By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Completing a triple-double early in the second half, Nikola Jokic fueled the Denver Nuggets to a 117-100 victory versus the Indiana Pacers in Ball Arena on Saturday.
His sixth triple-double in the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season consisted of 32 points, 14 assists, and 14 rebounds. The 30-year-old Serbian center made 10/14 from the field over 31:43. He also recorded one steal.
“He’s the most efficient basketball player I’ve ever seen. And I know there are guys way back in the past I didn’t get to see play, but for me, in this modern generation of basketball, please show me who else is out there, who plays like this, at this efficient level offensively,” mentioned head coach David Adelman in a postgame press conference.
The remaining European contribution came off the bench, with Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas tallying six points, five rebounds, three assists, and one block in 13:55.
From Jokic to Jovic
With 22-year-old Nikola Jovic scoring a career-high 29 points off the bench, the Miami Heat defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, 136-131, in Kaseya Center. The Serbian forward also put in nine rebounds, seven assists, and two steals over 31:22.
“I would have lied if I said that the last two weeks were easy, because I felt like everything I did was wrong, and I was not helping this team at all. I want to thank all the coaches and everybody from the team for keeping supporting me, and letting me know that I’m important to the team,” Jovic described his path to a career game.
Swedish starter Pelle Larsson added 16 points, five assists, and one rebound, with Italian reserve Simone Fontecchio recording seven points and one rebound. In contrast, Russian Vladislav Goldin and Lithuanian Kasparas Jakucionis did not play for the team coached by Erik Spoelstra.
For the visitors, Israeli Deni Avdija had a game-high 33 points, alongside 11 rebounds, eight assists, and one block. “Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and we should have been more focused and played harder,” noted the 24-year-old forward.
Fellow starter, Belgian Toumani Camara, ended up with 13 points, seven rebounds, and one assist. French Sidy Cissoko earned three points and two rebounds, while another French import, Rayan Rupert, remained on the bench.