Nikola Jokic is proving to the world that his reign as 2-time MVP of the league might not end this season despite other players being called the leaders in the MVP race. The Denver Nuggets center had an incredible game against the Charlotte Hornets, helping his contending team stave off defeat against one of the worst teams in the league.
Jokic had a 40-point triple-double against the Hornets. While we are used to Nikola Jokic getting triple-doubles, this one saw the Serbian pull down a mind-boggling 27 rebounds to go along with his 40 points and 10 assists. This is the first time such a statline has been recorded by anyone not named Wilt Chamberlain since 1968, and fans were stunned to see it.
Nikola Jokić is the third player in NBA history with 40 Pts, 25 Reb and 10 Ast in a game‼️
He joins Wilt and Elgin Baylor ♨️ pic.twitter.com/qUty47nwIz
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 19, 2022
Wow…Nikola Jokic tonight:
40 PTS
27 RBS
10 AST
Only Wilt Chamberlain has done it before—53 years ago. Absolute DOMINANCE from the 2X MVP pic.twitter.com/EspTvCjI7B
— NBA University (@NBA_University) December 19, 2022
40-27-10 pic.twitter.com/HcBFBzrQgS
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnor) December 19, 2022
Nikola Jokic literally put up Wilt numbers tonight 🤯 pic.twitter.com/2qQRUkMAwA
— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) December 19, 2022
Jokic is simply dominating
— KENNY BEECHAM (@KOT4Q) December 19, 2022
Really hope Nikola Jokić wins a third consecutive MVP. There was so much negativity surrounding his last two seasons and pure ignorance when the discussion turned into "advanced stats are stupid, watch the game" nonsense.
He's one of the most impactful bigs ever, full stop.
— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) December 19, 2022
jokic stats is crayo
— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) December 19, 2022
https://twitter.com/LuckyLucania196/status/1604680607551721472https://twitter.com/FeelLikeDrew/status/1604680966517280769https://twitter.com/ArbysWRLD/status/1604679352041410560
Nikola Jokic finished with 40 points, 27 rebounds, 10 assists, and 2 steals in under 40 minutes.
He was at 59% true shooting on 36% usage, with all but one of his shots in the paint or behind the arc. His assists contributed 23 points.
Unbelievable numbers. pic.twitter.com/Qu5Rvh7bRQ
— Positive Residual (@presidual) December 19, 2022
The Nuggets won the game by just 4 points, showing that what Jokic did was extremely necessary. However, is this the same script as the last 2 seasons, where Jokic runs out of steam in the playoffs before an early exit? We will see in the postseason.
Are The Denver Nuggets Contenders?
The Nuggets have ensured that their stability and consistency keep them in the conversation of the best teams in the West, However, there just seems to be a ceiling that the team hit in 2020 and has been trying to recapture since. Injuries basically ruined 2 seasons of Jokic’s career, but his MVP trophies will shine bright for his hard work without Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr.
A completely healthy Nuggets squad is scary and capable of outscoring any team in the NBA. Jokic is an incredible leader and is often the best player on the court, regardless of the opponent. With Jokic having signed another extension, the Nuggets have half a decade more of building around the star.
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