DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic sat in front of his locker, calmly scrolling through his phone, seemingly unimpressed that 30 minutes earlier he made NBA history.
The three-time NBA MVP scored the league’s first 30-20-20 triple-double in the Denver Nuggets’ 149-141 overtime victory over the Phoenix Suns on Friday night.
Jokic recorded 31 points, 21 rebounds and a career-high 22 assists. “It’s not supposed go that way,” Jokic added.
“That was a quiet 30 points,” said Aaron Gordon to me while we were conversing. It appeared that everyone was in sync, and I didn’t do anything particularly noteworthy.
Jokic’s 29th triple-double of the season, which he achieved just 1:20 into the second half with his 10th rebound, tied his franchise record.
With ten points, six assists, and six rebounds at the end of the first quarter and thirteen, nine, and eight at the half, he was on the verge of achieving the triple-double.
With 19 games remaining in the season, the 30-year-old Serbian is averaging a triple-double.
He is in the top three in the NBA with 28.9 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.6 assists per game. Denver coach Michael Malone remarked, “Don’t ask me to describe him; I can’t.”
“The man is simply a tremendous player, and it says a lot when you are one of a kind in this league with its amazing history.
Although this league has many talented players, Nikola is, in my opinion, in a class by himself.
After blowing a 21-point lead, the Nuggets were buoyed by his quick start in overtime.
In the extra period, he played almost 45 minutes and finished with five points, five assists, and three rebounds.
In 13 seconds, he helped Christian Braun slam and layup, hit a 4-foot turnaround to start overtime, then fed Jamal Murray for two buckets.
“He is truly unique,” Braun remarked. “This is unlike anything you will ever see again. No athlete ever performs the same actions night in and night out as he does.
Jokic’s previous assist total of 19 came against Indiana on February 24. With 1:18 remaining, he outscored that on a dunk by Michael Porter Jr. that put Denver ahead 139-130. For the seventh time this season, Jokic recorded at least 15 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 assists on Friday. He has 149 triple-doubles in his career.
In a single season, that equaled Oscar Robertson for the most. Although he is well shy of Scott Skiles’ NBA record of 30, which he isn’t worried about, his 22 assists are the most by a center in a game. “At the moment, I’m dealing with other issues,” he stated.
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