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After being deemed questionable due to inflammation in his left ankle, Nikola Jokic made a significant impact by playing 38 minutes, leading the Denver Nuggets to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter to secure a 116-110 victory over the Sacramento Kings at Ball Arena.
In Wednesday’s game, the Serbian star delivered an impressive performance, finishing with a double-double of 22 points, 15 rebounds, along with six assists and one steal.
Facing a challenging 14-point deficit, Coach Michael Malone’s squad rallied late, pushing their record to 40-22 in the ongoing 2024-25 NBA Regular Season.
“Staying available is one of the key metrics in this profession, and his ability to do so ranks him among the elite players in this sport,” the 53-year-old coach remarked about Jokic during the postgame conference.
After a lengthy recovery from surgery on his left knee, Slovenian Vlatko Cancar was finally cleared from the injury list and dressed for the game, though he did not take to the court. Croatian Dario Saric also remained on the bench.
On the other side, Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas continued to start in place of injured countryman Domantas Sabonis (left hamstring strain), posting a double-double with 19 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, and two steals in 31 minutes of play.
Payton Pritchard and Derrick White had standout performances for the Boston Celtics, each netting career-highs of 43 and 41 points, respectively, as they triumphed over the Portland Trail Blazers, 128-118, at TD Garden.
Israeli Deni Avdija suffered a left quadriceps injury and had to leave the game early in the fourth quarter. The 24-year-old forward contributed 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting, along with six rebounds, two assists, and two blocks, before potentially reinjuring a previous quadriceps issue.
Joining him, Belgian starter Toumani Camara contributed 12 points, four rebounds, and two assists for the Blazers. French teammates Rayan Rupert did not play, while Sidy Cissoko was excluded from the roster.
On the Celtics’ side, Latvian Kristaps Porzingis (illness) missed the match, and Portuguese player Neemias Queta recorded four points, four rebounds, and one block.
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