Nikola Jokic played another great match and with an incredible triple-double performance – 34 points, 21 rebounds and 14 assists led Denver to victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in the first game of the Western Conference finals.
The game ended with a score of 132:126, and Denver had a 20-point advantage in the third quarter to bring the game to an uncertain ending.
It was the Serbian center who scored the decisive points from the throw line and thus crowned a phenomenal game with victory.
“Ups and downs. In the first half we had complete control of everything on the field, in the second half we lost it. We weren’t composed like in the first half,” Jokic said in a statement after the match and continued:
“We knew they would come back, they are a solid team. Winning by one or 20 points doesn’t matter. A victory is a victory”.
In addition to the phenomenal numbers by which he rewrote the pages of this league’s history, Nikola Jokic, as always, modestly commented:
“Just a win. We had no idea before the match what I was going to do specifically. Just to win”.
Denver learned certain lessons from this victory, and at all times the team must be ahead of individual success.
“We must always do what we know best. Then we are good. When we start individually and are not focused, then we lose”, concluded Jokic.
The next duel is scheduled in Colorado on the night between Thursday and Friday at two hours and 30 minutes CET.
