Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokic’s five best games this season
By Dean Hasan
2. 1/6/20 @ Atlanta Hawks
This wasn’t the fiercest of competition and the Atlanta Hawks’ center rotation leaves something to be desired, but the sheer offensive output Jokic had in this game lands this performance at number two.
The Joker came out swinging from the opening tip, which coincidentally was the only thing he lost this game. He dropped an efficient 18 points in the first frame and he had everything working; inside, outside and everywhere in between.
By halftime, he’d increased his point total to 27 before recording his 40th point by the end of the third period. Jokic finished the game with a career-high 47 points along with eight rebounds, five assists and four 3-pointers on an efficient 64.0 percent from the field.
Jokic feasted on every defender Atlanta threw at him, and while the game had little implications outside of adding one to the win column, this was a nice bounce-back game for the Nuggets following a disappointing loss to the Washington Wizards two days prior.
This also might’ve been something of a revenge game for Jokic and Denver, who lost at home to the Hawks back on Nov. 12. That loss disrupted a four-game win streak for the Nuggets and immediately preceded a new six-game win streak. Jokic struggled that night, shooting just 7-of-19 from the field for 20 points along with seven assists and six rebounds.
Though this game may have been little more than beating up on the weak, 47 points is a dominant outing, regardless of one’s opponent.