Nikola Jokic drops 39 points as Nuggets take 2-0 series lead over Suns

J. Michael Falgoust @ThisIsJMichael
I feel Kenny about the board put up on Inside NBA comparing Joker to Ayton statistically. Roles are completely different, and its what I drives me mad on social media with most comparisons. It’s not proof of anything. Just 🔥 +🗑 – 1:16 AM

Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Asked Jamal Murray what a game like tonight says about Nikola Jokic with what could be one of the closest MVP contests being announced tomorrow, Murray pointed with both hands to the stat sheet in front of him and said this was the performance of a 2-time and maybe 3-time MVP. – 12:58 AM

Michael Singer @msinger
Jamal Murray was asked what tonight’s game says about Joker in regards to tomorrow’s MVP announcement, and his eyes bugged up and stared at the boxscore. Called it self-explanatory. – 12:56 AM

Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Michael Malone, asked about Nikola Jokic’s performance tonight with the MVP announcement coming tomorrow: “I know what motivates Nikola Jokic, myself, and the rest of the guys in that locker room. It’s not the MVP.” – 12:39 AM

Matt Williams @StatsWilliams
Nikola Jokic: scored 39 of team’s 97 points (40.2%)
Devin Booker: scored 35 of team’s 87 points (40.2%)
This is the first game all season (reg. season or playoffs) where opposing players scored at least 40% of their team’s points. – 12:38 AM

Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Michael Malone postgame says his favorite stat was Nikola Jokic’s 30 shot attempts: “He was phenomenal…Nikola’s an MVP for a reason. He can take over a game. He can beat you in a lot of ways. I love an aggressive Nikola Jokic.” – 12:36 AM

NBA on ESPN @ESPNNBA
Nikola Jokic had his 2nd career playoff game with 35-15-5 😤
No other Nuggets player has had a playoff game with those totals. pic.twitter.com/iNQ4creYN9 – 12:29 AM

Ball Don’t Lie @Balldontlie
The Joker wasn’t joking tonight 😤
39 PTS
16 REBS
5 AST
2 STL
The Nuggets get it done in Denver to lead the series 2-0. pic.twitter.com/dUAVMBHEd0 – 12:27 AM

Gordon Gross @GMoneyNuggs
Nuggets did exactly what they had to do in the first two games: hit Phoenix with hammer blows and took two double-digit wins in completely different ways.
Denver’s got a two game lead & the Suns have 3 days to figure out a gameplan against Jokic and his squad looking for blood. – 12:26 AM

Adam Mares @Adam_Mares
That was one of my favorite wins of the year. Jokic, Murray, and the Nuggets just willed themselves to victory down the stretch. TOUGH. – 12:24 AM

Ryan Blackburn @NBABlackburn
Final rotations for the Nuggets as they defeat the Suns 97-87:
-Joker: 39-16-5-2-1
-AG: 16 points, locked in on KD all game
-Murray: 3/15, mostly horriblemade some plays right at the end
-Bruce and KCP: CLUTCH
Nuggets take a 2-0 lead to Phoenix. pic.twitter.com/VWSGIwzb65 – 12:23 AM

Michael Pina @MichaelVPina
waiting for nikola jokic to get exposed in the playoffs pic.twitter.com/68V1B7OOCP – 12:22 AM

Trey Kerby @treykerby
Jokic put the Nuggets on his back like he’s Greg Jennings. – 12:22 AM

Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
How will the Nuggets ever defend the Suns with Nikola Jokic? They’ll put him in a million pick-and-rolls, they said. How will Denver ever have a good enough playoff defense? They just held Phoenix to 87 points. – 12:21 AM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
And that’s it. The Nuggets defeat the Phoenix Suns 97-87 and take a 2-0 lead in this Western Conference semifinal…..Jokic with a classic performance, and he got JUUUUSSSSSSTTTTT enough help from the others for a win…Now, we get three days off. – 12:20 AM

Michael Singer @msinger
#Nuggets up 2-0 in this best-of-7 series.
Joker goes for 39, and Denver’s defense hold the Suns to 14 points in the fourth quarter.
97-87, Denver. – 12:20 AM

