Nikola Jokic made NBA history on Friday night with a rare statistical achievement. During the Denver Nuggets' 149-141 win in overtime vs. the Phoenix Suns, Jokic scored 31 points, had 22 assists and grabbed 21 rebounds. With this stat line, he became the first NBA player to reach or exceed 30 points, 20 assists, and 20 rebounds in one game.
The Serbian center is considered a front-runner in the NBA's MVP award race. Should Jokic end up winning the award, it would be his fourth MVP award win in five seasons.
In typical Jokic fashion, he was rather unphased by his historical performance. In a postgame interview on SportsCenter, Jokic diverted focus to the Nuggets' upcoming games, and said he'll have time to enjoy his career when he's retired.
“It's gonna be nice to go finish my career, on my couch, and think I had a really good game,” said Jokic.
"It's gonna be nice to go finish my career, on my couch, and think I had a really good game."
Nikola Jokic is unfazed after having the first 30-20-20 game in NBA history 😭 pic.twitter.com/nxT5a0sgbL
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 8, 2025
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Nikola Jokic's dominance lifts Nuggets to OT win over Suns
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) during the second half against the Phoenix Suns at Ball Arena.
Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
The three-time MVP was particularly dominant in overtime, as he either scored or assisted on seven of Denver's eight field goals. His historic night also included breaking Wilt Chamberlain's record for most assists by a center in a single game, which previously stood at 21.
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“Nikola Jokic is 1 of 1. The first player to ever have a 30-20-20 game,” said Nuggets head coach Michael Malone. “The guy is just an incredible player. When you are 1 of 1 in this league, in the tremendous history of this league, that says a lot. Nikola is in a class all by himself.”
As if this record-breaking night could get more impressive, Jokic accomplished this feat while being listed as questionable with an ankle injury. But Jokic's performance helped Denver avoid an embarrassing loss after they had surrendered a 21-point lead to a struggling Suns team.
Christian Braun also had himself a solid night, as he contributed 25 points, five assists, and five rebounds for the Nuggets.
Braun is enjoying every second of his time as a Nugget, as he gets to learn not only from Jokic but Russell Westbrook as well.
“I'm learning from two guys that have won MVPs,” said Braun. “Nikola worked his way up. Russ has been a star … Two of the best players of all time. It's really fun to get to learn from those guys. I have a long way to go, but I think those two guys do a really good job of putting me in the right spots.”
With the victory, the Nuggets improved to 41-22, maintaining their position as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference behind the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers.