Nikola Jokic continues to cement his legacy as one of the greatest players in NBA history.
On Friday night, the Serbian center achieved a historic milestone, delivering a mind-blowing triple-double with 31 points, 21 rebounds, and 22 assists—a stat line never before recorded in the league.
In doing so, the Denver Nuggets star broke Wilt Chamberlain"s record for most assists by a center in a single game (21) and matched the legendary Oscar Robertson"s mark of seven games in a season with at least 15 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 assists, a feat last achieved in the 1961-62 season.
A Night to Remember
Jokic"s historic performance powered the Nuggets to a 149-141 victory over the Phoenix Suns at Ball Arena in Denver. True to his humble nature, the Serbian downplayed the achievement in a post-game interview with ESPN:
"It"ll be nice to sit on my couch at the end of my career and think, "I had a really good game.""
More Records for the Joker
This latest milestone adds to an already incredible list of achievements for Jokic, including:
- First player with 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 500 assists in a single season
- First player to lead the NBA in total points, rebounds, and assists in a single postseason
- First player with 10+ triple-doubles in seven consecutive seasons
- First player to record 30 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 assists in an NBA Finals game
- First player with a 20-15-15 stat line in under 30 minutes
- First Denver Nuggets player to win NBA MVP
Chasing a Fourth MVP
With this dominant display, Jokic strengthens his case for a fourth NBA MVP award, a distinction shared by only five other legends: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, LeBron James, and Wilt Chamberlain.
Despite key veteran departures since Denver"s 2023 championship, Jokic has kept the Nuggets in the hunt for the second seed in the Western Conference. The team is also the only squad in the NBA with a perfect 5-0 record in overtime games this season.
Up next, the Nuggets take on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday at 2:00 PM (Brasília time), while the Phoenix Suns face the Dallas Mavericks on the road at 4:30 PM