Triple-double is one of the rarest statistical achievements in all basketball. When Oscar Robertson averaged one during the full season of 1961-62, he was seen as a totally irreplicable anomaly. For more than five decades, they were right. Russell Westbrook joined him at the Triple-Doble Club during the 2016-17 season, and ended up entering four times different. But Westbrook and Robertson are guards, positioned well to accumulate statistics due to the frequency with which they have the ball.
Nikola Jokić is a center, and until Friday, he is the first in NBA History to average a double triple for a full season. With 26 points, 16 rebounds and 13 assists, Jokić assured the feat, regardless of what happens on Sunday. Historically speaking, the notion of a center that did this felt almost impossible. Only two other centers in the history of the NBA have averaged even 10 points, 10 rebounds and six assists per game: Wilt Chamberlain and Sabonis Domantas. Big men do not generally have the ball enough to do what Jokić has done now.
Speaking of that, Jokić is ironically the best external shooter in the triple double club. It will become the first member to shoot over 40% from the range of 3 points in a triple double season, assuming that there is no catastrophe on Sunday (although, in justice, Robertson played before the 3 -point shot existed). No player in the history of the NBA, regardless of the total points or assists, has averaged 10 rebounds and has made 40% of his triples. Jokić, as a center, has now done it. It is the anomaly of all anomalies, possibly the best statistical offensive season that any player has had.
And in all likelihood, it will not be rewarded with a fourth MVP trophy for Jokić. Shai Gilgeous -Alexander is at least a favorite of -2,500 in each main book at this time. In the final MVP straw survey conducted by TIM BONTEMPS DE ESPNGilgeous-Alexander collected 77 votes first at the 23 of Jokić. That came before Jokić’s Nuggets fired coach Michael Malone and General Manager Calvin Booth.
The probabilities, in other words, are not in favor of Jokić. Gilgous-Alexander Thunder currently has an advantage of 18 games in Jokić and the Nuggets, and Gilgeous-Alexander is the upper defender, if not saying anything about the star offensive season he has gathered. In truth, this has been one of the best MVP races of all time. Any of which would be a deserving winner. But Nuggets interim coach David Adelman said better: this race will also have an incredible loser.
“If the MVP does not win, it is the best season of all time to not win MVP,” Adelman saying on Friday.
That is almost certain that it is true, but at least, Jokić will have it in common with his fellow Triple-Doble Club. Robertson lost the 1962 MVP award to Bill Russell. Westbrook won MVP in just one of his four triple-double seasons. If Jokić does not win the award this time, the six double triple seasons that the League has seen only an MVP, and the first double triple average of the central position will not collect a trophy despite the fact that the same player wins three of the last four without having done so.
Either the greatness of Gilgeous-Alexander, the fatigue of the voters or a combination of both, which would have felt almost unfathomable as recently as the beginning of the season.
