Nikola Jokic scored a hat-trick and the Denver Nuggets ended the Oklahoma City Thunder’s four-game winning streak with a 122-110 win on Thursday night.
The Nuggets started the game with a bang, notching no less than 10 three-pointers in the first quarter.
The gap was reduced to just 2 points at one point in the final quarter, but Jamal Murray and the Nuggets held on. Murray finished the game with 24 points after an excellent second half, while Aaron Gordon had 27 after being particularly dominant in the first.
Jokic excelled with 15 points, 13 rebounds and 14 assists. He passed Wilt Chamberlain for sixth in career hat-tricks with 79.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 37 points weren’t enough, including 17 in a single quarter. He did not attempt any long basket, and besides the team had difficulties in this chapter with an efficiency of only 20% compared to 60% for the opponent.
Montreal’s Luguentz Dort contributed 19 points, and Josh Giddey 16.
Concerns for the defending champions?
Jalen Suggs scored nine of his 26 points in the final two minutes, and the Orlando Magic rallied from a 16-point second-half deficit to beat the Golden State Warriors 130-129.
The reigning NBA champions suffered their fourth straight loss.
Stephen Curry had 39 points and nine assists for the Warriors. Klay Thompson added 27 points but missed a late-game siren shot that would have given the Warriors the win.
Rookie Paolo Banchero scored 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Magic, which won only the second time this season. Franz Wagner finished with 19 points and Chuma Okeke contributed with 16 points.
The Warriors are winless in five outings on opposing courts this season.
They led 73-57 after two 3-pointers from Thompson midway through the third quarter. Wagner answered with a 3-pointer and Banchero scored 12 points in the remainder of the period to help Orlando cut the lead to 98-96 early in the fourth quarter.
A 3-pointer from RJ Hampton gave the Magic a 113-104 lead with 7:20 left in the game, but Curry scored seven straight to get the Warriors back in the game, but couldn’t allow the Warriors to complete the ascent.
