Nikola Jokic led the Denver Nuggets to a 128-112 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday. The three-time MVP tallied 22 points, 14 rebounds, 14 assists and two steals in 35 minutes. Jokic’s triple-double is his 28th, 15 more than the Atlanta Hawks’ Jalen Johnson for most in the NBA this season.
Jokic’s impressive all-around showing earned reactions from fans. One fan wrote:
“22-14-14 and it still feels like he didn’t even try that hard.”
Another fan added:
“Shai is not better than this man.”
One more fan continued:
“Shai can go ahead and take his 3rd place in MVP voting cuz it’s been the two Europeans.”
Another fan commented:
“Another casual Jokic masterclass: 22/14/14 with elite efficiency (10/18), +19, and still only 35 minutes.”
One fan tweeted:
“Joker is rounding into form just in time for the playoffs.”
The Serbian put on a clinic against the Blazers, who have a solid defensive frontcourt. Jokic controlled the game despite the presence of Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams. Denver outscored Portland by 19 points when the superstar center was on the court.
Nikola Jokic’s superb play continues to make his case for another MVP a strong one. In the NBA’s latest MVP ladder, Jokic is fourth behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic and Victor Wembanyama.
Although many expect SGA to retain the award, “The Joker” might still overtake the frontrunners if he sustains a strong finish. The 2023 NBA champ leads the league in rebounding (12.6) and assists (10.5), underlining his nearly unmatched versatility and impact.
More importantly for the Nuggets, the win improved their record to 44-28, No. 5 in the tightly contested Western Conference. Nikola Jokic and Co. are just 2.5 games behind the LA Lakers (46-25) for the No. 3 spot. Denver still has a chance to host a first-round playoff series if it can move into the top 4.
Nikola Jokic Is Triple Double Leader for Third Straight Season
With roughly 10 games left for every NBA team, Nikola Jokic is safely ahead of anybody for the triple-double crown this season. Jokic has 15 more triple-doubles than Jalen Johnson and 16 more than Josh Giddey, the Serbian’s closest pursuers.
By season’s end, Jokic will be the triple-double leader for the third straight time and fifth in the last six years. For the third consecutive season, the Nuggets’ franchise cornerstone has tallied at least 27 triple-doubles.
Nikola Jokic is now averaging 28.1 points, 12.6 rebounds and 10.5 assists per game. He will likely end the season averaging a triple-double for the second straight year.
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