Nikola Jokic records triple-double as Nuggets ruin Bucks coach Doc Rivers’ launching with 113-107 win

Nikola Jokic ruined the Milwaukee training launching of Doc Rivers by recording his 14th triple-double of the season as the Denver Nuggets rose by the Bucks 113-107 on Monday night.

Jokic completed with 25 points, 16 rebounds and 12 helps, while Jamal Murray included 35 points in assisting Denver gain separation throughout an 8-0 run late in the videogame.

This videogame was a possibility for Rivers to size up his built-to-win-now team. Rivers was tempted out of his function as an expert to take over for first-year Bucks coach Adrian Griffin, who was fired after 43 videogames and a 30-13 record.

Embarking on his 25th season as an NBA head coach, Rivers rotated inbetween arms folded, hands on the knees and hands on his hips in moving up and down the sideline. He kneeled at times, clapped, spokenwith with Joe Prunty, the interim coach before Rivers’ arrival, and even revealed disappointment over a nasty called on Brook Lopez late in the videogame for a screen.

Rivers viewed his brand-new team squander an early 13-point lead, fall behind by as lotsof as 9 and rise back before Aaron Gordon ended the return by obstructing a Damian Lillard layup with 24.7 seconds staying.

The loss kept Rivers on 1,097 wins and one away from connecting Larry Brown for the eighth-most amongst coaches in NBA history.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 29 points and 12 rebounds for the Bucks, who started a five-game journey. The gamer nicknamed “Greek Freak” played almost 37 minutes regardlessof dealing with an healthproblem that had his accessibility up in the air leading into the videogame. Had he missedouton the contest, it would’ve been the 2nd straight videogame where an MVP gamer didn’t play at Ball Arena. On Saturday, ruling NBA MVP Joel Embiid was a late scratch for Philly duetothefactthat of a balky left knee.

But Antetokounmpo dealtwith the capability crowd to a high-flying exhibit (and called for a 10-second infraction on a totallyfree toss that amazed the crowd). He was called the NBA gamer of the week for the East earlier in the day.

Lopez had 19 points, consistingof 5 of Milwaukee’s 16 3-tips. Lillard endedup with 18 points.

Rivers yielded it will take a minute to settle in on the bench as he gradually fitstogether his design with the method the Bucks currently play. He desires them streaming along and not overthinking.

One thing he doesn’t have to remind them of — simply how great they are. The Bucks function anumberof holdovers, led by Antetokounmpo, from the group that won the NBA champion in 2020-21.

“They currently understand what the objective is,” Rivers stated. “And they all understand that the just method you reach that objective is it has to be ‘We’ — as a group.”

Nuggets coach Michael Malone stated he felt bad for Griffin and his brief period training Milwaukee — “if you’re looking for security, wear’t endedupbeing a coach,” Malone regreted — however included that Rivers would have the Bucks running on all cylinders in no time.

“No disrespect to his commentating capability, however it’s great to see him back on the sideline doing what he’s extremely, really efficient at,” stated Malone, who chose up his 400th win as coach of the Nuggets on Monday.

UP NEXT

Bucks: Lillard returns to Portland on Wednesday to face his previous group. He invested 11 seasons with the Blazers.

Nuggets: At Oklahoma City on Wednesday.

Reporting by The Associated Press.