Nikola Jokić fell just short of a triple-double on Monday night in Indianapolis, but he still managed to etch his name in the history books.
The Denver Nuggets center dished out a career-high 19 assists in a 125-116 victory over the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. This performance surpassed his previous best of 18 assists.
Jokić’s 19 assists in a single game marked the first time a center achieved this feat since Wilt Chamberlain accomplished it in 1968. He now ranks second only to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the all-time assists race among centers in NBA history, with both players surpassing the 5,000-assist milestone.
The highlight of Jokić’s night was his final assist, setting up Michael Porter Jr. for an easy dunk in the lane.
Leading the way for Denver, Jokić finished with 18 points and nine rebounds in addition to his 19 assists. Shooting an impressive 9-of-14 from the field, he is currently averaging career-high numbers of 29.4 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game in his 10th NBA season. Only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giannis Antetokounmpo are scoring more points per game, while Trae Young leads in assists.
Aaron Gordon contributed 25 points, and Porter added 19 points and 11 rebounds in the victory. All five Nuggets starters reached double figures, shooting over 56% from the field as a team.
On the opposing side, Myles Turner led the Pacers with 23 points, with Tyrese Haliburton recording 19 points and 15 assists, and Pascal Siakam adding 19 points and nine rebounds.
The Nuggets, now holding a 38-20 record, will face the Milwaukee Bucks next on Thursday in Wisconsin. While trailing the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference standings, Jokić’s exceptional performance this season keeps him in the MVP conversation. Whether he can lead the Nuggets to another championship remains to be seen.