Nikola Jokic might make recording a triple-double look effortless, but according to him, it's not that easy.
Nikola Jokic has become a triple-double machine, putting up 10+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 10+ assists consistently for the past eight seasons. While it might look easy for the three-time MVP, he says it's not that simple.
“It's not effortless. I think we need to stop saying that," Jokic said while speaking to the media on October 30th. “I'm still running and jumping like other guys. Sometimes the game goes my way, and I have a good night like today. Or it was an okay night. A decent night. A good night for me. Hopefully, it's going to be like that in the future.
Jokic recorded his fourth triple-double in as many games on Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans, finishing with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and ten assists in 28 minutes as the Nuggets easily dispatched the Pelicans, 122-88.
After picking up a triple-double in his first four games of the season, Jokic fell one assist shy in his fifth game, finishing was just 21 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday.
Jokic had a chance to win it at the buzzer against the Blazers, but his turnaround shot from the free throw line hit the front rim, bounced off the right side of the rim, and fell to the floor.
Jokic is averaging a triple-double on the season with 20.4 points, 10.8 assists, and 14.4 rebounds. He averaged a triple-double last season and has fallen just shy of averaging a triple-double in the previous two seasons, recording nine assists per game in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Nikola Jokic Chasing Triple-Double History
Jokic currently sits at 168 career triple-doubles, which is third all-time. Oscar Robertson is second with 181 triple-doubles, and Russell Westbrook tops the list with 203 in his career. Jokic needs 35 triple-doubles on the season to surpass his former teammate this year.
The MVP runner-up had 34 triple-doubles last season.
Jokic recorded his first triple-double in 2017 against the Milwaukee Bucks. Since 2016-17, he has increased his triple-double output each season, with the exception of 2022-23, where he had 29 triple-doubles, to 2023-24, where his total dropped to 25.
Over the past three seasons, he has averaged 29 triple-doubles per season.
Coming off a loss to the Trail Blazers on Friday, the Nuggets will look to rebound on Monday against the Sacramento Kings. Jokic has recorded 10 career triple-doubles against the Kings.