Nikola Jokic showcased his all-around skills on Tuesday by scoring 31 points, securing 13 rebounds and distributing 10 assists, marking his 13th triple-double of the season.
He successfully converted three of four attempts from 3-point range, with a crucial shot late in the first half and a decisive one with 6.1 seconds remaining, securing the Denver Nuggets's 114-109 triumph over the Indiana Pacers.
Remarkably, he committed only one turnover during the game.
He even helped the refs by urging coach Michael Malone to challenge calls twice, getting both right. The second challenge preserved a key late possession that helped thwart the Pacers' charge. And, of course, Jokic responded with a 3 to give Denver a 105-103 lead with 3:10 to go.
"We've been together for nine years, and he's proven to be very trustworthy," Malone said of Jokic's lobbying efforts for challenges. "I think we've won five challenges in a row, and those can be game-changing plays. I thought that late one was. So it works out in our favor."
Jamal Murray also scored 31 points. Together, Murray and Jokic made all the big plays down the stretch as Denver won its third straight overall and for the eighth consecutive time over the Pacers.
Myles Turner led Indiana with 22 points, while Pascal Siakam added 16 points and 10 rebounds in his first home game since being traded to Indiana last week. All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton again sat out with a strained left hamstring and has already been ruled out of Indiana's next two games.
Even Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, who drew two quick technical fouls and was ejected in the third quarter, knew the difference was Jokic.
"The two defining plays of the game were the three at the end of the first half and the three at the end," Carlisle said. "He's much more aggressively looking for those shots in those situations and there's no hesitation. Those are great players making great plays."
The Pacers have lost three straight overall, this one coming as two of the league's five highest-scoring teams struggled offensively at times.
Yet the defending NBA champions still had enough scoring punch – and just enough defense – to fend off Indiana's late push after taking a 93-81 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Pacers methodically fought their way back, tying the score at 100 before taking a 103-102 lead on Ben Sheppard's 3-pointer with 3:42 left. On the Nuggets' next possession, Jokic was called for a foul, and he immediately lobbied his coach for a challenge. After a few moments, the foul was called on Sheppard, and Jokic made the go-ahead basket to spur a closing 12-6 run to seal the victory.
