Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic is a triple-double machine.
For the uninitiated, a triple-double is an achievement in which a player reaches double digits in three statistical categories in a single game – most commonly, points, rebounds and assists.
Jokic has compiled an extraordinary amount of them at a historic pace.
His 35-point, 14-rebound, 12-assist masterclass in Denver’s drubbing of the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night was his 108th career regular-season triple-double. That’s good for fourth all-time, and is notably one more than Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has in his storied career.
The kicker? Jokic has played 824 fewer (!!) regular-season games than James, according to NBA stats site Basketball Reference.
Hall of Fame point guard Jason Kidd also logged 107 career regular-season triple-doubles.
Jokic is still 11 career triple-doubles behind James when you include the postseason. LeBron has 28 triple-doubles in 282 career playoff games, compared to Jokic’s 16 in 68 career playoff contests.
The timing here is apropos to remind you that Jokic is just 28 years old. He needs 30 regular-season triple-doubles to pass Magic Johnson – who is known as the player who made the triple-double statistic mainstream – for third all-time. After that at the top of the list are Oscar Robertson (181) and Russell Westbrook (198).
Jokic’s 10 triple-doubles during the 2022 NBA Championship run were the most by any player in a single postseason in league history. He broke a whole bunch of other records during the Nuggets’ first-ever title run, too.