Michael Pina @MichaelVPina
not doubling jokic was the strategy. he’s taken a season-high 30 shots and is unstoppable right now. – 12:15 AM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
You knew, at some point, the Nuggets were going to need a Nikola Jokic game. And tonight he’s got 39 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists……just an absolute masterclass – 12:15 AM

Chris Fedor @ChrisFedor
Nikola Jokic pic.twitter.com/qQCMahGp4e – 12:15 AM

Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Nikola Jokic has 39 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists and the Nuggets are 1:34 away from taking a 2-0 lead over the Suns. Denver up 93-83 with Jokic closing this game out. – 12:14 AM

Marcus Thompson @ThompsonScribe
Did Joker just get hype????? Was than an “I’m Him!” yell? – 12:14 AM

Adam Mares @Adam_Mares
So glad I’m alive during the Jokic-Murray two-man game era. – 12:14 AM

Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Nikola Jokic has 39 points, 26 in the 2nd half. His playoff career high is 43. – 12:14 AM

Gordon Gross @GMoneyNuggs
KCP MURRAY AND JOKIC ARE BLOWING THIS OPEN – 12:14 AM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
#Suns come out of timeout with following lineup:
Payne
Booker
Lee
Durant
Ayton
Down five as Ayton fouls Jokic on the floor. Non shooting foul. 4th team foul on Phoenix. #Nuggets #Suns #NBAPlayoffs – 12:12 AM

Gordon Gross @GMoneyNuggs
Malone taking his timeout to give Jokic a breather is good. The rest of the way it’s about maximizing what Denver does. That needs to be Jokic either scoring or creating. Whether MPJ comes back in or not, guys need to make themselves available and put ball in hoop. 3 minutes… – 12:10 AM

Michael Singer @msinger
The night before the MVP comes out, Joker’s got 37 points (and counting) while the rest of Denver’s starters have 38 … combined. – 12:09 AM

Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Nikola Jokic has 37 of Denver’s 86 points. He’s scored or assisted on 21 of the Nuggets’ 33 baskets. – 12:09 AM

John Hollinger @johnhollinger
Jokic on Okogie is an interesting wrinkle … got Suns in a bad crossmatch too. – 12:04 AM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Woof. Almost a costly turnover from DA, but Jokic misses again. Ayton’s been great defensively tonight despite Jokic’s stat line – 12:03 AM

Dan Favale @danfavale
this is generational stuff from booker and jokic – 12:02 AM

Michael Singer @msinger
Joker’s on some silly, silly stuff right now. – 12:02 AM

StatMuse @statmuse
Centers with double-digit 30/10/5 playoff games:
— Jokic
— Kareem
— Shaq
Tonight, Jokic passes Shaq with his 11th 30/10/5 playoff game. pic.twitter.com/d8OhOifMiX – 11:59 PM

Gordon Gross @GMoneyNuggs
Jokic back is a good thing. Gotta have him out there for the offense and floor generalship. Every possession matters now. Paid immediate dividends with KCP. – 11:57 PM

Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
The story of this half: Nikola Jokic is just too good. – 11:57 PM

Michael Pina @MichaelVPina
jokic. what a pass. – 11:56 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Caldwell-Pope 3 off Jokic feed. #Nuggets up 3.
Timeout #Suns with 8:56 left in the game. – 11:56 PM

Duvalier Johnson @DuvalierJohnson
The Nuggets are desperately looking for ANYONE to step up besides Nikola Jokic.
Perfect time for Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray to make their mark and salvage a rough night in this final quarter. – 11:49 PM

Gordon Gross @GMoneyNuggs
Jokic has 31-8-4 through 3 quarters. He’s doing his part. Nuggets need to get those rebounds and run the floor, find some easier buckets. Porter or Murray needs to find their 3-point shot to close this game, but it’s there for the taking if they can slow Booker at all. – 11:49 PM

Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
Booker and Jokic are the only guys who can make a shot tonight. Both with 31 through 3. Whoever can get a teammate to come help is going to decide this – 11:48 PM

Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
With Jamal Murray struggling and shooting 1-for-10, Nikola Jokic is carrying the scoring load. He hit 7-of-10 shots and scored 18 in the third quarter. The back-to-back MVP has 31 points entering the fourth. Suns up 73-70. – 11:47 PM

