It didn't take long for the Denver Nuggets to get back in the win column. After losing two straight games, the Nuggets finally looked like themselves again after thrashing the Cleveland Cavaliers, 130-101.
In the Nuggets' two prior losses, they really struggled to knock down 3-point shots. Against the Phoenix Suns, they shot an embarrassing 25% from deep. Against the Minnesota Timberwolves, they also shot an embarrassing 28.6% from 3-point range. Thankfully they managed to turn that around against the Cavaliers, and were on fire from beyond the arc at 63.6%.
Michael Porter Jr., Reggie Jackson and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope were the Nuggets' best long-range shooters on the night, shooting a combined 14-for-19.
“Unbelievable ball movement. That is what I loved about tonight,” Nuggets head coach Michael Malone told reporters postgame. “Yes, we made 21 threes, and the last couple of games we couldn't make a three. But I think more importantly was how we generated those looks. The ball movement, the body movement. And everybody really just kinda committing to playing for the guy next to them.”
Michael Malone believes Nikola Jokic should be a lock for his third MVP award
The Nuggets' win over the Cavaliers was also powered by Nikola Jokic, who like clockwork, put on another superstar performance. Notching another triple-double, Jokic finished the night with 26 points, 18 rebounds and 16 assists. It was good to see Jokic feeling like himself again, as he has been nursing various injuries in the second half of this season.
Jokic playing through some injuries throughout the season is one of the many things that has impressed coach Malone. In Malone's opinion, on top of Jokic's superstar performances, his toughness and leadership have helped secure his 3rd MVP award.
“It speaks to why he's going to be a three-time MVP,” Malone said. “It speaks to his understanding that it's not just about Nikola. That's what I love about him probably more than anything is how selfless he is. It's not about him getting 26-18-16. He was so into the game tonight, so into the huddles, talking to guys and being vocal on the court. That shows you the investment, that shows you how much he cares about this team. … Tonight him showing up and saying ‘Okay, I'm going to do what MVPs do. I am going to help lead us to a win.'”
Your average Joker pass 🃏 pic.twitter.com/D2GKWCXDZv
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) March 31, 2024
Malone isn't the only person on the Nuggets who has voiced their praise of Jokic. After the win, Reggie Jackson couldn't stop talking about how great of a teammate Jokic is, via Mile High Sports' Ryan Blackburn.
“He's one of the most encouraging guys, one of the best superstars at building you up and putting you in a position to be successful,” Jackson said. “… “Also, I think where we're getting better is: we want to relieve him of some of his stresses. Everything he has to do, we understand he is a supernova. He is the brightest star. Honestly, he's the sun. Everything revolves around him, but we all have to do our part, so if we can make it easier, if we can take something off of his plate at times, we definitely try to do so.”
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