Nikola Jokic is rising to MVP status after collecting the 50th triple-double of his career with 37 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds bringing the Denver Nuggets to victory over the Bucks 128-97 at Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum on Tuesday.
The center’s achievement gained notoriety as he became the the second center ever to reach 50 career triple-doubles alongside Wilt Chamberlain who had 78, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. In making history alongside Chamberlin, Jokic shared, “It is something that [for] my legacy to put behind me. It’s cool just to be in that group of guys, especially with one of the best players to ever play the game. Just a nice accomplishment.”
Research by the Elias Sport Bureau also puts Jokic as the ninth player to ever reach 50 triple-doubles in the history of the league. Jokic has been carrying the season with career highs in points (27.1), assists (8.5), rebounds (11.0), 3-point shooting (41.1%) and free throw shooting (88.2%).
Denver coach Michael Malone praised, “He’s only 25 years old, which is amazing. Nikola has 50 career triple-doubles, but he also has 20 games [in his career] where he missed a triple-double by either one rebound or one assist. It just speaks to his greatness. The guy doesn’t get fatigued; he doesn’t get tired.”
(image credit – nytimes.com)
How are the Denver Nuggets performing amidst Jokic’s MVP caliber season?
High expectations were set for the Denver Nuggets performance this season after last years’ run, but sadly, Denver has fallen short across the board. With Nikola Jokic’s MVP status this year holding the team just above water, the Nuggets’ latest loss are leaving unanswered questions of where the team will eventually end up.
Thursday’s loss to the Washington Wizards painted a picture of Denver’s regression, showing inconsistencies and poor mental flow on the court. The Nuggets are considered a fringe playoff team coming in currently at 17-15. Denver would be the 8th seed in the Western Conference and lined up with the Utah Jazz in the playoffs if the season ended today. The Nuggets appear to have settled in almost 50% of the way through the 72 game NBA season and it’s about time we reshape our view of this team.