Vivek Jacob @vivekmjacob
I know it’s usually Joker’s time to rest right now but Malone might need to ride this for a little bit here – 11:47 PM

Dustin Dopirak @DustinDopirak
Don’t even bother giving anyone else the ball in the fourth. Just let Booker and Jokic go at it. – 11:47 PM

StatMuse @statmuse
Most 30-point playoff games by a Nugget:
19 — Nikola Jokic
18 — Alex English pic.twitter.com/aEAvwTQGI3 – 11:47 PM

Marcus Thompson @ThompsonScribe
Jokic so nice – 11:46 PM

Dan Favale @danfavale
imagine thinking jokic was an underserving mvp candidate lmao – 11:46 PM

Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Nikola Jokic with an 18-point 3rd quarter. The exclamation point? A Sombor Shuffle to give him 31 on the night. He’s doing everything for Denver. – 11:46 PM

Adam Mares @Adam_Mares
Haven’t seen a Sombor In a looooong time. Jokic Is cooking. – 11:46 PM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Nuggets are within 73-70….We are heading into the fourth quarter…..Booker has 31. Jokic has 31. Great shot making at the end of the third. – 11:46 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
End of 3Q: PHX 73, DEN 70
Booker: 31 Pts, 5 Ast, 12-21 FG
Durant: 16 Pts, 7 Reb, 6-17 FG
Ayton: 12 Pts, 7 Reb, 6-9 FG
Jokic: 31 Pts, 8 Reb, 13-22 FG
Booker and Jokic trade baskets to end the 3Q, but Nuggets have momentum after hitting the last shot – 11:46 PM

Ryan Blackburn @NBABlackburn
Okay, we have an ol’ fashioned duel between Joker and Booker here.
This thing is getting intense. – 11:45 PM

Michael Singer @msinger
Joker’s got 16 points … in the quarter. – 11:45 PM

Gordon Gross @GMoneyNuggs
Nuggets are losing the rebounding battle and are 3-for-19 from deep. Just a rough game, but they’re still right there. Jokic is keeping them close, but someone else has to help. – 11:44 PM

Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Looks like Nikola Jokic removed the tape from his right wrist at halftime. – 11:27 PM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
The Suns have Durant, CP and Booker all cooking at the same time….Jokic is doing what he can to keep Denver in this, but when Phoenix is rolling like this, it’s hard to shut the water off – 11:25 PM

Michael Singer @msinger
Joker combines so much power, balance and (gasp) athleticism into post work. Just watch. It’s not normal. He’s exceptionally deft. – 11:22 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Ayton smiling after foul call on him guarding Jokic.
Jokic splits FTs. #Suns up one. – 11:21 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Booker hit jumper over Jokic, then playfully grabbed at the back of his jersey on the way back down the court.
#Suns #Nuggets tied again at 48-48. – 11:20 PM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
This definitely has to be a Jokic game….. – 11:19 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Jokic now 1-of-4 from 3.
For his career, he’s a 34.8% shooter from 3, averaging one make a game.’
This season, he’s 38.3% from 3.
This playoffs, he’s 50% going into Game 2.
Tie game. #Suns #Nuggets #NBAPlayoffs – 11:19 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Murray now 1-for-8 FGs.
Tie game as Jokic beats Ayton down floor. #Nuggets #Suns #NBAPlayoffs – 11:16 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
#Suns 42 #Nuggets 40 H.
Game 1 halftime: DEN 68 PHX 51.
Suns 35.8% FG (4-of-17 3s)
Nuggets 42.1% (3-of-13 3s)
PHX 53 FGAs. DEN 38 FGAs.
GM 1: Nuggets 101. Suns 84.
Booker 17 points. Ayton 10. Durant 9 (4-of-13).
Jokic 13, Gordon 10, Murray 4 (0-for-5 3s).
GM1 Murray 6 3s. – 11:11 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
#Suns 42 #Nuggets 50 H.
Game 1 halftime: DEN 68 PHX 51.
Suns 35.8% FG (4-of-17 3s)
Nuggets 42.1% (3-of-13 3s)
PHX 53 FGAs. DEN 38 FGAs.
GM 1: Nuggets 101. Suns 84.
Booker 17 points. Ayton 10. Durant 9 (4-of-13).
Jokic 13, Gordon 10, Murray 4 (0-for-5 3s).
GM1 Murray 6 3s. pic.twitter.com/UPX5vU3q6c – 11:09 PM

