Nikola Jokic recorded his 139th career triple-double with 27 points, 20 rebounds, and 11 assists on Wednesday at Cleveland, moving into third place on the all-time triple-double list. However, despite his impressive performance, the Denver Nuggets were defeated 126-114 by the Cleveland Cavaliers, who dominated with their 3-point shooting.
Jokic’s triple-double broke a tie with Magic Johnson for third place, and it marked his second triple-double this season with 20 or more points and 20 or more rebounds.
The Cavaliers, led by Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Caris LeVert, and Evan Mobley, made 17 3-pointers and scored a total of 93 points. Mitchell, who scored 28 points and hit 6 of 10 from beyond the arc, led the charge.
The Cavaliers led almost the entire game, with their advantage reaching as much as 18 points during the second half. Denver did manage to narrow the gap to single digits late in the game with a 7-0 run.
LeVert contributed 21 points off the bench and hit five 3-pointers on six attempts. He helped stop Denver’s rally by hitting a 3-pointer after Mitchell added another long-range shot. Those two consecutive 3-pointers ended any chance of a comeback for the Nuggets.
Cleveland’s shooting was exceptional, as they made 22 of 48 3-pointers, with five players hitting multiple shots from deep. Meanwhile, the Nuggets struggled, hitting only 6 of 24 from 3-point range.
Mobley finished with 20 points, hitting 3 of 5 from 3-point range, and added nine rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Garland scored 24 points and had four assists, while Jarrett Allen contributed eight points, six assists, and 15 rebounds.
For Denver, Aaron Gordon scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Jamal Murray added 19 points, and Russell Westbrook and Christian Braun both scored 10 points.
