The Serbian Nikola Jokic began his 2023 with a triple double of thirty points, twelve rebounds and twelve assists and led the Nuggets' victory against the Boston Celtics (123-111), in a game that stopped for almost half an hour in the fourth period due to problems with a basket at the Pepsi Center.
Jokic achieved the triple double number 84 of his career and the second in a row, after the one he achieved against the Miami Heat, and the Nuggets stormed the sole lead in the Western Conference, with a record of 24-12.
Michael Malone's team adds one more victory than the New Orleans Pelicans and gave a test of strength against the best team in the East, the Celtics who arrived in Denver after chaining four consecutive victories.
But there was nothing they could do to survive the brilliant form of Jokic, the reigning MVP, who celebrated his ninth triple-double of the year, the best mark in the NBA.
Added to Jokic's power was the great group success from the arc, with 17 three-pointers out of thirty (56%) against a Celtics who only made nine of 33 attempts.
Bruce Brown hit four triples and contributed 21 points, Michael Porter had three and signed 19 points, while contributing 18 points, six rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a shot.
For the Celtics, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum scored 55 points, thirty for the first and 25 for the second, but the two stars lacked support from their teammates.
Brown finished with thirty points, eight rebounds and three assists, while Tatum had 25, with seven rebounds and six assists. Dominican Al Horford started in Joe Mazzulla's quintet and scored eight points, six rebounds and three assists.
It was a monologue for the Nuggets, who took a nine-point lead in the first period and had the game under control at all times.
The margin increased to 15 points in the second period and Malone's men ran to an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter, before the game was halted for nearly half an hour with a basket problem.
Robert Griffin delivered a powerful alley-oop to Brown's pass and hung on the rim, causing a line-up problem.
It was necessary for the technicians to enter the field with some stairs to return it to its regulatory position, but the operation took much longer than initially expected.
It was little more than an anecdote for some Nuggets who had no trouble, after the long break, to shield a victory that gives them the lead alone in the West.
The Nuggets will return to the track this Monday to face the Minnesota Timberwolves and will then face the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Celtics will stay in the West to face the Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs.
