We’re running out of words to describe Nikola Jokić’s performance on a nightly basis. He’s averaging a triple-double for the first time in his career, though he’s come close several times already. He operates with elite efficiency, and on Friday night in a 149-141 overtime win against the Phoenix Suns, Jokić made NBA history when he recorded the league’s first ever 30-point, 20-rebound, 20-assist game.
“It’s some kind of legacy that is gonna be nice to go, when I finish my career on my couch and think, I had a really good game,” Jokić said after his otherworldly performance. “Right now, it’s just we have a back-to-back in two days. So I’m thinking how to get rest, how to recover myself.”
The Nuggets superstar actually finished with 31 points, 22 assists and 21 rebounds, but round numbers make for a more punchy stat. It was another dazzling performance by the Serbian big man, making that MVP race between him and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander that much more interesting as he tries to push the Nuggets to the No. 2 seed in the West.
There were a lot of reasons why Jokić’s performance was mind-boggling, so to make it more digestible, here’s a look at how his night breaks down by the numbers:
1
- Jokić is the first player in NBA history to record a stat line of at least 30 points, 20 rebounds and 20 assists in a single game.
3
- Jokić is the third player in league history to record at least a 20-20-20 stat line, joining Wilt Chamberlain in 1968 (22 points, 25 rebounds, 21 assists) and Russell Westbrook in 2019 (20 points, 21 assists, 20 rebounds).
6
- This was the sixth game in NBA history with a stat line of 30-plus points, 20-plus rebounds and 15-plus assists (Jokić, Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson have all done it twice).
7
- Jokić recorded his seventh 15-plus point, 15-plus rebound, 15-plus assist game this season, which ties the record for most in a single season set by Robertson in 1961-62.
14
- Jokić posted his 14th career 15-plus point, 15-plus rebound, 15-plus assist game, which is the second-most in NBA history behind Robertson (15).
22
- Jokić set a career-high assist total with 22 on Friday night.
- It’s the most assists by a center in NBA history. The previous record was held by Wilt Chamberlain (21), set in 1968.
- Jokić tied Hawks guard Trae Young for the most assists in a single game this season.
29
- Jokić recorded his 29th triple-double of the season, tying his career-high total from 2022-23.
30
- This was Jokić’s 30th career game with at least 15 assists — every other center in league history has 15 such games combined, with Chamberlain (10) and Domantas Sabonis (5) accounting for all of them.
42
- Jokić ties LeBron James for fourth-most 30-point triple-double games in NBA history with 42.
149
- Friday’s total of 149 points was the most the Nuggets have scored in a single game in Jokić’s career.
- It was Denver’s highest point total since 2008 versus Seattle (168-116).
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