Nikola Jokic just shattered the record books with an unbelievable 61-point triple double against the Timberwolves on Tuesday night.
The three-time MVP keeps finding ways to amaze fans, even though he puts up crazy numbers almost every game. But this performance? It was something else entirely.
Despite the Nuggets losing to Minnesota in a heart-stopping overtime thriller, Jokic’s stat line was simply mind-blowing.
His 61 points crushed his previous career high of 56, which he’d just set against the Wizards back in December.
Jokic was an absolute workhorse, playing a season-high 53 minutes without sitting down once after halftime. The game had all the intensity of a playoff matchup, stretching through two nail-biting overtime periods.
But it wasn’t just the scoring that made this historic. By adding a triple double to his career-high point total, the 30-year-old Serbian big man officially set the record for the highest-scoring triple double in NBA history.
The crazy thing? Despite this legendary performance, Jokic isn’t even the favorite for this year’s MVP award. BetOnline has him as an outsider at +1200, well behind frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
WATCH: Every field goal in Nikola Jokic’s 61-point game
## Westbrook’s late-game struggles cost Nuggets
The night could’ve ended very differently for Denver. They should’ve won this game, but **Russell Westbrook** had a rough final few minutes that ultimately cost his team.
Westbrook missed a crucial free throw that would’ve put Denver up by two points at the end of the second overtime.
But that wasn’t even the worst part.
The 36-year-old guard immediately made up for it by stealing the ball on the next possession – only to blow an open layup that would’ve given the Nuggets a three-point cushion.
Just when you thought things couldn’t get worse for Westbrook, he committed the ultimate late-game sin: fouling a three-point shooter at the buzzer.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker stepped to the line with a chance to win it for Minnesota. He calmly sank two of his three free throws, giving the Timberwolves the victory and spoiling what should have been Jokic’s night to remember.
