Nikola Jokic put together one of the more complete performances of his season Monday night, and it still took overtime for the Denver Nuggets to get the job done.
Denver survived a tough Trail Blazers squad 137-132 in OT, and Jokic was the reason they did. He finished with 35 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists, carrying Denver through a game that got messy before it got resolved. It was the kind of performance that reminded everyone why he's still the best player on the planet when he's locked in.
After the win, Jokic explained exactly what flipped the switch in the clutch. The big man missed a shot to end regulation, but came up big in the extra period.
"Yes, definitely. I think the team who is chasing has more energy, they're more hungry, they play with a little more physicality," Jokic said. "I think we had that urge, we had that moment, we definitely felt it. We were getting the looks that we want I think."
Apr 6, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) controls the ball as Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III (35) guards in the second quarter at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn ImagesPortland Made Denver Earn Every Bit of It
The Trail Blazers led by as many as 18 points and kept Denver uncomfortable for most of regulation. Deni Avdija finished with 26 points and Jrue Holiday posted a 19-point, 11-assist double-double, with Portland connecting on 25 threes on 52 attempts to stay in the fight.
Denver needed a 38-24 fourth-quarter run just to force overtime, and Jokic's closing ability took over from there. His 15-of-31 shooting line looks workmanlike on paper, but the 14 rebounds and 13 assists tell the real story.
He was the engine behind every key possession when the game was on the line, and his ability to find the right play under pressure is what ultimately separated these two teams.
The Nuggets Won the Dirty Stats
Aaron Gordon added 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting with nine rebounds and five assists, while Jamal Murray contributed 20 points and seven assists at a 7-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Cam Johnson was a plus-25 in 37 minutes with 17 points of his own. Denver got contributions across the board when it needed them most.
The Nuggets posted 66 points in the paint to Portland's 32 and converted 30 second-chance points on 17 offensive rebounds. That's the physicality Jokic was talking about.
When Denver started playing with urgency, the size and strength advantage they carry in the frontcourt became impossible to overcome, even for a Portland team that was shooting lights out from three all night.
With the regular season winding down, this was a huge win to keep the Nuggets' dreams of a top three seed alive. Only two teams in NBA history have won a championship without possessing a top three seed, and attaining that will be paramount for Denver's title hopes.