The Phoenix Suns came back from down 21 and forced overtime with the Kevin Durant buzzer-beater. If anything, facing the Nuggets’ highly engineered offense on the road, it was them who had the momentum. But Michael Malone had Nikola Jokic. As the extended period began, the Joker would etch his name in history once again, this time doing something that has not only never been done but is hard to fathom its occurrence ever again.

The three-time MVP literally and figuratively controlled most of the motions Denver ran all night. Aside from his efficient night of scoring the basketball, the Joker became the first player in NBA history to record a 30-20-20 game. His teammate, Russell Westbrook may have been the only one to come as close during his 20-20-20 game in 2019. But that had been done before.

Jokic managed to take it a step further. It’s an achievement that left the crowd awestruck. His decisiveness not only this season but over the past five seasons has set Nikola Jokic aside from the rest of the league.

“Nikola Jokic is a 1 of 1. I mean the first player to ever have a 30-20-20 game. I can’t describe him so don’t ask me to. The guy is just an incredible player and when you are 1-of- in this league and the tremendous history of this league, that says a lot. And there’s a lot of good players in this league but Nikola in my opinion is just in a class all by himself,” Malone said after witnessing another fantastic Jokic masterclass.

Everyone around the NBA circles was astonished. Kendrick Perkins feels the Joker is right at the entrance of being a “Top-5” center in league history. But for Nikola Jokic, these accolades and historic feats won’t matter now. “I’m thinking how to get rest, how to recover myself,” Jokic revealed his immediate thoughts after the game.

It’s not that Jokic doesn’t value his astronomic games. He just thinks the time to relish them will be once he is sitting comfortably on the couch. “I’m going to see this and then think about this when my career is over. I always say that it’s some kind of legacy that it’s going to be nice to uh go when I finished my career in my couch and like I had a really good game,” said the Nuggets center.

A Nikola Jokic performance like no other

Nikola Jokic might admire himself well after he hangs up his sneakers. But that’s not the case for those who are wondering just where we draw the line with his greatness. As a center that can facilitate and make spotless reads, that ability for his position itself is unique. However, today he was the player in full command.

Before overtime, it was his pass to Christian Braun that gave the Nuggets a short-lived lead. Those exquisite passes and his assertiveness in the game just increased during overtime. Jokic compiled five assists, including four straight which helped the Nuggets put the game to end fairly early.

In the intense setting, the Joker was calmly directing his teammates and then letting his instincts take over. The plays just kept coming as he did that. Watching him go off for 31 points and 22 assists, it’s hard to decide. Is Nikola Jokic holding himself back at times or is he just so selfless that he aspires to make his teammates the best version of themselves?

Then again, maybe both are true. From the 149 points the Nuggets scored, Nikola Jokic has his imprints on 83. And his playmaking didn’t affect his scoring efficiency. The Joker shot close to 60% from the field and 42% from three. At one point, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander going off for 30 on any given night, it looked as if the Thunder guard truly deserved to win the MVP this season.

However, it’s these performances by Nikola Jokic that sway minds. Nikola Jokic is the difference between the Nuggets being a playoff contender and dwelling in the mid-table. His basketball savvy and IQ are off the charts. Yet, he somehow manages to make it look effortless a bit like the laid-back persona the community has come to adore.