Ryan Blackburn @NBABlackburn
Halftime rotations for the Nuggets as they trail the Suns 42-40:
-Joker: 13 points on 6/12 FG
-Murray: 4-3-3 on 1/7 FG, 0/5 3P, and pretty bad defense
-AG: 10 points, 3/5 FG, 1/2 3P, 3/4 FT, saved Denver’s shooting efficiency
This game is straight out of the stone ages. pic.twitter.com/Zi7pMhlQ2a – 11:02 PM

Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
This is just my take, but when teams single-cover Nikola Jokic and let him try to beat them, the rest of Denver’s offense isn’t as in-sync as it usually is. Nuggets flow best when Jokic is scoring, but also facilitating out of doubles for everyone else. – 11:01 PM

TJ McBride @TJMcBrideNBA
Both teams came into Game 2 looking to lock in their defense and now offenses are disjointed. I bet we see both teams get their stars moving before initiating actions. Both KD and Jokic could use some Spain and double drag looks. Everything is stuck in mud. Inject some pace. – 11:01 PM

Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Ugly first half for both Suns and Nuggets. Suns lead 42-40 at break. Jamal Murray is 1-for-7 and 0-for-5 from 3. KD is 4-for-13 and 1-for7 from 3. Devin Booker, though, has hit 3-of-4 from behind arc and has 17. Joker has 13 points. – 11:00 PM

Michael Singer @msinger
For all the star power on the court, it’s actually amazing how ugly that first half was. MPJ and Jamal combined for 2-of-12 shooting. KD was 4 for 13.
Only Joker (13 points) and Book (17) found anything sustainable.
42-40 Suns at the break. – 11:00 PM

Gordon Gross @GMoneyNuggs
Jeff Green with a “Big Honey” reference for Jokic in the mic’d up segment. Will Barton would be proud. – 10:53 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Ayton digging down to help Damion Lee on Jeff Green, leaving Jokic open for 3.
Jokic missed 3.
Jeff Green just hit the deck on his own, slipped, no travel call. #Suns down six. – 10:44 PM

Gordon Gross @GMoneyNuggs
Jokic and Porter back in still with a slim lead is a good thing. Malone once again pulling that trigger at the right time. – 10:44 PM

Michael Singer @msinger
AG, CB, BB and KCP are like pitbulls in the passing lanes. An indication how much this team has transformed around Joker/Jamal the last few years. – 10:36 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Momentum has been there for the taking, but Devin Booker and Kevin Durant start a combined 5-for-17. Suns losing the non-Jokic minutes again – 10:35 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
End of 1Q: PHX 21, DEN 18
Booker: 7 Pts, 2 Ast, 3-7 FG
Ayton: 6 Pts, 2 Reb, 3-4 FG
Durant: 4 Pts, 6 Reb, 2-8 FG
Jokic: 11 Pts, 2 Reb, 5-9 FG
PHX: 1-9 3P; DEN: 2-7 3P – 10:26 PM

Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
In a strange twist, the Nuggets are the team without the flow and ball movement. A whoooole lot of Jokic (and I get why) but the defense hasn’t had to do much and Ayton has been good on him so far. That Murray PnR late was the first time we get to see the Suns’ new coverage on it – 10:26 PM

Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
Game 1 was all about shot-making but Jokic has been the only one to bring that to the table 10 minutes in.
You can either feel like the Suns should be up 10 or are in a good position tied after all those misses on fine looks. I am with the latter. – 10:21 PM

Michael Singer @msinger
Joker’s got five baskets 10 minutes into this game. The rest of his teammates have two. – 10:19 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Cam Payne is about to get his first minutes of the series as Bismack Biyombo fouls Nikola Jokic with his face – 10:19 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Jokic over Biyombo with set shot jumper. #Suns down two as Gordon answers with dunk. #Nuggets – 10:18 PM

Sean Highkin @highkin
Watching Jokic run is so funny because he’s not jogging, he’s running super hard, but he’s still so slow, and still controls the game completely. – 10:16 PM

