April 11, 2025, 10:57pm
Denver – Nicola Zhokic is the average triple double of the season, making Denverstar the third player in NBA history and stops such feats.
It was statistically secured on Friday night when Jokic scored his fourth assist in a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies 117-109 for the Nuggets. That assist was his 700th time in his season. So, even if he didn’t get another one before the end of the regular season, his 70th game, he was guaranteed to be worse than an average of 10.0 assists.
However, Jokic got another, and he finished in his 34th triple-double of his season with 12 assists (going with 26 points and 16 rebounds) on Friday night.
Other players average triple doubles for a full season. Russell Westbrook, Jokic’s current Denver teammate, and Basketball Hall of Fame Oscar Robertson. Westbrook did it in the 1961-62 season in Oklahoma City, four times in 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, and in Washington, Robertson did it in the 1961-62 season in Cincinnati.
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“That’s fine. I didn’t do it before,” Jokic said after the match when asked about the triple-double average. “I don’t know. I don’t know what to say. That’s fine.”
The assist who clinched it for Jokic scored a Christian Braun score within a minute in the first half. It was originally not credited. Box scores were updated at halftime.
Jokic’s 34th triple-double of the season is fourth and most tied in NBA history. Westbrook had the highest number of 42 people in 2016-2017. There were no other NBA players entering Friday with more than 10 players this season.
“If he doesn’t win an MVP, it’s the best season ever that he won’t win an MVP,” Nuggets interim coach David Adelman said of Jokic, the three-time award winner who is competing with Oklahoma City’s Shy Gilgauss Alexander for the honor of this season.
This is the first time I’ve had an average double digit average for assists. His previous career best was 2022-23, finishing with 9.8 assists with 24.5 points and 11.8 rebounds.
“When you have a guy like Jokic who produces so many offenses for your teammates, if you don’t do the right thing, everyone will really look good,” Minnesota’s Chris Finch said earlier this month.
Jokic is also guaranteed to average the best career scores this season, making him the second-best rebound average of his career. He also sets career-highs this season with three pointers and three point percentages.
Jokic needed 47 points in Denver’s finale in Houston on Sunday, pushing his score to an average of 30.0. If that happens, it will be the third 30-point triple double average in NBA history. Westbrook and Robertson both did it once.
Jokic has 164 regular season triple doubles for his career, making him the second in NBA history after Westbrook’s 203.
This report uses information from the Associated Press.
