CNN
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More like a quarterback pass than a 3-pointer, Nikola Jokic’s 66-foot shot did little to sum up his historic performance in the Denver Nuggets’ 132-123 victory over the Sacramento Kings.
The outrageous moment came at the end of the third quarter, when Jokic gathered the ball with 1.7 seconds left and threw a one-handed buzzer-beater almost the entire length of the court.
As members of the home crowd rose to their feet, the three-time MVP appeared unsurprised or impressed by his daring skill.
“When I play, I want to make every shot,” Jokic told reporters after Thursday’s game. “I took it to make it and made it. Of course it was a lucky shot, not really a high percentage shot.
“That’s three points,” he added. “I think it will help us.”
Jokic finished the game with 35 points, 22 rebounds, and 17 assists, completing his fifth straight triple-double before the fourth quarter. Of this season’s league-leading 20 triple-doubles, 14 came before the shutdown period.
It was also only the second time in NBA history that a player recorded 35-20-15 games, after Wilt Chamberlain in 1968.
History reports that Nuggets coach Michael Malone described Jokic’s performance, adding: These are not empty statistics, these are not hollow numbers.
“Here I think about his 10 years, I think about three MVPs, I think about championships, I think about Finals MVPs. This is his best season ever. And that’s saying a lot – Just continuous greatness.”
With the win against the Kings (23-21), Denver improved to 12-3 in their last 15 games and moved to 28-16 on the season.
A 40-point first quarter gave the Nuggets a comfortable lead at Ball Arena. Their lead grew to 25 points and 25 points at the half point and at the end of the third after Jokic hit his spectacular buzzer beater.
The Kings, led by Demar Derozan’s 24 points and Domantas Sabonis’ 23 points, 19 rebounds, and 8 assists, rotated toward the end of the game, but the gap only closed to nine.
All Nuggets starters contributed at least 18 points, but it was Jokic who stole the show.
The Nuggets now face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday afternoon, with King taking over the New York Knicks in the evening.
