The Serbian Nikola Jokic achieved the seventh triple double of his career in the 'playoffs' and directed with twenty points, eleven rebounds and twelve assists the victory by 120-111 of the Denver Nuggets in the field of the Minnesota Timberwolves, which leaves them to a victory of the pass to the second round of the 'playoffs' of the West of the NBA.
Among centers, only Wilt Chamberlain (9) had more triple-doubles in the postseason than Jokic, and the Nuggets triumphed in Minnesota with six players in double figures.
Jokic's 20 points were joined by Michael Porter Jr, with 25, Jamal Murray, with 18, Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell Pope, with fourteen, and Bruce Brown, with twelve.
Denver, the first seed in the West, has a 3-0 lead, a margin that has never been overcome in the playoffs in 147 previous games.
The Timberwolves gave up despite 36 points from Anthony Edwards, who matched Kobe Bryant with his fourth playoff game over thirty points before his 22nd birthday.
Only LeBron James, at eight, did better than the Wolves player before that age. Karl Anthony Towns chipped in 27 points and Frenchman Rudy Gobert had a double double of 18 points and ten rebounds for the Wolves.
The Nuggets will have the first 'match point' this Sunday to close the series. The winner of this series will face one between the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers, with the former leading 2-1 in the series. The Angelenos will also be without Kawhi Leonard this Saturday in the fourth game, due to a knee injury.
The Atlanta Hawks, for their part, became strong this Friday at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta and triumphed 130-122 against the Boston Celtics to reopen the first round series of the East playoffs (1-2), led by 32 points from Trae Young.
No team has managed to overcome a triple deficit in a series of the 'playoffs' 147 times, and the Hawks gave it their all at home to avoid a third setback and to give themselves a chance against the Celtics who enter this postseason as heavy favorites in the East with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Finally, the New York Knicks took a 2-1 lead this Friday in the first round series of the NBA East playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers, by winning 99-79 at Madison Square Garden and achieving the Best defensive performance of the season.
The 79 points scored by the Cavaliers are the lowest number recorded in the regular season and in this start of the 'playoffs' and the Knicks became strong in their field with 21 points, four rebounds, six assists and two steals from Jalen Brunson.
