Nikola Jokic becomes 1st player in NBA history with 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 assists in season
Denver’s superstar big man Nikola Jokic makes history as he continues a statistical dominance the league has never seen before.
Nikola Jokic has crossed a statistical threshold not even Wilt Chamberlain has touched.
With a fourth-quarter basket over a double-team in Friday’s win over Memphis, Nikola Jokic became the first player in NBA history to accumulate at least 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 assists in a single season.
The crowd recognized the achievement with a standing ovation chants of “M-V-P” for the league’s reigning Kia Most Valuable Player, who accomplished the statistical feat despite taking a blow to the head earlier in the game that drew blood and saw him don a headband.
“Dude is really great at basketball,” teammate Bones Hyland said.
Chamberlain came up short by eight points of that specific combination in the 1967-68 season, the year he led the league in assists. He won the league’s MVP award that season, an honor Jokic is jostling to earn for the second straight season despite impressive campaigns from Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid.
“I mean, it’s cool,” Jokic said afterwards. “I like it. Hopefully I can do it a couple of more times.”
Jokic’s late-season surge also saw him become the first player since Chamberlain to register at least 35 points and 12 rebounds in five straight games since Chamberlain.
His big night came after taking an inadvertent elbow from Jaren Jackson Jr. to the right forehead and temple that drew blood in the opening minute.
After having to retreat to the bench twice to stop the bleeding, Jokic donned a red headband for the remainder of the game as he helped the Nuggets (48-33) overcome a shaky start to avoid a season sweep at the hands of the Grizzlies.
Jokic was hit in the head on the Grizzlies’ first bucket, a drive by Jackson Jr., and retreated to the bench for treatment. He wasn’t back on the court for long before returning to the sideline for more treatment and a red headband.
“My first …