Jokic helps Nuggets dominate Clippers

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Denver superstar Nikola Jokic returned from a 16-game injury absence to post a 31-point, 12-rebound double-double on Friday and propel the Nuggets to a 122-109 National Basketball Association (NBA) victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic had not played since suffering a bone bruise in the left knee he hyperextended in a game against Miami on 29 December.

The Serbian big man did not miss a beat. He led all scorers, connecting on eight of 11 shots from the field, and also handed out five assists with three steals while playing just 24:32 minutes as the Nuggets halted the Clippers’ winning streak at three.

“I feel good out there,” Jokic said in an on-court post-game interview. “I think I did a really good job with the recovery, really good to prepare myself.”

Jokic’s return was a welcome boost for a Nuggets team that just saw forward Aaron Gordon join Christian Braun and Cameron Johnson on the injured list.