Nikola Jokic has a plan for his off day: a relaxing trip to the swimming pool with his daughter, completely detached from thoughts of basketball. The Denver Nuggets’ center, deserving of a well-earned break, delivered an outstanding performance with 35 points and 13 rebounds in over 36 minutes, contributing to the Nuggets’ 108-105 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night.

 

Reggie Jackson stepped up admirably in place of the injured Jamal Murray, adding 20 points to the mix and aiding the defending champions in maintaining their NBA-best record of 8-1 overall, including an impressive 6-0 at home.

 

“We feel like it’s a good group of guys and we are playing the right way,” Jokic commented. “I think that’s why we’re winning the games.”

Jokic’s extended play in the third quarter aimed to support a struggling bench unit and contend with Warriors’ big man Kevon Looney. Despite Jokic’s fatigue, he had an opportunity to seal the win with 15 seconds left and the Nuggets leading 107-105, but missed two free throws.

 

Stephen Curry faced relentless defense throughout the night, primarily from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and concluded with 23 points. The game remained competitive, with Denver leading by 12 in the first half, trailing by five early in the fourth quarter, and ultimately rallying behind the efforts of Jackson and Jokic.

 

Notably, the Warriors’ bench played a pivotal role, outscoring Denver’s backups 42-12 and keeping the game closely contested until the final moments.