Jokic Nearly Perfect
Nikola Jokic was nearly perfect last night, compiling 36 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists as the Denver Nuggets topped the Portland Trail Blazers 122-113. The Nuggets have won seven consecutive games overall and 14 straight games at home. They lead the Western Conference by a half-game with a record of 31-13.
Jokic made 13 of his 14 shots from the field (92.9%) and nine of his 10 free throws. It’s just the fourth 30-point triple-double in NBA history in which a player shot at least 90% from the field:
Wilt Chamberlain (Feb. 17, 1966)
Chamberlain (Feb. 24, 1967)
Nikola Jokic (Oct. 20, 2018)
Jokic (Jan. 17, 2023)
Jokic has made all 19 of his 2-pointers over the last two games. He’s the first player in NBA history to record consecutive triple-doubles without missing a 2-pointer. Jokic is the only player in the NBA’s 3-point era (i.e., since 1979-80) to make at least 19 2-pointers over a two-game span without a miss.
Jokic has recorded at least 10 points, five rebounds, and five assists while shooting 50% from the field in each of his last 27 games, by far the longest such streak in NBA history. Chamberlain ranks second with a streak of 13 such games in a row in February 1967.
The Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard scored a game-high 44 points and dished out a team-high eight assists in the loss. Lillard shot 12-20 from the field — including 6-12 from 3-point range — and made all 14 of his free throws.
Lillard has recorded four straight 35-point games. Over that span, he’s averaging 42.5 PPG and 6.8 APG with shooting percentages of 57.6% from the field, 42.2% from 3-point range, and 96.4% from the free throw line.
