After taking a crushing 24-point loss on Sunday to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Denver Nuggets got their revenge. The two Western Conference powerhouses had a rematch set for Monday night, as the Nuggets will officially leave Oklahoma City with the last laugh.
The Nuggets beat OKC 140-127, led by an insane performance from Nikola Jokic. The three-time NBA MVP dropped 35 points, 18 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block on 15-20 shooting from the field and 1-2 from beyond the arc.
Jokic became the first player in NBA history to record those numbers in a single game, per Stathead.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) goes up for a basket against Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55)
Mar 10, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) goes up for a basket against Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Jokic went into Monday's game with a few significant injury concerns, dealing with issues in both of his elbows and his left ankle. Despite this, Jokic put together a historic performance to take down the best team in the Western Conference on the road, successfully bouncing back from a tough loss on Sunday.
The 30-year-old big man is now averaging 28.9 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 10.5 assists per game on the season with 57.7/43.0/80.9 shooting splits. Just three days ago, Jokic recorded the first 30/20/20 game in NBA history and now sets another record mark in possibly their biggest game of the season.
Going into Oklahoma City for a back-to-back series is not an easy task for any team, but the Nuggets are leaving with an even 1-1 record, which should absolutely be viewed as a success. No team necessarily wants to go against OKC in a seven-game playoff series, but Jokic and the Nuggets proved they are capable of competing with the best.
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