Hot Nikola Jokic, Nuggets takes over Magic

The Denver Nuggets were unhappy on Sunday after losing for only the second time in the last 10 games. So on Tuesday, they’ll be aiming to take out their problems on the Magic when they embark on a three-game tour of Orlando. And their problems were not limited to the way they did.

Nikola Jokic recorded his 11th double run of the season in the Denver position 113-108 for the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday. While the NBA’s most valuable player candidate collected 29 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, another number – zero – jumped off the page.

“You’re gonna tell me if a Joker can play a 48-minute game and not get to the line once?” Jamal Murray, a Nuggets team player, told the Denver Post. “I’m telling you that’s silly.”

Jokic was not in the mood to laugh when he noticed the difference in free throw attempts (30 to 10) between the teams.

“Did they have 30 free throws? That’s why we lose the game,” said Jokic, who gets an average of 27.1 points, 11.2 rebounds, 8.6 assists and 1.6 game steals. .

Nuggets coach Michael Malone was less likely to miss the opponent to the false line, although he was quick to point the finger at his own team as well.

“We lost this game in the second quarter, (outside) 36-21,” Malone said. “We lost this game because they were kicking out our (expletive) on the glass (45-37).”

The Magic, meanwhile, were unable to build Friday’s 121-113 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, as they fell for the 10th time in 11 games two days later in Boston, 112-96.

Orlando’s Nikola Vucevic recorded his 29th double of the season after accumulating 22 points and 13 rebounds in Sunday’s position for the Celtics. Vucevic’s average team prefers points (24.6) and rebounds (11.8).

Sunday’s loss marked the fourth time in the last five games that Orlando fell short of 100 points, although it was the team’s defense that caused Vucevic concern.

“We weren’t aggressive enough and getting into the ball. We just let them play to their strengths as a team, and it’s just hard,” Vucevic said. “And so when you don’t get into them and make it difficult, it’s going to be a tough night. They fired the ball really, really well, but there was a lot of it too because we didn’t just make it difficult for them. “

James Ennis III took a clear place by scoring 18 points on his return from an eight-game absence due to a calf injury.

The Magic will try to stop a Denver team that has been more comfortable on the road lately. The Nuggets, who are 13-8 away from home, will open a three-game tour on the heels of having swept a five-game tour from February 27 through March 12.

–Field Media Level

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