Jokic dominates, Nuggets spoil Doc Rivers’ coaching debut with Bucks

Doc Rivers kicked off his 25th season of coaching in the NBA on the road, facing the defending champion Denver Nuggets.

The challenge proved to be too much for Milwaukee, with Nikola Jokic recording his 14th triple-double of the season in a 113-107 win for the Nuggets.

Bucks Start Fast

Milwaukee held a 13-point lead in the first quarter, but the game was very even from that point forward.

Rivers got a front-row seat to much of what plagued the Bucks with previous coach Adrian Griffin – turnovers and weak interior defense.

The Nuggets had 58 points in the paint, as opposed to the Bucks’ 26. Jokic got 25 points mostly down low, and his 1-2 punch with Jamal Murray’s outside shooting was more than enough to give Denver a 9-point lead late in the game.

Murray chipped in 35 points himself, 21 of those coming in the first half.

Nikola Jokic tonight:
25 PTS – 16 REB – 12 AST

Jamal Murray tonight:
35 PTS – 2 REB – 5 AST pic.twitter.com/LpvFxZfmLz

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 30, 2024

Nuggets Take Over

In the battle of NBA MVPs, Giannis Antetokounmpo did not fall far behind, dropping 29 points and 12 rebounds to keep his team afloat while co-stars Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton struggled all game.

However, Antetokounmpo’s efforts were not enough, as Aaron Gordon sealed the win by blocking on Damian Lillard in the final moments.

The win was victory No. 400 for Michael Malone as coach of the Nuggets.

Rivers Moving Forward

The Bucks “already know what the goal is” according to Rivers, a team that features several players who already won a championship with Milwaukee in 2021.

"That fight is there. That's something really encouraging moving forward."#Bucks head coach Doc Rivers after the loss to the Nuggets. 🔊#FearTheDeer | #NBA pic.twitter.com/adZP138xhd

— Bally Sports Wisconsin (@BallySportWI) January 30, 2024

Denver’s win moves them to 33-15 on the season and 19-4 at home. Milwaukee drops to 32-15, second place in the Eastern Conference and four games behind Boston.

The talented Milwaukee team with win-now aspirations looks to move on from the loss on Wednesday in a matchup with the 14-33 Trail Blazers, Damian Lillard’s first game back in Portland since leaving this offseason.

Denver takes on Oklahoma City in a battle for second place in the Western Conference on Wednesday.