Nikola Jokic breaks Steph Curry's record with 18 points in OT and Nuggets set mark with 27 OT points
Nikola Jokic Rewrites History with 18-Point Overtime Masterpiece
In a league obsessed with pace and space, Nikola Jokic has always moved at his own deliberate speed. But on Christmas night, the three-time MVP accelerated into the record books, delivering a five-minute performance that redefined clutch basketball. Jokic scored 18 points in overtime, shattering the NBA record previously held by Stephen Curry, to lead the Denver Nuggets to a thrilling 142-138 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The previous mark of 17 points, set by Curry during his unanimous MVP season in the 2016 playoffs, stood for nearly a decade as the gold standard for overtime explosions. Jokic didn’t just break it; he did so with surgical precision. The Serbian center went 3-for-3 from the field, including two three-pointers, and converted 10-of-11 free throws in the extra period. His outburst powered Denver to a total of 27 overtime points, setting a new league record for the most points scored by a team in a single overtime session, eclipsing the mark of 25 set by the New Jersey Nets in 1996.
"I mean, I had a good game," Jokic said in typical understated fashion, despite finishing with a staggering stat line of 56 points, 16 rebounds, and 15 assists. It was his 179th career triple-double, but arguably his most necessary. The Nuggets had surrendered a late lead in regulation after Anthony Edwards, who scored 44 points before being ejected in the extra session, hit a twisting corner three to force OT.
With the Timberwolves seizing momentum, acting head coach David Adelman called a timeout that set the stage for Jokic’s takeover. "He’s the best player in the world, just the bottom line," Adelman said. Jamal Murray, who added 35 points, wasn't surprised by his teammate's historic night. When told Jokic had surpassed Curry’s record, Murray simply shrugged: "Seems about right."
As the Nuggets look to climb the Western Conference standings, this performance serves as a terrifying reminder: even in the game's most frantic moments, the Joker holds all the cards.
In a league obsessed with pace and space, Nikola Jokic has always moved at his own deliberate speed. But on Christmas night, the three-time MVP accelerated into the record books, delivering a five-minute performance that redefined clutch basketball. Jokic scored 18 points in overtime, shattering the NBA record previously held by Stephen Curry, to lead the Denver Nuggets to a thrilling 142-138 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The previous mark of 17 points, set by Curry during his unanimous MVP season in the 2016 playoffs, stood for nearly a decade as the gold standard for overtime explosions. Jokic didn’t just break it; he did so with surgical precision. The Serbian center went 3-for-3 from the field, including two three-pointers, and converted 10-of-11 free throws in the extra period. His outburst powered Denver to a total of 27 overtime points, setting a new league record for the most points scored by a team in a single overtime session, eclipsing the mark of 25 set by the New Jersey Nets in 1996.
"I mean, I had a good game," Jokic said in typical understated fashion, despite finishing with a staggering stat line of 56 points, 16 rebounds, and 15 assists. It was his 179th career triple-double, but arguably his most necessary. The Nuggets had surrendered a late lead in regulation after Anthony Edwards, who scored 44 points before being ejected in the extra session, hit a twisting corner three to force OT.
With the Timberwolves seizing momentum, acting head coach David Adelman called a timeout that set the stage for Jokic’s takeover. "He’s the best player in the world, just the bottom line," Adelman said. Jamal Murray, who added 35 points, wasn't surprised by his teammate's historic night. When told Jokic had surpassed Curry’s record, Murray simply shrugged: "Seems about right."
As the Nuggets look to climb the Western Conference standings, this performance serves as a terrifying reminder: even in the game's most frantic moments, the Joker holds all the cards.
