Nikola Jokic Surpasses Magic Johnson for Third All-Time in Triple-Doubles

Nikola Jokic, who joined the Denver Nuggets in 2015, moved past NBA icon Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson on the career triple-doubles ranking, although his team, the Denver Nuggets, suffered a defeat against the Cleveland Cavaliers. With this achievement, Jokic’s career total now stands at 139 triple-doubles, positioning him as the third player with the most in the league’s history. Only Oscar Robertson (181) and Russell Westbrook (200) have recorded more. A triple-double is defined as a player achieving double-digit figures in three of the five primary statistical categories. In this particular game, Jokic recorded 27 points, 20 rebounds, and 11 assists. Regarding the milestone, Jokic commented, “It’s something that you’re probably going to look at after you finish your career. Right now, you don’t even think about it. But it’s a great thing. It’s really nice.” Despite this being Jokic’s ninth triple-double of the current season, the Denver Nuggets, who are the 2023 NBA champions, were defeated in Cleveland with a final score of 126-114. For the home team, Donovan Mitchell was a standout performer, contributing 28 points. The Cavaliers, who lead the Eastern Conference, also achieved a season-high of 22 three-pointers in the game. Mitchell stated, “It took everybody. Jokic is MVP for a reason, he makes that team phenomenal.” The Serbian player, Jokic, was recognized as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for a third time in 2023. Following this loss, the Nuggets are positioned eighth in the Western Conference, having recorded 11 defeats in their 20 games played. Head coach Michael Malone commented, “I love Nikola, I really do, and I’m fortunate to coach him and he’s one of the best to ever do it. But I’m just so much more concerned about my team right now.” Concurrently, Luka Doncic ascended to joint-seventh place on the all-time triple-double ranking. He achieved this by scoring 21 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out 10 assists in the Dallas Mavericks’ 137-101 victory over the Washington Wizards. This marked Doncic’s 78th career triple-double, placing the Slovenian athlete alongside Wilt Chamberlain and James Harden in the historical standings.