Nikola Jokic assured of becoming 3rd NBA player to average triple-double

Nikola Jokic will become the third NBA player ever, and the league's first center, to average a triple-double for an entire season.

With his fourth assist in an eventual 117-109 home win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night, Jokic assured himself of the feat. The three-time MVP finished with 26 points, 16 boards and 13 assists against Memphis for his 34th triple-double of the season -- the fourth-most in a season in league history.

Heading into Sunday's regular-season finale, Jokic is averaging career highs in points (29.8) and assists (10.3) to go along with 12.8 boards per game. With 164 regular-season triple-doubles in his career, Jokic ranks second only behind teammate Russell Westbrook, who has a record 203.

"It's nice," Jokic said after the Memphis win. "I didn't do that before. I don't know. I don't know what to say. It's good."

Westbrook was the last to average a triple-double for a season, doing so four times, most recently in 2020-21 for the Washington Wizards. Westbrook also averaged a triple-double for three straight seasons while with the Oklahoma City Thunder (2016-19).

Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson was the first to accomplish the feat, in 1961-62 while with the Cincinnati Royals.

"If he doesn't win the MVP, it's the greatest season of all time not to win the MVP," Nuggets interim coach David Adelman said of Jokic.

(Reuters)