The NBA hasn't seen a player like Nikola Jokic before. The Finals have never seen a stat line like he put up in Game 3.
Nikola Jokic has the first 30-20-10 game in NBA Finals history, per @ESPNStatsInfo. (Blocks weren’t an official stat in the Russell/Wilt days.)
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 8, 2023
Jokic did it all for the Nuggets in Game 3, finishing with 32 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists in Denver's 109-94 win. Denver stole back home court advantage behind the Joker's monster effort, which included 12-of-21 shooting, two blocks and some feather-soft precision passes for easy baskets.
Nikola Jokic with a nice pass to Aaron Gordon for the layup #Nuggets pic.twitter.com/IOmMvttr1K
— Joel Rush (@JoelRushNBA) June 8, 2023
The Nuggets absolutely trounced the Heat on the boards Wednesday night, led by Jokic's 21 rebounds — just a dozen fewer than Miami's entire team.
Aaron Gordon had 10 rebounds, as did Jamal Murray, whose own 30-point triple-double was overshadowed by his teammate.
Not only was this the first 30-20-10 in Finals history, it was only the fifth such game in NBA playoffs history. One was by Wilt Chamberlain.
Another was by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The other two? Also Jokic.
30-point, 20-rebound, 10-assist performances in NBA playoff history (via @Stathead):
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 8, 2023
Nikola Jokic (3)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Wilt Chamberlain
After the game, Lisa Salters asked Jokic what it meant to him make history like that.
— arbys fan (@arbys_fan) June 8, 2023
"To be honest," a stoic Jokic said, "Not much."
The milestone may not matter, but the win means quite a lot to Jokic and the team.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!