Nikola Jokic Third Player to Average a Triple-Double for Entire Season; Regular Season Winds Down

What Oscar Robertson did in the 1961-62 season (30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, 11.4 assists) was unheard of, never before approached and for nearly 60 years never done again. 

Wilt Chamberlain surely would have done it at some point in his career had the league counted blocked shots, but it was not until the 2016-17 that we saw an NBA player average a triple-double again. That season, Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook went on a rampage, averaging 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists. He followed that season up with two more (25.4 points, 10.2 assists, 10.1 rebounds and 22.9 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 10.7 assists). Two seasons after his third triple-double season, Westbrook, now a Washington Wizard in 2020-21, did it again, putting up 22.2 points, 11.7 assists, and 11.5 rebounds. 

The fact that a player’s triple-double average record stood for 54 years and was accomplished three more times by the same player is rather mind-numbing. The fact that four years after the latest one that another player would accomplish the feat is rather remarkable. 

With one game remaining in the 2024-25 NBA season, Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic (29.8 points, 12.8 rebounds, 10.3 assists through 81 games) was confirmed Friday to be the third player in league history to average a triple-double for an entire season, joining Westbrook and Robertson in rare air, though with the 7-time all-star and 3-time MVP, it’s more like ground shipment. 

Jokic is not an overly athletic player, 6’11 and 20 pounds or so shy of 300 pounds, with expert touch, the ability to handle the ball like a guard, shoot like a guard, and post moves and maneuverability that takes you back to the good old days of interior post play. 

The Serbian sensation is no doubt a marvel, a guy who has taken the norm for his position and flipped it upside down. 

In the past two seasons, he has come close - 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 9.5 assists in 2022-23 and 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 9.0 assists in 2023-24. But this year, Jokic has done it. A season not without tumult and turmoil as the Nuggets, as on April 8 after four straight losses the organization fired head coach Mike Malone - after nine full seasons - while also axing General Manager Kevin Booth, a puzzling move for a team that was 47-32 and for whom Malone had for seven consecutive seasons guided the team to winning seasons including three seasons of 50+ wins and a 2023 championship. 

The Nuggets with one game to go are 49-32, tied with the Los Angeles Clippers. As of now, that would be a first-round matchup, and with the Clippers winners of seven in a row and nine of their last 10, it would be appointment viewing. 

Jokic is the spearhead, making history this season in so many ways to become the game’s undisputed top player who doesn’t seem keen on relinquishing that label anytime soon. 

Around the League 

All Eastern Conference seeds are set, with the New York Knicks (3) set to face the Detroit Pistons (6) in the first round while the Indiana Pacers (4) face their division rivals the Milwaukee Bucks (5). The Knicks at present are 50-31, the Pistons at 44-37 with an unprecedented turnaround from 14 wins last season and 17 the previous season. This late April foray is their first since 2018-19. 

The Orlando Magic (41-40) will face the Atlanta Hawks (39-42) in one Play-In matchup while the Chicago Bulls (38-43) will meet the Miami Heat (37-44). The Heat, 7-3 in their last 10, have turned it on after major struggles post-trade deadline where they lost 10 consecutive games. They followed that losing streak up though with six consecutive wins, allowing them to secure a Play-In spot. 

Out West, the Oklahoma City Thunder have the top seed locked down at 67-14, followed by the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers, who are separated by two games. The Nuggets and Clippers are tied, and the Golden State Warriors (6) are tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves (7), each one game behind the Clippers and Nuggets. 

The Memphis Grizzlies, 8th, are 47-34, one game back of Golden State and Minnesota. The Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks at 9 and 10 are both 39-42. 

Adam Silver is surely salivating at the prospect of a Lakers-Warriors first round matchup, LeBron James and Stephen Curry the best players of their era going head-to-head in the playoffs one final time in all likelihood. That series would not only deliver astronomical ratings but a series that would be highly competitive. The shooting prowess of the Warriors coupled with the defensive abilities and playoff production uptick of Jimmy Butler would create an amazing series. 

The Nuggets and Clippers is fascinating, too. Not that anyone can deal with Jokic, but Clipper center Ivica Zubac (16.7 points, 12.6 rebounds) has enjoyed a career year. Kawhi Leonard is the quintessential playoff player, and James Harden if he can playoff produce at a high level makes the Clippers a sneaky possibly to advance. Kris Dunn, Norman Powell, Ben Simmons and of course Leonard can dig in defensively, while Bogdan Bogdanovic is a scorer off the bench and Derrick Jones Jr. gives you a wing athlete who can defend and run. The Clippers are a dark horse. 

With everyone off on Saturday and everyone on on Sunday, matchups are still to be decided particularly out west. 

Sunday should produce some exciting basketball.