'Supernova' Jokic sends Nuggets into NBA playoffs with triple-double

Defending champions Denver Nuggets secured a spot in the NBA playoffs on Sunday thanks to “supernova” Nikola Jokic, while LeBron James and Vincent Wembanyama put in standout individual displays.

With the business end of the season fast approaching, playoff berths are starting to be claimed in both Conferences.

The Boston Celtics were the first team to qualify through the Eastern Conference, but they were joined on Easter Sunday by the Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Jokic scored a triple-double in a 130-101 win for the champions over the Cleveland Cavaliers, producing 26 points, 18 rebounds and 16 assists.

The Serbian’s 22nd triple of the season and the 128th of his career inspired Denver’s victory and arrived despite a lingering wrist problem.

The Nuggets returned to winning ways at home following back-to-back defeats in Denver – against the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Phoenix Suns – to reach the playoffs for a sixth straight year.

Reggie Jackson, starting in place of the injured Jamal Murray, supplied 19 points, the same tally as Michael Porter Jr, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope shot a season-high 22 points.

But Jokic stole the headlines, and some high praise from his team-mate after the game.

“He’s one of the most gifted scorers in this league and he doesn’t want to score,” Jackson said of Jokic.

“He wants to pass the ball and play the right way, which makes him extremely hard to guard.”

He added: “If you play the right way, you always got a chance to get a shot.

“He’s a supernova, he’s the brightest star. Honestly, he’s the sun. Everything revolves around him.”

Oklahoma City Thunder sealed a place in the playoffs in dramatic style, claiming a 113-112 victory over the New York Knicks in the dying seconds.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made a jumper from the corner with 2.6 seconds left on the clock to earn his side a post-season place for the first time in four years.

Josh Giddey’s third career triple-double of 16 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists sent Thunder top of the Western Conference at 52-22.

“Great accomplishment for the organisation,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.

“I couldn’t be happier for the team and for the organisation. And now we’ve got to continue to sharpen our blade down the stretch here to prepare ourselves.”

One team that is already out of playoff contention is the San Antonio Spurs, but they nevertheless have hope for the future in the shape of their record-breaking rookie Wembanyama.

The Spurs fell to a 117-113 defeat to the Golden State Warriors, where Steph Curry scored 33 points for a fourth straight victory.

But Wembanyama, who became the first rookie since Shaquille O’Neal in 1993 to score more than 40 points and 20 rebounds in a single game two days earlier against the Knicks, produced 32 points and nine rebounds to continue his sizzling form.

“He is a very, very, very, very special talent,” Warriors forward Draymond Green said.

“I was just telling Trayce [Jackson-Davis] and those guys, I’m happy I had an opportunity to play against him now because they’ll have to deal with him a lot later and I won’t be in the league no more.”

LeBron James might be at the other end of his career, but the LA Lakers star shows no sign of slowing down and scored a superb 40 points in a 116-104 win over the Brooklyn Nets.

It was one of the best shooting nights of his illustrious career as the 39-year-old went nine for 10 from the three-point line to tie his career high for 3-pointers.

Asked how long he expects to keep going, James said: “Not very long, I’m not going to play another 21 years, that’s for damn sure.

“I don’t know when that door will close, but I don’t have much time left.”

A 47-point, 12-rebound haul from Luka Doncic inspired the Dallas Mavericks to a 125-107 win over the Houston Rockets, while the Chicago Bulls beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 109-101 and the Sacramento Kings ousted the Utah Jazz 127-106.

The Miami Heat defeated the Washington Wizards 119-107, the Philadelphia 76ers won 135-120 at the Toronto Raptors and the LA Clippers triumphed 130-118 over the Charlotte Hornets as Paul George threw eight 3-pointers as he shot a season-high 41 points.