DENVER – Denver superstar Nikola Jokic returned from a 16-game injury absence to post a 31-point, 12-rebound double-double on Friday and propel the Nuggets to a 122-109 NBA victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic had not played since suffering a bone bruise in the left knee he hyperextended in a game against Miami on Dec. 29.
The Serbian big man did not miss a beat. He led all scorers, connecting on eight of 11 shots from the field, and also handed out five assists with three steals while playing just 24:32 minutes as the Nuggets halted the Clippers’ winning streak at three.
“I feel good out there,” Jokic said in an on-court post-game interview. “I think I did a really good job with the recovery, really good to prepare myself.”
Elsewhere, Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic had a triple-double by halftime, sparking the Lakers to a 114-111 rout of the Wizards in Washington.
Doncic finished with 37 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists for his sixth triple-double of the season.