CHICAGO (AP) — Nikola Jokic received another game ball from his Denver Nuggets teammates after recording another triple-double. However, this one is a little more special than the others.
It made some NBA history.
Jokic had 22 points, 17 assists and 14 rebounds on Saturday night, surpassing Oscar Robertson for second in the league’s career with his 182nd regular-season triple-double, leading the Nuggets to a 136-120 victory over the Chicago Bulls.
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“He’s a legendary player,” Jokic said of Robertson, the first player to average a triple-double for an entire season in 1961-62. “Any player who steps into this league knows he’s a global legend.”
The three-time NBA MVP and eight-time All-Star also left his mark on the game. This is Jokic’s 19th triple-double this season and his second in appearances this season. He is second only to Russell Westbrook on the career list, who has 207 points. Westbrook (4 times), Jokic (2 times) and Robertson (1 time) are the only NBA players to average a triple-double in a single season.
Nuggets coach David Adelman, who has been with the Nuggets since Jokic’s third season in 2017, said he’s still surprised by the 6-foot-11 Serbian center.
“When your center hands out 17 assists in a game, that’s not going to happen,” Adelman said. “Unless it’s him.
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“What he did was absolutely incredible.”
Teammate Jamal Murray said he expects more from Jokic, who turns 31 on February 19.
“He still has a lot left,” he said. “When he sets that record, it’s going to be Usain Bolt’s record. He’s going to hold that record for a long time.”
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
