Nikola Jokic Ties Wilt Chamberlain on Historic NBA List

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With his 9th career playoff triple-double, Nikola Jokic tied Wilt Chamberlain for the most playoff triple-doubles by a center in NBA history. Jokic was fantastic in Game 3 vs. the Phoenix Suns, finishing with 30 PTS, 17 REB, and 17 AST.
Nikola Jokic has his ninth career playoff triple-double. That matches Wilt Chamberlain for the most by a center in NBA history, per @ESPNStatsInfo.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) May 6, 2023
Jokic is truly one of the most unique and talented players in NBA history. A two-time league MVP, Denver's center is now solely concerned with winning an NBA championship. His ability to orchestrate everything the Nuggets do offensively is something opposing defenses rarely have a counter for. This was evident throughout the course of the regular season, as Denver secured the best record in the Western Conference, and it has translated over to the playoffs as well.
It is incredibly rare for centers to have the offensive responsibility that Jokic has, and it's only possible because of his unique skillset. Passing Wilt Chamberlain on any statistical ranking is an incredible accomplishment, and this latest achievement from Jokic is another testament to his greatness.
With several more games to play this postseason, Jokic has a real chance to overtake Chamberlain for sole possession of first-place on this list. Averaging close to a triple-double through 8 playoff games, it certainly feels reasonable to assume that Jokic will get at least one more this postseason, which will put him atop the list of most triple-doubles by a center in NBA playoff history.
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Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA and WNBA for On SI. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined On SI to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts and in the classroom earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time, primarily serving as a Clippers beat writer.