What rare NBA record did Nuggets star Nikola Jokic join Wilt Chamberlain on ?
At this point, it may well be that we’re witnessing the best center to ever play on a basketball court in the NBA.
If there was any doubt about the prowess that the Nuggets star possesses - really there shouldn’t be - it’s surely been dispelled now after he put his name among some of the greatest ever to play the game of basketball.
Nikola Jokic joins Wilt Chamberlain on rare record
If you didn’t know, then let us tell you that Nikola Jokic is by far one of the best big men ever to step on a basketball court. This past Sunday night, the Serbian didn’t just showcase his obvious talents in a 119-115 win against the Charlotte Hornets, but he actually did something we’ve only seen twice before. With 40 points, 27 rebounds and 10 assists, Jokic became the first player to post a minimum of 35 points, 25 rebounds and 10 assists in a game since the great Wilt Chamberlain himself put 53 points, 32 rebounds and 14 assists on the board in 1968. There was also Elgin Baylor, who completed the feat once - Chamberlain did it an incredible seven times - meaning that Jokic is just the third player in NBA history to do so.
The performance of Nikola Jokic was something to see
In truth, Jokic was immense on Sunday night. Whether it was the points he scored or those he created for his teammates, the two-time league MVP was responsible for 63 of the 119 points that the Nuggets scored on the night. That fact is made even more incredible, when you consider the idea that the Nuggets were trailing for much of the game - double digits in the first half - before Jokic stepped things up in the 3rd quarter. Indeed, even with a lead Jokic had to bolster things in the fourth with less than eight minutes remaining. To that end, he put up 18 of the Nuggets final 22 points in the game, including the three of his four shots from the line with 16 seconds on the clock.
“I had no idea he had 27 rebounds. I knew he had a lot of rebounds, but I haven’t seen that number very often,” Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said. “What he does is just amazing every night. Really thankful he’s wearing a Nuggets uniform.”
Is Nikola Jokic even better this year?
One of the curious things about us as humans, is our ability to become desensitized to the things we see frequently, regardless of if they’re remarkable or not. They lose they’re shine so to speak. It occurs to us, that it may well be the case with Jokic. The sensational is now par for the course when it comes to the Nuggets star, such that it would be fair to say that he doesn’t receive the same media attention as other players in the league like Steph Curry for example. Yet, here’s the thing: with the way he’s playing right now, one could argue that Jokic is even better than he was during his two MVP campaigns.
On a ppg average of 25.2 points on 62.1% from the field, along with 10.9 rebounds and nine assists, the triple-double that he posted on Sunday night was the fifth of his season and 81st of his career, which ranks him 6th all time in the league. That’s all to say, with the Nuggets now one game off the No. 1 spot in the Western Conference and sitting on an 18-11 record, we’re pretty sure there’s more to come from Nikola Jokic.