Denver Nuggets: 3 takeaways from Game 2 comeback vs. Spurs

2. Nikola Jokic turns in another solid performance

The Nuggets big man, Nikola Jokic, led the team in several categories during the regular season, including scoring (20.0 points per contest) rebounds (10.8 per game) and assists (7.2 per game). In other words, he’s a big part of what the Nuggets like to do from an offensive standpoint.

In Game 1, Jokic posted a triple-double, scoring 10 points, pulling down 14 rebounds and handing out 14 assists, becoming just the fourth player in NBA history to post a triple-double in a playoff debut. The last guy to accomplish this feat was LeBron James in 2006.

While a triple-double in the postseason is significant, Jokic wasn’t exactly himself. Thanks to a healthy dose of double-teams, he attempted just nine shots. Bearing that in mind, the Nuggets would need for him to be a bit more aggressive if they were going to get back into the series.

As expected, Jokic delivered on cue Tuesday night, as he finished with a stat line of 21 points (on 15 shot attempts), 13 boards, eight dimes and two steals in 39 minutes of action. Even more important, he helped keep the Nuggets afloat until they made their big run in the second half.