Despite having already won three MVP awards and a Finals MVP, Nikola Jokić achieved a milestone this season that he had never accomplished before.
By delivering a remarkable 26-point, 16-rebound, 13-assist performance in a 117-109 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, the Denver Nuggets center secured his position as the third player in NBA history to maintain a triple-double average for an entire season.
He joins the exclusive company of Oscar Robertson and his teammate Russell Westbrook, who has achieved this feat four times.
Jokić had previously come close to achieving a triple-double season, with averages of 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game in the 2022-23 season when he led the Nuggets to their first NBA championship. Over the past five seasons, he has consistently maintained impressive stats, never dropping below 24.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, or 7.9 assists per game, while also securing an MVP or Finals MVP title each season.
This season, however, stands out as the most productive of his already illustrious career, with career-high averages in points and assists per game, as well as his best 3-point shooting percentage. Notably, he set a career high with 61 points in a single game, which also marked the highest-scoring triple-double in NBA history and the league’s first 30-20-20 performance.
Nikola Jokić might be finishing up the best season of his career. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
(AAron Ontiveroz via Getty Images)
This exceptional performance places Jokić in the midst of a fiercely contested NBA MVP race. While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder is currently the frontrunner for his first MVP award, Jokić has been making a strong case that would likely prevail in most other seasons.
Jokić’s outstanding season is further underscored by the fact that he is carrying the Nuggets amidst a dwindling supporting cast, leading to the dismissal of head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth. Without Jokić, the Nuggets would struggle to even qualify for the play-in tournament.