereby ending their 16-game losing streak in the NBA.
Jokic, who earned his third NBA Most Valuable Player award last season, achieved a personal best in scoring, eclipsing his previous high of 53 points recorded during the fourth game of the 2023 Western Conference semi-finals against Phoenix, as well as a 50-point regular-season record against Sacramento in 2021.
In addition to his scoring, the Serbian center contributed 16 rebounds and eight assists; however, his efforts were insufficient as Washington, led by Jordan Poole's 39 points, celebrated their first win since October 30th.
Poole set a career milestone by making nine of Washington's 16 three-pointers, while the Nuggets managed to convert only five of their 24 attempts from long range.
Justin Champagnie added 23 points, and Jonas Valanciunas contributed 20 points along with 12 rebounds for the Wizards, who were missing several key players, including Kyle Kuzma, Malcolm Brogdon, and Saddiq Bey.
Washington took an early lead against a Nuggets squad that was without five regulars, including Aaron Gordon, Jamal Murray, and Dario Saric, all of whom were ruled out shortly before the game commenced.
The Wizards outscored the Nuggets 36-29 in the first quarter and held a 69-57 advantage at halftime.
In an effort to shift the momentum in the third quarter, Jokic attempted to rally his team, successfully making nine of 20 shot attempts and scoring 23 points, which narrowed the deficit to six points heading into the final quarter.
The Wizards extended their lead back to 13 early in the fourth quarter while Jokic rested on the bench, and Denver was unable to reduce the gap to fewer than five points for the remainder of the game.
"I thought it was pretty cool to hear some MVP chants when the MVP (Jokic) was on the floor," Poole remarked about the cheers from Washington fans as he approached the free-throw line in the closing moments.
In another matchup, Evan Mobley achieved a career-high 41 points and secured 10 rebounds for the league-leading Cleveland Cavaliers in a commanding 116-102 win over the Charlotte Hornets.
Mobley established an impressive performance by scoring 23 points in the first quarter, successfully making five out of six three-point attempts. This effort allowed the Cavaliers to extend their lead to as much as 22 points before heading into halftime with a score of 63-52.
"He didn't hit the rim on the threes," remarked teammate Caris LeVert, reflecting on Mobley's shooting display.
"They were all swishes, especially the first four or five... it was certainly a remarkable sight."
Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland contributed 18 points each for the Cavaliers, while Jarrett Allen added 11 points and 10 assists, helping Cleveland improve their record to 21-3.
In Boston, Ja Morant led the Memphis Grizzlies to a 127-121 victory over the defending champion Celtics, scoring 32 points along with nine rebounds and nine assists.
Jaren Jackson Jr. supported the effort with 27 points and nine rebounds, as the Grizzlies successfully resisted a fourth-quarter comeback from the Celtics.
Boston initially took the lead in the final period, going ahead 97-94 with a three-pointer from Payton Pritchard.
However, Memphis regained the lead for good with 8:25 left in the game, pulling away after Boston narrowed the gap to one point following a basket from Jayson Tatum with 4:34 remaining.
Jrue Holiday led the Celtics with 23 points, contributing to a total of six players scoring in double figures. Pritchard and Jaylen Brown each added 22 points, while Tatum narrowly missed a triple-double, finishing with 17 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists.
Elsewhere, several players achieved triple-doubles.
Dallas guard Luka Doncic recorded his second consecutive triple-double, amassing 30 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists in the Mavericks' 125-118 win over the Raptors in Toronto.
Kyrie Irving contributed 29 points, and Klay Thompson added 20, as six Mavericks players reached double figures, securing their seventh consecutive victory.
In Detroit, Cade Cunningham scored 29 points, collected 10 rebounds, and achieved a career-high 15 assists, leading the Pistons to a 120-111 victory over the New York Knicks.
Cunningham's performance marked his fifth triple-double of the season, ranking third in the NBA behind Nikola Jokic's nine and LeBron James' seven.
Jalen Brunson scored 31 points and handed out 10 assists to pace the Knicks, who saw a four-game winning streak end.
SportsLigue