Jokic’s 17–17–23 finish
Nikola Jokić flirted with a triple‑double — 23 points, 17 rebounds, 17 assists — and hit the game‑winner as the Nuggets edged the Suns in what looked like a playoff preview. The finish came in a March 24 tilt that underscored Denver’s late‑season clutch-levels. ( )
Denver closed the night with a 125-123 win in Phoenix at the Mortgage Matchup Center on March 24. (nba.com: ) The decisive shot was a 12‑foot jumper with 11.5 seconds remaining; Devin Booker then missed a potential tying 3 with about 30.2 seconds left. (espn.com: ) Jokić’s performance added the NBA‑leading 29th triple‑double of his season, a mark he reached by early in the third quarter. (espn.com: ) Denver dominated the glass 50‑41 and collected 14 offensive rebounds, converting those into 15 second‑chance points. (landofbasketball.com: ) Jamal Murray led Denver’s supporting scorers with 21 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. supplied 18 off the bench; Phoenix got 22 points and 8 assists from Booker while Jalen Green and Grayson Allen each finished with 21. (landofbasketball.com: ) The result moved Denver to 45-28 and Phoenix to 40-33, completed a 3‑0 season sweep of the Suns, and extended a run that has the Nuggets 6‑of‑8 with their spot in the West playoff picture sitting 1.5 games behind the Lakers for third. (nba.com: azcentral.com: ) Jokić drew an early technical after a heated exchange with referee Dannica Baroody, and he logged his 802nd career game, tying Dan Issel for second in franchise history. (nba.com: msn.com: )
