NBA Notes: Nuggets, Nikola Jokic, Nets, Egor Demin, Wizards

Nuggets

Nikola Jokic picked up right where he left off.

The reigning MVP returned Friday after missing 16 games with a knee injury and made it look effortless. Jokic posted 31 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and three steals in just 24 minutes as Denver handled the Clippers by 13.

According to Bennett Durando of The Denver Post, Jokic became the first player in league history to record 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in fewer than 25 minutes.

Jokic admitted the time away took a toll.

“You miss playing. You miss the pressure. You miss the adrenaline,” he said. “This hasn’t happened for me probably in my career. So it was an interesting feeling.”

Watching from the sidelines proved harder than expected.

“It was taking so much of my energy,” Jokic said. “I was yelling at the TV. I was so emotionally empty after the games.”

Denver remains short-handed with Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun and Cameron Johnson all sidelined, but Jokic’s return immediately stabilized things. Just as important, he said the knee never crossed his mind.

“I was not scared to use it,” Jokic said. “I think that’s a good sign.”

Nets

Brooklyn leaned into youth and got rewarded.

Rookie Egor Demin delivered 25 points and 10 rebounds Friday in Utah, recording his first career double-double as the Nets snapped a seven-game losing streak. The performance came in front of familiar faces, as Demin previously attended BYU.

“It means a lot,” Demin said, via Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “We’ve got to be able to function without (Michael Porter Jr.), too.”

Fellow rookies Nolan Traore and Danny Wolf also started as Brooklyn experimented with a younger look that showed promise.

Wizards

Washington is hoping Trae Young can accelerate Alex Sarr’s development.

In a feature for ESPN.com, Ramona Shelburne detailed how the Wizards believe Young’s presence can help unlock the second-year center’s potential.

“You see a lot of the potential that he has in his game,” Young said. “Being smart and athletic with that type of size is very uncommon in the league.”

Sarr was selected second overall for a reason, and Young said he wants to be part of bringing that out.

“I want to be part of the process,” he said.

For a rebuilding Wizards team, that process is just as important as wins right now.