If Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic were a sports card, he’d be an extremely rare 1 of 1.
On Friday night, in a 149-141 overtime victory over the Phoenix Suns, Jokic created an entirely new statistical category. He put up numbers that all-time greats such as Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Larry Bird could have only dreamed of.
In a first-of-its-kind triple-double, Jokic scored 31 points to go along with 21 rebounds, and a career-high 22 assists. He’s the only player in NBA history to log 30-plus points, 20-plus rebounds, and 20-plus assists in a single game.
Nikola Jokic with a ball in hand
May 16, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) controls the ball in the second quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers during game one of the Western Conference Finals for the 2023 NBA playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
“Nikola Jokic is one of one,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said, via ESPN. “I mean, the first player to ever have a 30, 20, and 20 game. I can’t describe him, so don’t ask me to.
“The guy is just an incredible player, and when you are one of one in this league and the tremendous history of this league, that says a lot. And there’s a lot of good players in this league, but Nikola, in my opinion, is just in a class well by himself.”
For Jokic, it was his 29th triple-double of the season, tying a career-high and bringing his all-time total to 149. It was also the seventh time this season he’s posted a triple-double of 15 points or more, 15 rebounds or more, and 15 assists or more, tying Oscar Robinson (1961-1962) for the most in NBA history.
“He’s just one of a kind,” teammate Christian Braun said, via the New York Post. “You’ll never see something like this ever again — ever. You’ll never see a player that does the things he does night in and night out.”
Amusingly, Jokic dismissed his historic accomplishment after the game, claiming he “didn’t do anything special.”
Ha. Right.