Nikola Jokić has 174 career triple-doubles and should pass Oscar Robertson (181) this season for 2nd on the list.

The greats make it look routine, if not easy. Which brings us to Nikola Jokić and the fine art of the triple-double. 

His tendency to pull off the statistical multi-task has progressed from casual to constant, and so far this year, habitual. It’s actually a mild surprise when Jokić comes up short in double-figure points, rebounds and assists … almost as rare as the Oklahoma City Thunder losing a game in 2025-26. 

For anyone else who compiles a triple-double in the NBA, it’s headlines, a career feat for some, a wow. When it’s Jokić, it’s a shrug and awell-that’s-what-he-does. 

And in NBA history, no center racked up the triple-doubles until Jokić developed a taste for it. That’s what makes his triple-doubles so unprecedented, so unusual, so impressive. His passing makes those triple-doubles possible and distances him from other big men who collect double-doubles in points and rebounds. It’s the main reason the Denver Nuggets center has three Kia MVPs and twice finished runner-up, all in the last five seasons — and this is the best statistical start of his career. 

The NBA didn’t recognize blocksuntil 1973-74, and historians will remind you that Wilt Chamberlain, aside from his heavy scoring and rebounding, swatted shots at a rapid (and undocumented) rate. Surely Chamberlain had some triple-doubles in his day with those blocks. (Wilt even led the league in assists one season, when assists leaders were ranked by their totals, not per-game average, so he didn’t average a triple.) 

What Jokić is doing is perhaps taken for granted by the basketball masses, but shouldn’t be, and certainly isn’t on the Kia Race to the MVP. He’s still No. 1 on the MVP ladder this week. 

Only Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook made triple-doubles look this effortless, andWestbrook won an MVP before folks got too used to it (and he didn’t win another in his subsequent triple-double seasons). And, if it’s so easy, why can’t dozens of players drop triple-doubles (aside from the 3-point arc)? 

Jokić has 174 career triple-doubles and should pass Robertson (181) this season for second on the list. With Westbrook (205) in the home stretch of his career, Jokić, 30, will likely become the all-time leader at some point. 

He has 10 triple-doubles in 17 games played this season (at 62% shooting efficiency). Some perspective: in his third season, he had 10totaltriple-doubles, and in his second MVP season (2021-22), he had 19. So he’s more than halfway there, and it’s Thanksgiving week. 

Setting the stage this week: Stephen Curry was the point guard of his generation, someone who obviously changed the game, took ownership of the 3-point shot, became the first unanimous MVP winner, won championships, and even placed himself on a first-name basis with non-basketball fans. 

Perhaps a transition is underway because Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is making a strong takeover attempt at the position. Gilgeous-Alexander is doing for the mid-range what Curry did for the 3-pointer, he has an MVP, a championship and could collect multiples before long. The two meet Tuesday, Oklahoma City at the Warriors (11 ET, Peacock). Should be fun. 

The stat to know: Only two players in Philadelphia 76ers history managed to drop 50 points and nine assists in a game. The latest is Tyrese Maxey, No. 8 on the ladder. The other? Wilt. 

What they are saying: “He might be the best player in the history of the NBA.”— Stan Van Gundy, the former coach and current TV analyst, on Jokić. 

1.Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets

Last week’s ranking: No. 1

Season stats: 29.6 points, 12.8 rebounds, 11.1 assists

His case: What’s also admirable about Jokić is his durability. Unlike others on this Ladder, he hasn’t missed a game. Only once in his career has he played less than 70 games in a season (69 games in 2022-23). Jokić doesn’t even like to rest, telling coaches he’d rather stay on the floor and stay in rhythm. Whenever he is on the bench or in street clothes, the Nuggets suffer historically, at least they did before this season. 

One more thing: Jokić occasionally gets grief for his defense — that’s more of a nit-pick by folks searching for flaws — yet he’sNo. 18 in the league in steals per game (1.6 spg). Last season, he ranked among the leaders in points, rebounds, assists and steals, and is on pace to do so again. 

2.Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

Last week’s ranking: No. 2

Season stats: 32.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.6 assists

His case: Gilgeous-Alexander puts OKC games out of reach, often by halftime, certainly by the third quarter, before he takes the rest of the night off. His scoring, shooting efficiency and ability to protect the ball (less than two turnovers per game) bolster his MVP case. 

Still operating without All-NBA teammate Jalen Williams (who reportedly willmake his debut Friday), Gilgeous-Alexander remains the unquestioned centerpiece of the Thunder’s offense. It will be curious how much Gilgeous-Alexander cedes when Williams returns, and if so, whether that — along with resting in fourth quarters — affects his place on the ladder given the steep competition for MVP this season. 

3. Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers

Last week’s ranking: No. 3

Season stats: 35.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 9.2 assists

His case: He’s coming off one of the more impressive single-game efforts of the season by anyone, an efficient,43-point near triple-double against the Clippers, where Dončić showed all the supreme skills. What’s interesting is how comfortable he appears, not only with the Lakers and his role, but in L.A. He seems to like his surroundings. 

Also, how isDončićalready in thetop 10 in Lakers history with 40-point games? He just arrived yesterday. He also has more 40-pointers this season than any player. 

4. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

Last week’s ranking: No. 4

Season stats: 31.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, 6.8 assists

His case: Antetokounmpo pre-injury was a potential Ladder leader, someone who powered the Bucks nightly at both ends and stayed among the league’s best scorers (63.6% from the floor, 50% from deep) and rebounders. 

Of course, Antetokounmpo must be available to help his team and to remain eligible for seasonal awards. For the sake of his spot on the Ladder, his return should come any day now as he ramps up from an adductor injury. However, he has missed six of Milwaukee’s 19 games and the Bucks are starting to fade in the East. Look at it another way: the truest sign of a player’s value is when his team nosedives without him. 

5.Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons

Last week’s ranking: No. 5

Season stats: 28.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 9.3 assists

His case: Cunningham would love to have that missed free-throw attempt back, which ultimately cost the Pistons vs. the Celtics on Wednesday and ended their13-game win streak. But of course, he put Detroit in position to win that close game — 42 points, eight rebounds, five assists — as well as the others during that hot streak. 

With November coming to a close, Cunningham is averaging 31.1 ppg, 9.9 apg and 6.4 rpg as Detroit has gone 9-1 in the games he’s played. That’s worthy of a top-five ranking on the Ladder. 

The next 5:

6.Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
7.Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
8.Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
9.Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets
10.Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks

And five more (listed alphabetically): Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks; Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors; Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves; Brandon Ingram, Toronto Raptors; Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers.  

* * *

Shaun Powell has covered the NBA since 1985. You can e-mail him at spowell@nba.com, find his archive here and follow him on X.