Nikola Jokic Stats Tonight: How did the reigning MVP fare against Dallas Mavericks? (Nov. 22)

Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets hosted the Dallas Mavericks on Friday in the resumption of the Emirates NBA Cup. The Nuggets looked to improve their record to 2-1 with a victory and stay within range of the 3-0 Golden State Warriors. Denver, which won against Dallas on Nov. 10, hoped to stay unbeaten against their opponents in the season series.

The reigning MVP got off to another impressive start, putting up 11 points, three rebounds and two assists in the first quarter. Despite the Mavs’ aggressive double teams, The Joker has been effective and impactful. The Nuggets trailed 33-31 after the first quarter, though.

Jokic continued to cause the Mavericks trouble but had little help from his teammates in the second quarter. The Denver Nuggets labored to score 22 points while their opponents dropped 40 on them without Luka Doncic. Denver faced a 73-53 deficit at halftime.

Nikola Jokic kept going in the third quarter. He added nine more points and impacted the game with his playmaking and rebounding. Christian Braun and Russell Westbrook gave him a boost in carrying the Nuggets as they closed the gap on the Mavericks heading into the fourth quarter. Denver cut the deficit to 95-89 with a period left to play.

The Denver Nuggets gave the Dallas Mavericks a taste of their own medicine early in the final frame to grab the lead. Nikola Jokic got a big lift from his teammates in the last quarter. Peyton Watson’s 3-pointer with 5:34 gave the Nuggets a 108-106 lead.

Jokic’s final points came with 41.0 seconds remaining in the game. He made a layup to cut Dallas’ lead to 117-115. P.J. Washington came alive late in the fourth quarter to push the Mavericks to a 123-120 win.

Player	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	FG	3-PT FG	FT	+/-
Nikola Jokic	33	17	10	0	0	3	13-22	2-2	5-7	6

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Nikola Jokic didn't miss a beat after sitting out team's last few games for personal reasons

Nikola Jokic returned from a four-game absence for the birth of his son. Concerns about rust were laid to rest in his first game back from the special event. He had another triple-double, his fifth straight in his last five games.

The Joker finished with 33 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday. Over his last five games, Jokic is averaging 30.2 points, 16 rebounds and 13.6 assists per game.