Nikola Jokic just made NBA history, and he didn’t even need the fourth quarter to do it.
The Denver Nuggets superstar racked up an incredible 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 15 assists in just 29 minutes of play, leading his team to a dominant 139-120 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night.
It’s the first time in NBA history that anyone has posted 20+ points, 15+ rebounds, and 15+ assists in under 30 minutes.
Jokic was in a hurry to get his numbers. By halftime, he’d already nearly locked up his triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists. And this was after playing three games in four nights.
The Nuggets came out firing, putting up 74 points in the first half. But they were only up by three at the break.
That’s when Jokic turned it up a notch. He powered through the third quarter with another 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists, helping Denver outscore Atlanta 41-24. That explosion gave the Nuggets a 20-point cushion, letting Jokic watch the entire fourth quarter from the bench.
What’s really interesting is how well Jokic is clicking with Russell Westbrook. The two stars connected for six assists between them, with each setting up the other three times. Westbrook, who’s coming off his own perfect-shooting triple-double on Monday, added 11 assists to the mix.
The team passing was off the charts. Denver finished with 44 assists, the second-highest total in any NBA game this season.
It was Jokic’s 14th triple-double this year – the most in the league. The win pushed the Nuggets to 19-13, while Atlanta dropped to 18-16.
But there’s no time to celebrate. Jokic will need that fourth-quarter rest – he’s facing off against rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs on Friday. That 7-foot-4 matchup should be something to see.
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