Denver (US), April 2 (IANS) Nikola Jokic delivered a career-best performance with 61 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, marking the highest-scoring triple-double in NBA history. But it wasn’t enough to save the Denver Nuggets from a 140-139 overtime defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves at Ball Arena.
The three-time MVP surpassed the previous record held by his Nuggets teammate Russell Westbrook, who notched a 57-point triple-double for Oklahoma City Thunder in 2017.
With the Nuggets leading 139-138 in the final seconds of overtime, Westbrook had a chance to seal the game but missed a lay-up with 10 seconds remaining. In a cruel twist of fate, he then fouled Nickeil Alexander-Walker on a last-gasp three-point attempt with just 0.1 seconds left on the clock. Alexander-Walker coolly sank two of his three free throws, completing a dramatic comeback for the Timberwolves.
Minnesota pulled off the victory despite missing key players Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo, who were serving suspensions following an altercation with the Detroit Pistons earlier in the week. The win lifted the Timberwolves to seventh in the Western Conference, while the Nuggets remain third.
Elsewhere, another generational talent stole the spotlight. Two-time MVP Stephen Curry turned back the clock with a masterclass in three-point shooting, draining 12 triples on his way to a sensational 52-point performance in the Golden State Warriors’ 134-125 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum.
The Warriors superstar and four-time NBA champion also passed LeBron James (active) and Rick Barry (retired) and is now tied with Damian Lillard (active) for the sixth-most career 50-point games in NBA history (15), according to NBA report.
Already the league’s all-time leader in made 3-pointers, Curry joined the top 25 scorers in NBA history. Reggie Miller, whom Curry passed in all-time 3s made in 2021, is next up on the all-time scoring list at No. 24. Alex English, Vince Carter, Kevin Garnett and Russell Westbrook round out the 20-through-25 group.
Curry’s brilliance propelled the Warriors past the Grizzlies in the standings, moving them into fifth in the Western Conference.
–IANS
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