Picture Credit: NBA
Serbian centre Nikola Jokic created history as his team Denver Nuggets secured their fourth consecutive playoff berth with a 122-109 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. Nikola became the first player in NBA history with 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 assists in a season. He dropped 35 points, 16 rebounds, six assists and five steals on Thursday.
Jokic’s feat against the Grizzlies hasn’t been achieved by the legendary Wilt Chamberlain. The Big Dipper came close to getting this record in the 1967-68 season but fell short by eight points. He also replicated Chamberlain’s streak of scoring at least 35 points and 12 rebounds in five straight games.
After the match, Nikola Jokic had very few words for his performance. He said, “I mean, it’s cool. I like it. Hopefully, I can do it a couple of more times.”
Check out the crowd applauding Joker as he subs out of the game:
Denver Coach called Jokic the MVP for another incredible season. He said, “The MVP isn’t even a competition. There are other great players. I’m not saying they’re not great players. But what Nikola Jokic has done this year — with this team — everything we’ve had to go through is just incredible. He was good last year and he’s even better this year. He was good last year, and he's even better this year.”
Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins also called him an unguardable player and picked him for the MVP awards. He said, ” I think we've been playing good basketball, even the other night against Utah. Tonight, we just didn't have it. We threw a lot at him. He's the MVP for a reason. He's nearly impossible to guard. He's going to beat you from inside, outside, playmaking. He played at a really high-level tonight.”