Nikola Jokic Joins Wilt Chamberlain in NBA History Books With His 50th Triple Double
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The Denver Nuggets won their third game in a row tonight. It was a big win for them, as they thrashed the Milwaukee Bucks 128-97. Nikola Jokic entered history books as he notched another mammoth triple-double.
The Serbian finished with 37 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists to get the 50th triple-double of his career. Such all-around prowess is rare to find in big men, and the only other center to also record 50 triple-doubles was Wilt Chamberlain. While the Hall of Famer took over 700 games to reach the feat, Jokic achieved it within 416 games.
Nikola Jokic had his 50th triple-double tonight — joining Wilt Chamberlain as the only centers in NBA history to reach that milestone.
Jokic did it in 416 games.
Wilt did it in 703 games. pic.twitter.com/Mtf3uaYVVE
— StatMuse (@statmuse) March 3, 2021
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Chamberlain was one of the most dominant players in the league. While his scoring ability is praised often, his playmaking ability was an underrated aspect of his career. Wilt holds the record for most assists per game in a season by a center with 8.6 per game in the 1967-68 season.
After tonight’s game, the two are tied, with Jokic poised to surpass Chamberlain by the end of the season if he is able to continue his MVP form.
Can Nikola Jokic end the Nuggets’ wait for an MVP?
In the all-time triple-doubles rankings, Jokic stands ninth and is the third quickest to reach the 50 mark. Unfortunately, it was the Bucks who had to pay for it, as he demolished them to get the win. He shot 15-23 from the field, including 2-3 from three. Bobby Portis, Brook Lopez, and Giannis Antetokounmpo all tried to guard him, but they were unsuccessful.
Nikola Jokic becomes the third-fastest player in NBA history to reach 50 career triple-doubles!
37 PTS | 10 REB | 11 AST | @nuggets W pic.twitter.com/tFCXMlTWPO
— NBA (@NBA) March 3, 2021
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While the Nuggets may only be seventh right now, Jokic is having a terrific campaign so far. He is averaging 27.3 points, 11 rebounds, and 8,6 assists per game, and ranked third on the recent MVP ladder. His stats have only gone up since then, and he will be a prime contender if the Nuggets finish in the top four.
Founded in 1967, Nuggets are one of the ten teams in the NBA who haven’t had an MVP winner yet. They have had many legendary players on their roster like Carmelo Anthony, David Thompson, and Alex English. But despite their excellent seasons, they were never able to win the MVP.
While Jokic doesn’t rank higher than those players yet, he is likely to finish with at least one MVP in his career. He is an unbelievably talented player, and the Nuggets will also hope he can end their hunt for a title.
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