Nikola Jokic #15 and Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets talk during a break in the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Ball Arena on October 22, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. Copyright 2022 NBAE Justin Tafoya/Getty Images/AFP
Reigning two-time MVP Nikola Jokic had 19 points, 16 rebounds and 13 assists to lead the host Denver Nuggets to a 122-117 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday.
The triple-double was Jokic’s second consecutive and 78th of his career, tying him for the most in NBA history for a center with Wilt Chamberlain. Chamberlain and Jokic are tied for sixth among all players.
Nikola Jokic notched his 78th career triple-double in the @nuggets win tying Wilt Chamberlain for 6th all-time in NBA history! #KiaTipOff22
🃏 19 PTS | 16 REB | 13 AST pic.twitter.com/GyVOcmuKSc
— NBA (@NBA) October 23, 2022
While Jokic was steady throughout, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope came up big in bursts.
After scoring 13 points in the first quarter with four 3-pointers, Caldwell-Pope was mostly quiet until the final six minutes.
Then with the Thunder surging, Caldwell-Pope hit 3-pointers on back-to-back Nuggets’ possessions, helping Denver stay on top.
He finished with 21 points, including 6 of 10 from beyond the arc.
The Nuggets scored 34 points in the fourth quarter, including 7 of 9 on 3-pointers.
Saturday marked the Nuggets’ home opener and also the home return of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. after injuries kept them out for extended periods last season.
Porter, who played in just nine games last season before undergoing back surgery, led Denver with 22 points.
Murray, who suffered a torn ACL in April 2021, received a large ovation during pregame introductions. Murray, who sat out Friday’s win over Golden State for injury management, had 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting.
The game was close throughout, especially after the Thunder erased an early nine-point lead by the Nuggets with a 10-0 run in the first quarter.
Neither team led by double figures at any point.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 28 points, going 11 of 24 from the floor.
Josh Giddey added 19 points and 12 rebounds, and Mike Muscala scored 18 off the bench for Oklahoma City.
Luguentz Dort was 3 of 13 from the field. In two games, Dort is 6 of 25 from the floor and 2 of 13 from beyond the arc.
Oklahoma City outscored the Nuggets 21-10 off turnovers.