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Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets team-mates have no doubt the reigning MVP is the best player in the NBA again this season.
The Nuggets have been hampered by injuries to Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. this season but remain a competitive sixth in the West thanks to Jokic’s outstanding displays.
The center’s latest heroics guided Denver to a 138-130 overtime win against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.
Jokic finished with 46 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, four blocks and three steals – the first example of a player achieving those statistics in the NBA since blocks and steals were first tracked in 1973-74.
This sensational triple-double included 23 fourth-quarter points – matching Jokic’s career high – and seven more in overtime.
Team-mate Aaron Gordon said: “[He is] phenomenal, different, he’s just different. That’s just not something that you see often.
“He took over, 30 points in the fourth quarter and overtime; that’s just sick. That was just an amazing game. He’s an amazing ballplayer.
“This dude is incredible. I don’t say that about a lot of people. I only say that about a handful of people. This dude is incredible.
“He’s the MVP. I believe that. He’s coming out night in and night out putting up ridiculous numbers, and we’re winning. I don’t know everybody that votes on it, but this guy has got to be at the top of the list.”
Jokic ranks 11th for points per game (25.8), second for rebounds (13.8) and seventh for assists (8.0) this season, with his combined 47.6 just clear of MVP rival Giannis Antetokounmpo (46.9) in first place.
For Nuggets coach Michael Malone then, it was a “luxury” to be able to turn to such a player late in the game against the Pelicans.
“What a luxury to have the MVP in an overtime game knowing you can just play through him,” Malone said.
“They double-teamed him, Monte Morris makes a big three. It’s just such a confidence that you have because you know in a close game he’s just going to make the play again and again.
“For him to step up the way he did just speaks to his greatness.”
