31-21-22! Did Jokic’s Historic Triple-Double Just Reignite the MVP Race?

Witnessing History: Jokic’s Unbelievable Night

Some performances are so surreal that they don’t just make headlines—they etch themselves into basketball history.

Nikola Jokic just delivered one of those performances.

In a thrilling 149-141 overtime win against the Phoenix Suns, the Denver Nuggets’ superstar put up an absurd stat line:

• 31 points (13-of-22 FG, 3-of-7 3PT, 2-of-3 FT)
• 21 rebounds
• 22 assists
• 3 steals
• 45 minutes of sheer dominance

Let that sink in.

That’s the first 30-20-20 triple-double in NBA history.

To put it in perspective:

• Even if you split his numbers in half, he’d still have two separate 15-10-10 triple-doubles.
• This was just the third 20-20-20 game ever recorded, joining Wilt Chamberlain (1968) and Russell Westbrook (2019).

And that’s not all. Jokic’s performance also set multiple records:

• 42nd career 30-point triple-double, tying LeBron James for fourth-most in history.
• 15th career 15-15-15 game, tying Oscar Robertson for first all-time.
• Set a new NBA record for assists by a center (22), breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s previous mark of 21.

At this pace, it’s only a matter of time before Jokic surpasses both Oscar Robertson (181) and Russell Westbrook (202) to become the NBA’s all-time triple-double leader.

How the Game Played Out

While Jokic’s historic triple-double will dominate the headlines, the game itself was far from easy.

Denver led for most of the night, but Phoenix forced overtime thanks to a clutch buzzer-beating three from Kevin Durant.

That shot briefly injected some drama into the game.

But once overtime began, Jokic took over.

In just five minutes of OT, he racked up:

• 5 points
• 3 rebounds
• 5 assists

The Nuggets outscored the Suns 24-16 in OT, sealing the victory.

Incredibly, Denver’s 24 points in overtime was just one point shy of the all-time record (25).

There was even a funny moment when the TV broadcast mistakenly declared Jokic had already completed his 30-20-20 game after his 18th assist.

Jokic, unfazed, simply went out and dropped four more dimes to officially secure the record—while also crushing the Suns’ hopes.

The MVP Race: Jokic vs. SGA

Jokic’s insane 31-21-22 stat line isn’t just historic—it has reopened the MVP debate.

Let’s break it down.

Jokic’s MVP Case

• 57 games played
• 28.9 PPG (3rd in the NBA)
• 12.9 RPG (3rd in the NBA)
• 10.6 APG (2nd in the NBA)
• 1.8 SPG (T-2nd in the NBA)
• 57.7% FG / 43.9% 3PT / 81.8% FT
• 66.4% true shooting

If Jokic keeps this up, he could become the first player in NBA history to finish top-three in points, rebounds, and assists in a season.

And here’s the scary part—this is his best season ever.

Better than his two MVP years (2021, 2022).
Better than his 2023 Finals MVP run.

Simply put, he’s at his absolute peak.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP Case

• 61 games played
• 32.8 PPG (1st in the NBA, ahead of Giannis at 30.8)
• 5.1 RPG, 6.2 APG, 1.8 SPG (T-2nd in the NBA)
• 52.6% FG / 37.8% 3PT / 89.8% FT
• 64.5% true shooting (best among all star guards)

While Jokic has the stronger overall numbers, SGA has one major advantage—team success.

Right now, the Oklahoma City Thunder (52-11) have the best record in the NBA, while the Denver Nuggets (41-22) sit third in the West.

That’s an 11-game difference.

Who Deserves MVP?

Jokic is clearly the most dominant player in basketball, but MVP isn’t just about being the “best.”

If it were, Michael Jordan would have more than five MVPs.

The award factors in:

• Individual greatness ✅ (Jokic has the edge)
• Team success ✅ (SGA has the edge)
• Historical impact ✅ (Jokic is rewriting the record books)

Statistically, Jokic is a cheat code.
But SGA has carried OKC to an elite level—something Jokic has never done.

Here’s the key stat:

• With Jokic on the floor, Denver has a net rating of +11.5 (elite).
• Without Jokic, Denver has a net rating of -9.2 (lottery team).
• With SGA on the floor, OKC has a net rating of +17.6 (historically elite).
• Without SGA, OKC is still at +2.1 (still a good team).

In other words, Jokic is more valuable to Denver than SGA is to OKC.

But SGA has done something Jokic never has—led a team to a 60+ win pace.

And that matters.

The Upcoming Showdown Could Decide It

In just a few days, Denver and OKC will play back-to-back games.

These matchups could be the defining moments of the MVP race.

If Jokic dominates and Denver wins both, the conversation shifts in his favor.

If SGA and the Thunder hold their ground, his case strengthens.

One thing’s for sure—this MVP battle is far from over.