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Nikola Jokic had another great game for the Denver Nuggets in their 115-112 win over the gritty Minnesota Timberwolves. He had to adjust his game on Tuesday night, as the Timberwolves did not have three of their best big men – Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid.
"The Joker" ended with 35 points, 16 rebounds and a season-low two assists in an uncanny performance. He was given several looks being defended by undersized forwards Jaden McDaniels and Kyle Anderson. Luka Garza also had a few chances to defend the reigning NBA Finals MVP.
It was a closer game than what the defending champs anticipated, as the Timberwolves were short-handed and playing the second game of a back-to-back. Anthony Edwards had a chance to force overtime but missed a wide-open 3-point shot at the buzzer.
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Nikola Jokic prop bet results
Nikola Jokic has an over/under of 26.5 points, 11.5 points and 8.5 assists heading into Tuesday's matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was favored to go over in all three categories even though he's averaging fewer points this season. He's putting up 26.0 points, 12.3 rebounds and 9.0 assists per game.
Due to the small lineup used by the Timberwolves, Jokic feasted on the paint and went over 26.5 points. He also grabbed more than 11.5 points, but his assists were overwhelmingly low with just two.
Those who bet on Jokic to go over his points and rebounds made some money, while the two assists were a parlay killer. Bettors are not used to seeing the two-time MVP have a poor assist night, so it's just an anomaly.
Also Read: "He's that good" - Mad Dog Russo crowns Nikola Jokic the greatest center over Shaquille O'Neal
Nuggets have a chance to finish No. 1 in the West
The Denver Nuggets are technically tied with the OKC Thunder for the best record in the West. However, the Nuggets are No. 2 because the Thunder own the tie-breaker after winning their season series 3-1.
According to Tankathon, the defending champions have a much easier schedule remaining than the Thunder. Denver has the second-easiest schedule in the league, just behind the Boston Celtics, while Oklahoma City owns the sixth-hardest schedule.
Some of the top teams the Nuggets still need to face include the LA Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns.
They also face teams with losing records like the San Antonio Spurs, Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz and Atlanta Hawks.
Also Read: Denver Nuggets complete fast break with 3 passes, one dribble and an alley-oop in under 5 seconds
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