Jokiฤ Returns With Triple-Double Masterclass Against Bucks
Nikola Jokiฤ didn’t just come back from injury Wednesday night – he made a statement. The Denver star posted a monster 39-point triple-double in his first game after missing five straight with an ankle problem.
The Serbian big man added 10 rebounds and 10 assists while shooting a red-hot 16-of-25 from the field against Milwaukee.
This wasn’t just any triple-double. It was his 30th of the season, breaking his own franchise record.
Denver badly needed their centerpiece back. They’d lost three of four games during his absence, struggling to find rhythm without their offensive engine.
“It was just smart,” Jokiฤ explained about sitting out those five games. “I couldn’t really jump on my left leg. So it was really painful, and it was just better to feel good.”
The three-time MVP admitted he simply wasn’t ready to play at his usual elite level until now.
“I don’t want to be on the floor and feel nervous because I cannot play how I want to play and on the level I want to play,” he said.
With just eight games left before the playoffs, Jokiฤ’s health is more critical than ever. The Nuggets are a completely different team without him, going just 4-7 in games he’s missed this season.
So how’s that troublesome ankle feeling now?
“I feel much better than I thought,” Jokiฤ revealed after dominating the Bucks. “I don’t want to say percentages and stuff, but I feel much, much, much, much, much less than how it was before.”
The numbers tell the story of Jokiฤ’s incredible season. He’s averaging 29.3 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 10.3 assists while shooting a ridiculous 57.6% from the field and 41.5% from three-point range.
He’s now in a tight MVP race with Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as he chases both his fourth MVP trophy and a second championship for Denver.
