Nikola Jokić shines with historic performance in victory over Mavericks

Even with 10 seasons under his belt, reigning Kia MVP Nikola Jokić continues to elevate his stats and game to unprecedented heights.

In Sunday’s 122-120 win against the Dallas Mavericks, Jokić finished with 37 points, 18 rebounds, 15 assists and three steals in 38 minutes. That marked his fourth straight triple-double and his sixth this season (league best), both of which were just part of his statistical story.

That line was the first time a player has recorded 37-plus points, 18-plus rebounds and 15-plus assists in a game. Denver needed all of what Jokić had to offer as it was in a close game in the final eight minutes. Dallas’ Kyrie Irving, who finished with 43 points, made a bank shot to Dallas a 120-118 lead with 1:39 left but Jokic then had a tying tip-in ahead of Michael Porter’s Jr.’s winning shot with seven seconds left.

“We’re all running out of words, adjectives, and ways to describe his greatness and his impact. I think the simple way to say it is he’s the best player in the world,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said about Jokić. “That’s the best way you can say it, in my opinion.”

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.