Unstoppable Nikola Jokic Chasing Boston Celtics Legend Larry Bird’s 37-Year-Old NBA Record
As they faced the Boston Celtics tonight, Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets resumed their onslaught. The hosts gave the Celtics a lecture in Nikola Jokic to the guests. The two-time MVP used flash and glitz to get yet another triple-double. Nikola Jokic, a standout for the Denver Nuggets, has advanced significantly since his 2014 selection. Jokic, who was selected as the 41st overall choice in the 2014 NBA Draft, outperformed everyone’s predictions for him.
Nikola Jokic finished the game with 30 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists in 32 minutes while shooting an almost perfect 8 of 11 from the free throw line and 2-of-2 from three-point range. Denver maintained control of the contest the whole night, with Boston’s largest advantage being only three points.
Nikola Jokic closing in Larry Bird’s record
Nikola Jokic (27), who averaged 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 8.3 assists on 56.6 percent shooting in 2021 and 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 7.9 assists on 58.3 percent shooting in 2022, was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in each of the previous two seasons. The last person to win NBA MVP in three straight seasons was Larry Bird (1984, 1985, and 1986).
30 PTS, 12 REB, 12 AST… Nikola Jokic wasted no time recording his first triple-double of 2023 👀@nuggets roll to the win at home! pic.twitter.com/PLsDSSaStD
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2023
The only two players to win the MVP three seasons in a row were Bill Russell from 1960 to 1963 and Wilt Chamberlain from 1965 to 1968. Jokic’s career-high 18th triple-double, which included more than 30 points, occurred tonight. In this category, Nikola Jokic has already overtaken Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan.
Scal "It's just not fair."#MVP Nikola Jokic doing MVP things in the 1st quarter:
-great entry pass to Aaron Gordon for the dunk
-posts up Al Horford, bangs in for the lay-in
-pulls up and rainbows in the 3-pointer
-drives in, lays it up off glass#MileHighBasketball #Nuggets pic.twitter.com/g3p192trIH— Joel Rush (@JoelRushNBA) January 2, 2023
There are dueling "MVP!" chants tonight in Denver for Jayson Tatum and Nikola Jokic. pic.twitter.com/1iY231IprR
— Marc D'Amico (@Marc_DAmico) January 2, 2023
Nikola Jokic
(PPG | RPG | APG | FG% | 3P% | +/-)> 2020-21 (MVP):
26.4 | 10.8 | 8.3 | 56.6 | 38.8 | 5.3> 2021-22 (MVP):
27.1 | 13.8 | 7.9 | 58.3 | 33.7 | 6.0> THIS SEASON so far:
25.7 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 62.0 | 35.4 | 8.4Denver best in the West
Just sayin’#MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/UX97Ne7VJr
— Ortweets™ (@carlesortiz) January 2, 2023
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