The Denver Nuggets got a very special surprise yesterday when Nikola Jokic was announced he would play vs the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night.

Everywhere, it felt like a weight had lifted from Nuggets Nation. It had been a 16-game absence for Jokic, and while the Nuggets had gone 10-6 during that stretch, there’s nobody like Jokic to help ease the burden of those around him.

That boost helped lift the Nuggets over the steaming hot Los Angeles Clippers, who emptied their bench with three minutes to go because the Nuggets had made such a strong run.

“He was very impactful. He’s incredible,” head coach David Adelman stated plainly postgame. “It’s special to have Jokic back in all the ways that he is — the best basketball player in the world.”

Jokic was incredible throughout the night with 31 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists in just 25 minutes. He shot 13-of-17 at the free throw line with the Clippers unable to slow him down in any conceivable way. Adelman and the Nuggets had established a planned minute restriction for him, and foul trouble in the first half helped them stick to that plan. While Jokic showed some rust in some different ways, the Clippers were unable to punish him consistently for this being his first game back.

“I wasn’t scared of it. I wasn’t thinking about it while I was running or playing,” Jokic said about the steps he took in his recovery to get over his first significant injury in the NBA. “I think that’s a good sign that I’m ready.”

“Let me see — 25 minutes, missed three shots… rebounds, points — he’s just constant in every category,” Jamal Murray opined about how he thought Jokic looked in his return. “Coming off a month injury and getting doubled isn’t easy, but through all that he had an amazing game.”

Speaking of Murray, he had another great game today, going for a hyper efficient 20 points and 9 assists on just 10 shots, going 4-of-5 from three while navigating physical, blitzing coverage.

“Jamal was so underrated tonight,” Adelman emphasized. “He had nine assists, but if you watch the tape, he’s probably responsible for 20 on the next pass or the next pass.”

Murray has improved so much at seeing and making the simple play over and over. Kris Dunn was physical in his defensive coverage, and the Clippers constantly rotated extra bodies at Murray. That didn’t affect him though. He made plays for Jokic and others while finding his shots in the flow of the game without forcing anything up. It’s the true progression of his game from great scorer to great player.

Beyond Denver’s dynamic duo, Peyton Watson and Tim Hardaway Jr. continue to shine as scorers. Watson’s game was one of the most interesting questions about Jokic’s return and how many opportunities he would get. Well, Watson led the team in shots and had 21 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists while guarding James Harden consistently. He blended nicely with Jokic and Murray, operating frequently in Denver’s split action that Aaron Gordon usually plays. Watson also made a couple threes and self-created shots, including a sweet floater in the third quarter.

Hardaway Jr. had a very valuable third quarter stretch in which he made three three-pointers in quick succession. The Nuggets had lost the lead briefly, but Hardaway’s brazen shooting helped Denver stabilize to end the third quarter and push the lead back to double-digits. He finished with 22 points, but his night ended after landing on a Clippers player’s foot and rolling his ankle. His status for Sunday’s game vs the Oklahoma City Thunder is uncertain.

Beyond the main scorers, Spencer Jones provided great hustle and defense against Kawhi Leonard, who was merely solid tonight as a result. Jonas Valanciunas spelled Jokic frequently and gave Denver constant size to win the rebounding battle. Bruce Brown and Julian Strawther each played reasonably well too with Brown driving hard to the rim and making hustle plays. Strawther had a nice steal on one end and assist to Valanciunas on the other.

Overall, one could not have scripted a better return for Jokic than tonight. He was briefly challenged by a solid team, and the Nuggets had to work through some rust. But when Denver turned on the gas on both ends of the floor, the Clippers had no answer.

Now, it’s onto Sunday against the defending champions. Denver’s going to have a big time challenge against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder; however, if we’ve learned anything about the Nuggets this season, it’s to never underestimate their ability to rise to the occasion.