— In Denver, Nikola Jokic produced a 56-point triple-double and set a new NBA single-overtime scoring mark with 18 points to lift the Denver Nuggets to a 142-138 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jokic finished with 56 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists while Jamal Murray added 35 points in a Christmas night showdown. Anthony Edwards scored 44 points and rallied Minnesota from a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit but was ejected in overtime after receiving two technical fouls. The result left Denver 3-0 against Minnesota this season and extended a marquee individual performance into league history.
Key Takeaways
- Final score: Nuggets 142, Timberwolves 138 on Dec. 25, 2025 in Denver.
- Nikola Jokic had 56 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists, including 18 points in overtime — an NBA record for a single overtime period.
- Jokic surpassed Stephen Curry’s 2016 mark of 17 overtime points; his OT output included 3-for-3 shooting with two 3-pointers and 10-for-11 free throws.
- Jamal Murray scored 35 points; Denver won despite missing three starters (Cameron Johnson, Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun).
- Anthony Edwards scored 44 points, led a late regulation comeback and hit a tying 3 with 1.1 seconds left, but he was ejected in OT after two technical fouls.
- Tim Hardaway Jr. started in place of Cameron Johnson and contributed 19 points off the bench.
- By the third quarter Jokic recorded his 179th career triple-double, moving him closer to all-time marks.
Background
Christmas Day matchups are often marquee league appointments; this meeting continued a competitive recent run between Denver and Minnesota. The Nuggets entered the night shorthanded, listing Cameron Johnson (right knee hyperextension), Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Christian Braun (ankle) as unavailable, forcing Denver to reshuffle its rotation. Minnesota leaned on Anthony Edwards as its primary scorer and closer; Edwards arrived on the court having already declared he expected a big night.
Jokic has been a constant statistical outlier in the modern NBA, routinely producing high-usage, high-efficiency triple-doubles. Heading into this game he was accumulating career triple-doubles at a rate that put him near historic company — his 179th triple-double in the third quarter moved him within two of Oscar Robertson for second place in NBA history. Stephen Curry’s 17-point overtime output in 2016 stood as the benchmark for nearly a decade until Jokic’s performance on Christmas.
Main Event
The Wolves erased a 15-point deficit late in the fourth, sparked by Edwards, who finished regulation with a twisting 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left to force overtime at 115. Minnesota opened the extra period on a 9-0 run, and Edwards scored seven quick points to give the Wolves a cushion. The Timberwolves looked poised to complete a dramatic comeback as Edwards continued to assert himself on both ends.
Denver rallied behind Jokic in overtime. Jokic was flawless in the extra period — 3-for-3 from the field including two long-range makes, and an efficient 10-for-11 from the line — producing 18 OT points and changing the game’s balance. As Denver chipped away, Edwards received two technical fouls for arguing calls and was ejected, removing Minnesota’s go-to scorer from the decisive moments and shifting momentum toward the Nuggets.
Jamal Murray’s 35 points and timely scoring helped Denver withstand the Wolves’ late surge and sustain the offense while key starters were out. Tim Hardaway Jr., starting for the injured Cameron Johnson, added 19 points and filled a scoring void from the wing. Defensively, Denver made critical stops in the late stages of overtime, and free-throw conversion down the stretch sealed the 142-138 final.
Injuries shaped lineups throughout the night: Johnson’s hyperextended right knee occurred in Dallas two nights earlier and kept him out, while Gordon (hamstring) and Braun (ankle) also sat. Minnesota will head into its next game — hosting Brooklyn on Saturday — evaluating how to close games without losing composure, whereas Denver travels to Orlando on Saturday with momentum from a historic individual showing.
Analysis & Implications
Nikola Jokic’s 56-point triple-double on Christmas is significant on multiple levels: it reinforces his role as the league’s most consistent high-usage, high-efficiency playmaker and changes narrative lines about late-game and overtime scoring. The 18-point overtime total — the most ever in any NBA regular-season or playoff overtime — will be recorded in the annals of the sport and will be a reference point for how elite playmakers can pivot a compressed high-leverage period into a historic stat line.
For Minnesota, the game underlined both the upside and the risks of a roster built around a dominant young scorer. Edwards’ 44 points and late-game heroics showed his ability to carry an offense, but his ejection in overtime raises questions about discipline and decision-making in critical moments. The Wolves must weigh how to manage star-driven late possessions versus fallback options when fouls, calls and technicals become game determiners.
Denver’s ability to win while missing three starters underscores the team’s depth and the coaching staff’s capacity to adapt rotations. Tim Hardaway Jr.’s start and 19 points, plus Murray’s 35, highlight that Denver can generate scoring from multiple sources when Jokic attracts defensive attention. Still, sustaining this level of production without returning regulars will be a test as the schedule compacts toward the new year.
Comparison & Data
| Metric | Player | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overtime points (single OT) | Nikola Jokic | 18 | New NBA mark (Dec. 25, 2025) |
| Previous OT record | Stephen Curry | 17 | 2016 regular season |
| Game high | Nikola Jokic | 56 pts | Also: 16 rebounds, 15 assists |
| Opponent high | Anthony Edwards | 44 pts | Ejected in overtime (two technicals) |
The table places Jokic’s overtime scoring in historical context and pairs it with the broader box-score lines that decided the game. While single-period scoring spikes are rare in overtime, Jokic’s efficiency (including free-throw accuracy in OT) amplified the statistical impact of a short time window.
Reactions & Quotes
Before the game Edwards publicly forecasted a big night and then delivered one statistically, though not without late-game controversy. His prediction was widely cited around the arena and on broadcast telecasts as context for Minnesota’s late push.
“I’m gonna have 30 points for sure. I might have 40. But it’s gonna be a night.”
Anthony Edwards
League statisticians and commentators quickly flagged the overtime mark as historic, noting the rarity of such concentrated scoring in a five-minute span. That statistical confirmation framed the postgame conversation about Jokic’s place among modern offensive outliers.
“18 points in a single overtime — the most in any NBA regular-season or playoff overtime period.”
NBA stats (official)
Unconfirmed
- The long-term prognosis for Cameron Johnson’s right knee (hyperextension) remains pending medical imaging and team updates.
- Any further discipline or suspension for Anthony Edwards related to the overtime technical fouls has not been announced by the league at the time of publication.
- Details on how the officiating crew’s calls will factor into league review or future game management are not yet released.
Bottom Line
Nikola Jokic’s 56-point triple-double and new overtime scoring record gave the Nuggets a high-profile Christmas victory and further burnished Jokic’s statistical résumé. The game illustrated how an elite playmaker can convert brief, high-pressure minutes into historic results, while also exposing late-game disciplinary risks for an opposing star.
Both teams turn the page quickly — Minnesota hosts Brooklyn on Saturday and Denver visits Orlando the same day — leaving little time for recovery or roster adjustments. The immediate focus will be medical updates on Denver’s injured starters and whether Minnesota addresses composure and situational discipline after a costly overtime ejection.