Nikola Jokic's monster triple-double inspires Nuggets to overtime win, Tatum drops 54 against the Nets

By Jack Bantock, CNN

Updated 1101 GMT (1901 HKT) March 7, 2022

Nikola Jokic celebrates during a virtuoso display against the New Orleans Pelicans.

(CNN)With nine minutes left in the fourth quarter, Nikola Jokic had endured, by his standards, a relatively quiet game.

The Serb had 16 points and his Denver Nuggets — having squandered a 21-point lead — were staring down the barrel of a surprise home defeat to the New Orleans Pelicans.What followed was a devastating display of individual brilliance, as Jokic scored 30 points in the fourth quarter and overtime to drag the Nuggets to a 138-130 overtime victory at the Ball Arena.In a week of solo masterclasses in the NBA — Ja Morant securing a historic 52-point haul before LeBron James dropped 56 against the Golden State Warriors — Jokic continued the trend with his league-best 17th triple-double of the season.Jokic drives to the basket.The 27-year-old added 12 rebounds and 11 assists to his 46 points, the extent of his one-man carry job underscored by three steals and four blocks.Read MoreIn doing so, Jokic became the first player since 1973, when steals and blocks officially began being tracked, to record such a stat-line, according to the NBA.For his teammates, Jokic's performance was a testament to his status as the league's reigning MVP.«MANNNN LISTEN!!! MVPPPP!!! MVPPPPP!!!!» Nuggets point guard Bones Hyland tweeted, «NIKOLA JOKIC IS THE BEST PLAYER IN THE NBA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!»Jokic is the NBA's reigning MVP and his performance had his teammates raving.Aaron Gordon, the Nuggets' second highest scorer with 28 points, was in agreement.«Phenomenal,» Gordon told reporters, «he's just different.»«It's just not something that you see often. He took over… 30 points in the fourth