Jokic — routine brilliance in a season gone mad
It’s getting almost boring. That’s the crazy part.
Nikola Jokic notched his 35th triple-double of the season. 22 points, 14 rebounds, 14 assists. A stat line that would shock any NBA night… except when it comes from him.
Nikola Jokic 22 PTS, 14 REB, 14 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 10/18 FG, 0 FTS, 61.1% TS vs Blazers pic.twitter.com/AqiQGq4o2R https://t.co/CIdyfB9K7K
— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) March 23, 2026
With him, the exception’s the rule.
And against Portland he didn’t just pad the box score. He controlled the game. As usual.
Denver rolls, powered by a confident unit
Everything around him snapped into place.
Jamal Murray put up 22, Cam Johnson added 19, Aaron Gordon did his job. Crucially, seven Nuggets finished in double figures.
A well-oiled machine. Fluid. Team-first.
Even Peyton Watson’s return — out since early February — slid right into this picture. 14 points in under 20 minutes. Immediate impact.
Denver doesn’t force things. Denver imposes.
High-octane start… then the lead blows open
The opening felt like a shootout.
Both teams were raining threes — 70% from deep, shots flying at a breakneck pace. Portland answered, hung in, refused to fold.
At the half it was tight, 75-69. Game on.
But after the break Denver shifted gears.
The run that turned the game
It happened in minutes.
Jokic, Gordon, Johnson. Three threes. A flawless sequence. Then an 11-0 burst that broke the game.
From 75-69 to 88-74 the gap exploded. Portland wobbled. Denver put the boot in.
After that, the suspense evaporated.
Portland fights, but never grabs control
Deni Avdija (23) and Donovan Clingan (18) tried to keep the Blazers in it.
But something was always missing. A stretch. A moment. A turning point.
Portland never led. Never really threatened.
Against a team as structured as Denver, that doesn’t fly.
Denver sends a clear message
Beyond the win, it’s how they won that matters.
Denver plays smart. Denver plays together. And with Jokic at the peak of his craft, he dictates every possession without even trying.
Yes, five turnovers. A footnote in a performance like that.
Because the point’s elsewhere.
A team built for the run-in
The Nuggets are moving with confidence, depth and control.
The kind of team that doesn’t fuss but shows up night after night.
And with Jokic playing like this, the real question starts to loom.
Who can actually stop them?
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