Trio of NBA superstars put up video game-like numbers as playoffs approach

• As the NBA playoffs approach, a trio of superstars seems ready to make their run. Steph Curry, Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo all put up big numbers, Tuesday, April 1.
• Denver’s Nikola Jokic led the way with a 61-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist performance in a double-overtime loss to Minnesota.
• Golden State’s Steph Curry had a 52-point effort in a win over Phoenix, including 12 three-pointers.

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The NBA playoffs are just 17 days away, and the game’s biggest stars are gearing up. On Tuesday night, April 1, three players in particular showed why they are NBA champions with mind-blowing performances.

Which players scored the most Tuesday night?

No surprise, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic is on the list. He scored 61 points, the highest by a player this season, along with 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a double-overtime loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The three-time league Most Valuable Player was asked to reflect on the accomplishment, but as a man of few words, he said he’d leave that for retirement.

“I think it’s a thing for after, sitting on the couch, drinking beer and lying,” Jokic said.

If Jokic won’t talk much about his game, his coach certainly will. The Nuggets played against the Timberwolves without two of their best guys, Michael Porter and Jamal Murray.

“Nikola is, he’s on a whole another level, man. The guy, people say he’s not athletic. Not many guys can do what he does,” head coach Michael Malone said. “And I’m not just talking about the minutes but think about what goes into those minutes and what’s being placed on his shoulders each and every night. Doubled, tripled, he makes the right play. He trusts his teammates. The rebounding, the scoring, the assists, the steals.”

Don’t be surprised, Steph Curry is on a tear

In Memphis, Tennessee, Steph Curry hit his first five shots en route to a 52-point performance that included 12 three-pointers, one off his career high. The Warriors beat the Grizzlies to move ahead of them in the playoff-seeding race. Curry took last week off to rest a bruised hip, and the time off helped.

“Feeling a good rhythm, the week off definitely helped in that sense where you know the tank is pretty full, and you want to try to maintain that for as long as we can down the stretch,” Curry said.

To put Curry’s feat into perspective, the 37-year-old is tied for sixth on the all-time list for 50-point games. His 15th such career effort broke a tie with LeBron James. The only other active players on the list are LeBron, Damien Lillard and James Harden.

Can the Milwaukee Bucks make a title run?

In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks made 68% of their shots Tuesday night in a win over the Phoenix Suns. It’s the highest field goal percentage by a team in a single game in 27 years. The Bucks are fighting to stay out of the playoffs’ play-in round and have leaned on Giannis, who had 37 points.

“We definitely needed a win; I kept saying to my teammates we’re fighting for our lives, we’re fighting for our lives, you know, but they think that I’m joking, but I’m not joking like we [are] fighting for our lives right here,” Antetokounmpo said.

Coach Doc Rivers said the shooting was great to see, but the team’s 20 turnovers kept the Suns in the game most of the night.

“We’re so close to being an incredible offensive team. I mean, we shoot 70% in the first half the other night. We shoot 68% tonight. Gosh, if we can just rebound the ball and take care of the ball, we got a chance to break out and make a hell of a run here,” Rivers said.