The Denver Nuggets blew the Cleveland Cavaliers out of the water led by a Nikola Jokic triple double to clinch a play-off spot.

Jokic scored 26 points, grabbed 18 boards and dished out 16 dimes in a resounding victory over their Eastern visitors.

The Nuggets' rebounding and success from beyond the arc was key to sinking the Cavaliers in this Easter Sunday clash.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope made six threes and netted 22 points while Reggie Jackson contributed 19 points and five threes of his own.

Evan Mobley led the scoring with 23 points and four rebounds on a night to forget for the Cavs.

  • Story of the game

Donovan Mitchell wasted no time and grabbed the first bucket of the game almost instantaneously, laying it up for two.

Denver started slowly so coach Michael Malone called a timeout to talk things over, and his side came out looking much better as Michael Porter Jr. netted three straight buckets.

Caldwell-Pope drilled a three from the top of the arc to give the Nuggets their first lead of the game halfway through the first.

The hosts' continued to hold their lead and headed into the second up by four points as the scoreboard read 26-30.

<strong><a  data-cke-saved-href='https://www.vavel.com/en-us/nba/2024/03/13/1175903-nba-race-for-most-valuable-player.html' href='https://www.vavel.com/en-us/nba/2024/03/13/1175903-nba-race-for-most-valuable-player.html'>Nikola Jokic</a></strong> and Jarrett Allen battle for the ball at the tipoff (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
Nikola Jokic and Jarrett Allen battle for the ball at the tipoff (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

Cleveland regained their lead two and a half minutes into the second thanks to an Mobley put back dunk on the fast break.

The Cavs pushed their lead to four before Jackson drained his third triple of the game to bring the Nuggets within one with seven minutes on the clock.

It was raining three pointers in this battle of the #3 seeds, with the two sides trading blows in a closely fought affair.

Christian Braun hustled to the bucket on the counter attack and layed it in to give the Nuggets an eight point advantage with 2:25 until half time.

Christian Braun takes on Sam Merrill (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)
Christian Braun takes on Sam Merrill (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)

Despite a Mobley two at the buzzer, Denver led by nine heading into the interval with Jokic already having a near triple double with 14 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

Two minutes into the third quarter, Aaron Gordon netted a corner three, Denver's 13th triple up to that point, to extend the Nuggets lead to 20.

Jokic found his tenth assist and sealed his triple double as he found his partner in crime Gordon with an alley-oop with five minutes remaining in the penultimate quarter.

As his side trailed by 24 Mitchell attempted a close range effort that was returned to the sender by Braun, swatting the shot back.

Nikola Jokic smiles into the stands as Jarrett Allen watched on (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Nikola Jokic smiles into the stands as Jarrett Allen watched on (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

Denver breezed through the third quarter and the score read 77-101 with 12 minutes to play on Easter Sunday.

Four minutes into the fourth, Peyton Watson hit stride downcourt and despite his speed on approach to the basket dropped the ball through the nylon with ease.

Soon after, Watson jammed a vicious dunk in another gut punch to Cleveland as they looked almost completely out of the game.

With five minutes to go, Jokic completed an incredible behind the back dime to find Caldwell-Pope on the inside who finished the highlight play.

Peyton Watson and <strong><a  data-cke-saved-href='https://www.vavel.com/en-us/nba/2023/10/24/1160399-nba-opening-night-denver-nuggets-119-107-los-angeles-lakers.html' href='https://www.vavel.com/en-us/nba/2023/10/24/1160399-nba-opening-night-denver-nuggets-119-107-los-angeles-lakers.html'>Kentavious Caldwell-Pope</a></strong> of the <strong><a  data-cke-saved-href='https://www.vavel.com/en-us/nba/2024/03/26/1177499-the-top-five-highest-scoring-games-in-nba-history.html' href='https://www.vavel.com/en-us/nba/2024/03/26/1177499-the-top-five-highest-scoring-games-in-nba-history.html'>Denver Nuggets</a></strong> (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
Peyton Watson and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope of the Denver Nuggets (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

Hunter Tyson's three pointer tied Denver's season high of 20 triples in a game across the team.

Minutes later, Jalen Pickett drilled back to back threes to smash the Nuggets' season high for three pointers made.

Denver saw out the resounding victory to clutch a playoff spot in a 101-130 win over Cleveland.