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Nikola Jokic needs 9 rebounds to become first player with 500 points, 250 rebounds, and 100 assists in a postseason

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James Foglio
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James Foglio Sports Editor

James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.

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Sports Editor

Updated09 Jun 2023

Nuggets Nikola Jokic needs 9 rebounds to become first player with 500 points, 250 rebounds, and 100 assists in a postseason

Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets is nine rebounds away from becoming the first player in NBA history to record 500 points, 250 rebounds, and 100 assists in a single postseason. Game 4 of the 2023 NBA Finals begins tonight at 8:30 p.m. ET.

In Denver’s 109-94 win over the Miami Heat in Game 3, the five-time All-Star recorded 32 points, 21 rebounds, 10 assists, and two blocks in 44 minutes of action. He also shot 12-of-21 (57.1%) from the floor and 7-of-8 (87.5%) at the foul line.

Based on a few NBA betting sites, the Nuggets remain the favorites to win the 2023 NBA Finals. Sportsbooks show Nikola Jokic with the best odds to win Finals MVP. Miami forward Jimmy Butler has second-shortest odds.

In Game 3, the two-time MVP also became the fifth player to score 100 or more points through his first three career NBA Finals games, joining Rick Barry (122 in 1997), Allen Iverson (106 in 2001), Willis Reed (104 in 1970), and Giannis Antetokounmpo (103 in 2021).

Jokic is the seventh player in NBA history to post two triple-doubles in the same finals. Magic Johnson and LeBron James each recorded at least two triples in three separate finals. Draymond Green, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird, and Butler all had one finals series with two triple-doubles.

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic recorded the first 30-20-10 triple-double in NBA Finals history in Wednesday night’s 109-94 win over the Heat

Furthermore, the Nuggets have scored 48 more points in the paint than the Heat, the most through three finals games since Shaquille O’Neal was in the key in 2001. In Game 3, Denver outscored Miami 60-34 in the paint. The Nuggets shot 41-of-80 (51.2%) from the field at Kaseya Center.

Of course, Game 3 was Jokic’s third career 30-20-10 playoff game of any kind. There have only been two other 30-20-10 games in NBA postseason history (one each by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain), according to ESPN Stats & Info.

Jokic recorded his 10th triple-double of the 2023 NBA Playoffs in Game 3. More importantly, the eight-year veteran cares more about winning his first championship than stats.


“I don’t care. It’s just a stat,” he replied when asked how it felt to set a new NBA record. “I’m just glad that we won the game. It was a big one for us because they won in our arena. We just didn’t want to go down 2-1.”

Through 18 starts this postseason, Nikola Jokic is averaging 30.5 points, 13.4 rebounds, 10.1 assists, 1.0 steal, and 39.4 minutes per game. The two-time MVP is also shooting 54.6% from the floor and 47% from 3-point range.

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