Gordon Gross @GMoneyNuggs
Suns: *are losing*
Announcers: You gotta love how the Suns have come out
They are more into their game on both ends early, there is that. But if the plan is to make Jokic beat you with 45, he’s showing he willing to do that. – 10:13 PM

TJ McBride @TJMcBrideNBA
Nuggets not crisp but Jokic is Jokic so they’re up. He has 9 of their 12 points early on and they’re almost all self generated.
Denver needs to tighten up on both ends. – 10:13 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Durant 0-for-2 from 3. #Suns up one as Ayton beats Jokic down the floor for dunk.
Ayton with 6 already. – 10:09 PM

Michael C. Wright @mikecwright
Always fun to watch Jokic pushing the pace. – 10:08 PM

Michael Singer @msinger
Suns’ commitment to keeping Joker in the pick-and-roll seems even more determined in the early stages of Game 2. #Nuggets said they’re good with “tough twos.” – 10:07 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Jokic taking Ayton outside.
That’s been a huge part of the Ayton-Jokic.
Just went inside with a spin move underneath the basket for two after Ayton hit jumper.
That jump shot is there for Ayton. #Suns up one as Ayton at the rim. #NBAPlayoffs #Nuggets – 10:06 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Ayton block on Jokic.
Beat Jokic down floor, misses dunk on Porter Jr. defense.
#Nuggets ball. #Suns – 10:04 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Nikola Jokic pregame ritual. #Suns #Nuggets #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/vaXClWKT5U – 9:51 PM

Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Nuggets Game 2 starters:
Jamal Murray
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Michael Porter Jr.
Aaron Gordon
Nikola Jokic – 9:38 PM

John Hollinger @johnhollinger
A no-look nut shot. Let’s see Jokic do that. – 9:32 PM

Michael Singer @msinger
Monty Williams said he felt the #Nuggets were a little too comfortable in their offense. Mentioned the need to put ball pressure on Joker so he doesn’t pick Suns apart. – 8:33 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
“Tough 2s don’t beat us over 48 minutes.”
Nuggets coach Michael Malone talked about Denver’s Game 1 defense with Nikola Jokic at the level in PNR and forcing the Suns to take tough midrange shots: pic.twitter.com/GmRkFqNBAb – 8:28 PM

Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Talking Jamal Murray on SportsCenter and how he feels “Bubble Murray” is just the beginning of what he can do on this stage and how Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets are preparing for Game 2. pic.twitter.com/xN6otcPQD5 – 7:56 PM

Henry Abbott @TrueHoop
Steph vs. LeBron part V.
The banged up Knicks vs. the banged up Heat.
Can James Harden lead the 76ers?
The Suns must dominate the non-Jokic minutes.
All that and more on today’s show.
🎧: link.chtbl.com/TrueHoopSocial1
🎥: bit.ly/3LLTyuP – 7:30 PM

Mike Prada @MikePradaNBA
Just watched Suns-Nuggets Game 1. Besides Jamal Murray, the big key to me was how great Denver’s low man rotations were – and how terrible the Suns’ were by contrast. And Booker and KD were usually the culprits
Phoenix cannot let Murray and Jokic take that many shots in Game 2 – 6:03 PM

Adam Mares @Adam_Mares
My favorite take I’ve heard from game one.
Jokic is an incredible individual talent and incredible team player. But the biggest reason to buy Denver is the Jokic-Murray duo. Jamal Murray is just as creative and dynamic in the two-man game as Jokic. pic.twitter.com/QNtA0wQQlp – 4:23 PM

Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
Dilemma with the Suns getting more aggressive defending Jamal Murray is allowing Nikola Jokic to get in space.
That’s where Jokic was able to score in Game 1. He was 0-for-3 when calling his own number vs. Ayton. All of his FGs were set up or from offensive rebounds. pic.twitter.com/WrqQCcDjRl – 3:38 PM

Anthony Slater @anthonyVslater
Current playoff leaders in rebounds per 36 minutes
1. Kevon Looney: 18.1
2. Anthony Davis: 13.5
3. Nikola Jokic: 13.4
theathletic.com/4474299/2023/0… – 11:25 AM

StatMuse @statmuse
Jokic this postseason:
25.8 PPG
13.5 RPG
8.3 APG
47.5 FG%
50.0 3P%
Top __ player remaining in the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/SuZRKGdkUT – 11:20 AM