By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Nikola Jokic started the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season with a triple-double, but the Denver Nuggets fell, 137-131, to the Golden State Warriors in overtime.
The 30-year-old Serbian superstar was held to 2/13 from beyond the arc en route to 21 points plus 13 rebounds and ten assists. He added one steal and one block, logging nearly 41 minutes on Thursday in San Francisco’s Chase Center.
The Joker missed an opportunity to seal a win at the end of regulation, before the Warriors dominated the extra period to jump to 2-0. Stephen Curry paved the way with 42 points, including seven in overtime, following up a crazy game-tying three-pointer late in the fourth quarter.
“There’s 80 games left, so you kind of understand you don’t wanna get too ahead of yourself, but building blocks on and understanding on how to win,” noted 37-year-old Curry in the postgame press conference, referring to the remainder of the Regular Season. “We haven’t done anything yet, but we are building a winning mentality.”
Meanwhile, Aaron Gordon put up a career-high 50 points with 17/21 field goals, including 10/11 triples for the Nuggets.
“If someone scores ten threes in a game, it’s easy to play with the guy,” reacted disappointed Jokic.
“Ridiculous. Whatever he did this summer, it worked,” Curry also commented on the spectacular showing of the 30-year-old combo forward.
Coming off the bench, Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas made 4/5 two-pointers for eight points to go with three rebounds, two assists, and one block over 12 minutes.
On the winning end, Dutch Quinten Post was limited to 4:22 and did not produce a stat.