Nikola Jokic, Denver’s superstar center, has been creating magic on the court that leaves spectators in awe.
He surpassed Hall of Famer Magic Johnson on Thursday to secure third place on the career list for triple-doubles, marking his 139th in a 126-114 loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Despite scoring 27 points, grabbing 20 rebounds, and dishing out 11 assists, the three-time MVP and his Nuggets couldn’t hold off the Cavs, who netted a season-high 22 3-pointers and improved their record to 20-3.
Only Russell Westbrook (200) and Oscar Robertson (181) are ahead of Jokic in the career list for triple-doubles. “It’s something that youre probably going to look at after you finish your career,” said Jokic, who has nine triple-doubles this season. “Right now, you dont even think about it. But its a great thing. Its really nice.”
Jokic overtook Johnson in the fourth quarter, earning his 10th assist with a pass to Michael Porter Jr., who sank a 3-pointer with 3:37 left. After the game, the 7-footer shared hugs with all the Cavs players on the floor and some of Cleveland’s coaches.
Upon reaching the locker room, Jokic was presented with a game ball in honor of surpassing Johnson. Nuggets guard Jamal Murray is running out of superlatives to describe his celebrated teammate.
“You see it with his work ethic,” Murray praised, after scoring 19 points himself. “His touches continue to amaze me. He does everything on the court with a great attitude and has a will to win. What else?”
The Nuggets had a tough game, marked by defensive errors. Coach Michael Malone acknowledged Jokic’s achievement but was more concerned about the team’s performance. “We just got our butts kicked,” Malone admitted.
“Obviously, I love Nikola and I feel very fortunate to coach a player with his talent and hell go down as one of the best to ever do it. Im happy to hear that, I really am. But Im so much more concerned about our team right now and where were at.
“Its not so much that we lost tonight. I knew coming in here would be a tall order. I just dont like how we lost and there is a big difference.”
Elsewhere, the Dallas Mavericks enjoyed a 137-101 win against the Washington Wizards, while the New York Knicks were too good for the Charlotte Hornets – winning 125-101. Oklahoma City Thunder eased to a 129-92 victory against the Toronto Raptors, and there were also wins for the New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls, and Memphis Grizzlies.
The Cavs remain at the top of the Eastern Conference with their 20-3 record, two wins ahead of the Boston Celtics and four victories in front of the Orlando Magic. The Thunder sit atop of the Western Conference thanks to their 17-5 record, while the Houston Rockets, the Mavericks, and the Grizzlies all have 15 wins to their name.
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