NBA roundup: Nikola Jokic’s historic triple-double too much for Wolves in OT

Nikola Jokic compiled 56 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists as the host Denver Nuggets rallied from nine down in overtime to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 142-138 on Thursday night.

The 30-year-old star produced the first NBA game ever with at least 55 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists. Jokic also logged the third-highest point total ever registered on Christmas Day, behind 60 points from Bernard King in 1984 and 59 from Wilt Chamberlain in 1961.

It was the 15th triple-double of the season for Jokic. He now has 179 in his career during the regular season and 21 in the postseason. Jamal Murray finished with 35 points and 10 assists for the Nuggets, who had lost two of their previous three games.

Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards scored 24 of his 44 points in the fourth quarter and overtime before picking up his second technical foul with 21 seconds left in the extra session.

Knicks 126, Cavaliers 124

Jalen Brunson hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:05 left for host New York, which overcame a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat Cleveland.

Brunson scored 13 of his 34 points over the final 7:15 for the Knicks, who mounted their biggest comeback win of the season. Reserves Jordan Clarkson (25 points) and Tyler Kolek (16 points, nine assists) had big games while Karl-Anthony Towns (11 points, 14 rebounds) posted a double-double.

Donovan Mitchell scored 34 points for the Cavaliers, who blew a pair of double-digit leads and lost a game they led entering the fourth quarter for the first time this season. Darius Garland recorded a double-double with 20 points and 10 assists while Jaylon Tyson (16 points), Evan Mobley (14 points, nine rebounds in his return after a five-game absence) and De’Andre Hunter (13 points) all got into double figures off the bench.

Spurs 117, Thunder 102

De’Aaron Fox scored 29 points as San Antonio handed host Oklahoma City back-to-back losses for the first time this season.

The Spurs have won eight consecutive games — which does not include the NBA Cup final loss to the New York Knicks on Dec. 16 — to extend their longest winning streak since 2018-19. Three of the Thunder’s five defeats this season, including both of their last two, have come to San Antonio.

Victor Wembanyama, who came off the bench for the sixth consecutive game since missing nearly a month due to a calf injury, finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds in nearly 26 minutes for the Spurs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 22 points but was just 7-for-19 from the field, including 1 of 6 from beyond the arc. Isaiah Hartenstein paired 13 points with 12 rebounds, and no other player scored more than 12 for the Thunder.

Warriors 126, Mavericks 116

Stephen Curry lost a personal scoring duel with Cooper Flagg in their first head-to-head matchup, but joined with Gary Payton II to stall a late rally as Golden State held off Dallas in San Francisco.

Curry led the Warriors with 23 points in Golden State’s 13th consecutive appearance in the NBA holiday showcase. After the Mavericks closed within 110-104 with 4:28 to play, Payton converted a Draymond Green pass into his momentum-swinging dunk and Curry bombed in a 26-footer on Golden State’s next possession to reopen a double-digit lead with 3:45 left.

Flagg went for a game-high 27 points and Brandon Williams added 26 for the Mavericks, who lost Anthony Davis for the game after he experienced right groin spasms in the fourth minute of the second quarter. He finished with three points, three rebounds and two blocks in 11 minutes.

Rockets 119, Lakers 96

Amen Thompson scored a game-high 26 points and Kevin Durant added 25 as visiting Houston never trailed Los Angeles to cap a 2-4 road trip on a good note.

Jabari Smith Jr. notched 16 points while Alperen Sengun contributed 14 points and 12 rebounds as the Rockets transformed a 10-point halftime lead into an 81-58 lead on Smith’s tip-in with 5:52 left in the third quarter.

Luka Doncic paced the Lakers with 25 points and seven assists while LeBron James posted 18 points in his 19th Christmas Day game. Austin Reaves scored 12 points in the first half, but did not play in the second half due to left calf soreness. The Lakers were outrebounded 48-25.

–Field Level Media