Nuggets Jokic Makes NBA History in Loss to Pacers

Win, lose or draw, Jokic has been taking care of business.

Another record-breaking performance from the great Nikola Jokic was not enough for the Denver Nuggets as they found themselves on the losing end for the fourth game in a row Sunday night, falling in a nail bitter 125-120 to the Indiana Pacers. The contest extended Denver’s losing streak to four games. With just three games remaining on their regular season schedule, concerns are growing on a nightly basis about the team standings in the stacked Western Conference. Even with all the turmoil going on around him, Jokic claimed a huge individual NBA milestone in the game.

Jokic, as usual, was nothing short of sensational. The three-time Serbian big man had a stunning performance, dropping 41 points, 15 rebounds, 13 assists, two steals, and one block, shooting an efficient 18-of-33 from the field.

According to Stathead, he is the first player in NBA history to record those numbers in a single game. Over his last three contests, Jokic has been unstoppable, averaging 45.0 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 10.7 assists while shooting over 62% from the floor. But here is the downside: The Nuggets have laid a goose egg, going 0-3 in those games.

Jokic’s extended stretch of masterpieces, however, has not been enough to put the team over the top in their recent games. In their game against the Pacers, Jokic scored 21 of his 41 points in the opening quarter alone, keeping Denver within striking distance early and battling hard through all four quarters. He even secured a triple-double by the end of the third, marking his 32nd triple-double of the season, the most ever recorded by a center in NBA history, surpassing the legendary Wilt Chamberlain’s single-season record of 31.

The much-improved Christian Braun followed Jokic with 30 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists.

Michael Porter Jr. added 15 points, and the other former MVP on the roster Russell Westbrook scored 16, while the other players only could muster single digits.

The Nuggets are now 47-32, and their position in the Western Conference playoff race is becoming increasingly vulnerable.