Nikola Jokic matches career-high 47 points in win over Jazz

Nikola Jokic scored 47 points in the Denver Nuggets’ 128-117 triumph over the visiting Utah Jazz on Sunday.

Denver halted Utah’s 11-game winning streak.

In the Nuggets’ high-scoring win, Jokic made 17 of 26 shots from the field, including 4 of 4 from 3-point range. He was 9-for-10 at the free-throw line. The Serbian star tied his career-high total, which he set on Jan. 6, 2020, against the Atlanta Hawks in the Nuggets’ 123-115 win.

Jokic was pleased to make an impact for his team, which improved to 12-8.

“Hopefully, I’m going to score when we need it. It’s just a game,” Jokic told reporters, according to The Associated Press. “The main thing is just win the game. I’m going to score however much I need just to win the game.”

Jokic scored 22 points in the first period.

Nikola Jokic having a stellar season

NBA MVP candidate Jokic is averaging 25.7 points (No. 14 in the league), 11.7 rebounds, and 8.7 assists this season.

In Sunday’s win, Jokic and his teammates enjoyed hot perimeter shooting in the opening half, combining to make 15 of 17 from beyond the arc. The Nuggets made 29 of 44 overall shots in the first half.

As for Jokic, he had 33 points by intermission.

That set the tone for the Nuggets’ commanding 79-54 advantage entering the third quarter.

Jazz didn’t play their best

After the game, Utah coach Quin Snyder conceded that his team didn’t do an adequate job in defending Jokic.

“Everybody in our locker room has to believe that we can do better. And I think we are capable of doing better,” Snyder said, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. “(Jokic) had a lot of space to operate. … But I think if you ask Rudy (Gobert), I think Rudy would say that he could do better. And we all can help him.”

Indeed, the Nuggets big man commands attention.

Case in point: Nikola Jokic helped carry the Denver Nuggets to the Western Conference finals last season.

High scorer for Utah

Bojan Bogdanovic paced the Jazz (15-5) with 29 points.