Grading the Week: All hail Nikola Jokic, king of the “almost triple-double” – The Denver Post

It’s getting hard to find new ways to describe how incredible Nikola Jokic is playing this season.

We all know about the Nuggets superstar’s savant passing skills, awkward Sombor shot-making and prodigious dunking talents (approaching one per game!). We’re also well aware of the impenetrable statistical case he is making as this season’s NBA MVP — outside of free throw attempts, of course.

But just in case a few voters were waffling, the crack research staff here at Grading the Week decided to invent one more stat to illustrate the Joker’s virtuosity.

“Almost triple-doubles” — A

If there is one thing Jokic has made clear in his many years in Denver, it’s how little he cares about stats.

It’s not just (a lack of) talk, either.

Watch the Serbian big man play just once, and it becomes conspicuously clear that all of the numbers he puts up on a game-to-game basis come about organically. That is to say, they are an accumulation of Jokic’s propensity to make the right basketball decision over and over again.

The best illustration of that? The fact that Jokic is far and away the NBA leader in something we here at Grading the Week call the “almost triple double.”

What do we define as an “almost triple double”? Any time a player comes within two counting stats — be it two points, rebounds, assists, blocks or steals — of notching a triple-double.

Jokic has done this 16 times so far this season, including three times this week. Best we can tell, the next closet players on the “almost triple-double” leaderboard are Washington’s Russell Westbrook and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo with nine apiece. Dallas’ Luka Doncic has eight.

Not only does this confirm what we already know: Jokic is a fantastic all-around player. It reinforces the idea that his numbers are in no way motivated by some arbitrary statistical accomplishment — the triple-double, which, by the way, he also has 13 of this season (second to Westbrook’s 20).

There is no stat chasing in the vein of a Westbrook or, much more infamously, Ricky Davis — just a series of smart, intuitive choices made over the course of 48 minutes, each sprinkled with an abundance of skill.

And if the Nuggets hold an insurmountable fourth-quarter lead with Jokic within reach of a triple-double — as was the case when he had 25-9-10 in 30 minutes vs. the Spurs on Wednesday — there is no urgency to keep him on the floor to get it.

If there is one quibble, it might be this: The Nuggets’ record in those “almost triple-double” games is 10-6. And when Joker posts a bonafide triple-double? 10-3.

All of which underscores an important point: There is no such thing as too much Nikola Jokic.

Dick Monfort — A

We realize this might be an unpopular opinion around these parts, but the Grading the Week staff feel compelled to give credit where credit is due.

Colorado will host an All-Star Game this summer due in no small part to the efforts of the Rockies’ owner.

Sure, there were other factors, most notably national politics and Colorado and Denver’s willingness to help organize a major event on the fly. But, make no mistake, Monfort’s consistent push to bring the game back to LoDo for a second time played a role as well.

What does that mean for the city and state? Well, if you listen to our elected officials: an injection of more than $100 million into the Colorado economy — with much of that going to a hospitality industry that sorely needs it.

So, complain about the Nolan Arenado trade all you want. Grouse about the franchise’s inability to spend its free-agent dollars wisely, too.

But, at the very least, give Monfort a tip of the cap in helping deliver an event that couldn’t arrive at a better time for this city and state.

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