After toppling the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Detroit Pistons made NBA history as the first team to triple their win total from the previous season.
Nikola Jokic reached a new scoring milestone, while the race for the West sixth and final guaranteed playoff berth kicked into high gear with the Warriors, Clippers, and Timberwolves all eyeing the spot. | Photos: NBA, Clippers, Timberwolves
Nikola Jokic just became the fifth-youngest center to reach 16,000 career points in a second-straight Denver Nuggets win.
Elsewhere, the Detroit Pistons snapped a 12-game losing skid to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the West no. 6 chase continues to heat up.
JOKIC SURPASSES 16K POINTS; PISTONS FINALLY SOLVE CAVS PUZZLE
- Denver Nuggets (47-28) def. Utah Jazz (16-59), 129-93: Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic put up a casual 27-point, 14-rebound, six-assist outing that steered the Nuggets to their 47th win of the season.
- More Joker History: Besides draining yet another half court heave, Jokic also become the fastest player (739) in league history to reach at least 16K points, 8K rebounds, and 5K assists.
- Detroit Pistons (42-32) def. Cleveland Cavaliers (59-15), 133-122: Without Cade Cunningham, the Pistons earned their first win over the East no. 1 Cavaliers in three years--thanks to Tim Hardaway Jr.’s 32 point-explosion.
[ALSO READ: Pistons make history in beating Cavaliers, tripling total win from previous season]
- Starting from the Bottom, Now We Here: Assured of their first winning season since 2016, the Pistons also became the first team to triple their winning total from the previous year — going 14 to 42 and counting.
- Toronto Raptors (27-47) def. Brooklyn Nets (18-55), 108-97: Jakob Poetl imposed his might with 24 points and 12 rebounds in just 26 minutes, tallying his 22nd double-double en route to the Raptors’ third successive victory.
CLIPPERS, WARRIORS, TWOLVES SPICE UP WEST NO. 6 TUSSLE
- LA Clippers (42-31) def. Brooklyn Nets (23-51), 132-100: Kawhi Leonard put on a scoring masterclass to banner a 32-point Clipper beatdown of the Nets for their 10th win in the last 12 games.
- All-around Klaw: Kawhi Leonard rattled off 25 of his 31 points in the first half on top of six rebounds, four steals, two assists, and a couple of blocks to become the first player in league history to record those numbers in 27 minutes or fewer.
- Golden State Warriors (42-31) def. New Orleans Pelicans (20-54), 111-95: With Stephen Curry back in the fold, the Warriors halt a two-game skid at the Pelicans’ expense to stay in a tight West no. 6 race.
[ALSO READ: Stephen Curry’s return spark Warriors drubbing of Pelicans to snap skid]
- Minnesota Timberwolves (42-32) def. Phoenix Suns (35-39), 124-109: Julius Randle and Anthony Edwards combined for 45 points as the Timberwolves completed a season sweep of the Suns for the first time since the 2016-17 season.
- As Tight as it Gets: All winning their respective outings this NBA Saturday, the Clippers, Warriors, and Timberwolves are only separated by half a game in the team standings--in what’s shaping up to be an intense finish on who will secure the sixth and last guaranteed playoff spot in the West.
- New York Knicks (46-27) def. Milwaukee Bucks (40-33), 116-107: OG Anunoby dropped his second 30-point game in the last three games, helping the Knicks snapped a three-game road losing skid over the Bucks.