The Philadelphia 76ers managed to limit Nikola Jokic to just eight points on Tuesday night. However, he still recorded 14 assists, with 10 occurring in the first half.
The Denver Nuggets scored 72 points in the first half, taking a 32-point lead by halftime. This was aided by strong defense against a Sixers team that was missing four of its top five scorers. Jokic’s scoring was limited because he played only 25 minutes in the 124-96 win.
Nikola Jokic could lead the NBA in assists
Jokic’s performance helped him remain in the lead for the assist title, averaging 10.6 assists per game. Only one center has ever led the league in assists per game — Wilt Chamberlain during the 1967-68 season.
This is Jokic’s best season for assists so far, and he is also leading the NBA with 12.6 rebounds per game. Chamberlain is the only other player to top the league in both categories, also in 1968. Jokic recorded only seven rebounds on Tuesday, mainly because the Nuggets had a high shooting percentage while he was on the court.