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Nikola Jokic joins elite company with performance vs. Spurs
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Nuggets' Nikola Jokic joins elite company with performance vs. Spurs

By Mike J. Asti  |  Last updated Apr 4, 2026 11:53 PM ET

Before Victor Wembanyama took the NBA by storm, the league was marveling over the dominance of Nikola Jokic. And on Saturday night, the veteran legend made history while getting the better of the younger star. 

As Jokic led the Denver Nuggets to a 136-134 overtime win over Wembanyama's San Antonio Spurs, he did so while joining fellow all-time greats in a very exclusive club. Jokic scored 40 points in 44 minutes, successfully converting 13-of-25 shots from the field and even hitting a three-pointer as well. 

Just two rebounds shy of a 40-point triple-double, Jokic, 31, also recorded eight boards and 13 assists on the night. His performance made him just the fourth player in league history to ever post a line with at least 40 points, 10 plus assists and five or more rebounds with zero turnovers. 

Nikola Jokic added another bullet point to his impressive resume

Jokic's name is now alongside Larry Bird, Luka Doncic and World B. Free is the only player to have achieved that type of game. Jokic did it in a premier matchup against a team led by a player some feel has taken over as the new top center.

Still holding his own, Wembanyama, 22, put up 34 points of his own, also playing 40 minutes, to go along with 18 rebounds and dishing out seven assists. 

Nikola Jokic won this battle with Victor Wembanyama

But even if Wembanyama snags more MVP votes this season and may eventually claim the mantle as the most dominating big in the game today, it was Jokic, a three-time league MVP winner who has already carried his team to one NBA championship, who left the arena as the victor on this night. 

Jokic's season averages are 27.9 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.9 assists at a 57.1% shooting clip. 

Jokic has led the Nuggets to eight wins in a row

Jokic's Nuggets also needed the win more, at least as far as the standings are concerned. 

After their eighth consecutive win, Denver is now 50-28 and holding firm as the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference. Conversely, Wembanyama's Spurs own the better overall record at 59-19 as they sit in second place in the conference, just 2.5 games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

Mike J. Asti
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Mike Asti is an experienced media personality and journalist with a vast resume and skillset, most notably from time with TribLIVE Radio and WPXI-TV. Asti now serves as the Managing Editor of WV Sports Now, where he leads the coverage of WVU sports. He has also covered the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates and other teams within the Pittsburgh market

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