Denver, CO– Nikola Jokic posted another dominant performance with 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists, earning his 19th triple-double of the season as the Denver Nuggets cruised past the Philadelphia 76ers 144-109 on Tuesday night. The win extended Philadelphia’s losing streak to seven games.
Jokic achieved his triple-double late in the third quarter, assisting Aaron Gordon on a dunk, and did not return for the final period. Gordon was nearly flawless in his shooting, finishing with 19 points on 6-of-7 shooting, including a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. Denver had six players in double figures, including Julian Strawther, who contributed 23 points.
For the 76ers, Tyrese Maxey led the way with 28 points and 10 assists. However, Philadelphia was once again without star center Joel Embiid, who remains sidelined with swelling in his left knee and has not played in Denver since 2019.
This game was part of the NBA’s “Rivals Week,” a showcase that was expected to feature the last four MVPs, including Embiid (2023) and Jokic (2021, 2022, 2024). With Embiid absent, the matchup lost some of its luster but still saw impressive individual performances, particularly from Jokic and Maxey.
Takeaways:
76ers: Paul George (groin), Andre Drummond (toe), and Guerschon Yabusele (knee) returned to the lineup for Philadelphia. George scored 11 points, Drummond added 8, and Yabusele contributed 22 points.
Nuggets: Denver played an up-tempo game, tying their season-high in points and dominating the fast break, outscoring the Sixers 39-7.
Key Moment:
Philadelphia briefly closed the gap to eight points early in the third quarter, but the Nuggets responded with a 24-12 run to put the game out of reach.
Key Stat:
Denver shot an impressive 61.2% from the field and 51.6% from three-point range.
Next Up:
The Nuggets will host the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night, while the 76ers return home to face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.