Nikola Jokic passes Alex English to turn out to be Nuggets’ all-time assists chief

Already the Denver Nuggets all-time main rebounder, Nikola Jokic handed Corridor of Famer Alex English to turn out to be the franchise leader in assists on Wednesday evening in a 122-118 win towards the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Jokic recorded his 3,680th career assist within the third quarter on an inbounds move to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who threw down an uncontested dunk.

The help that made him #1 pic.twitter.com/uDNcBeKUdA

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 19, 2023

 

Your latest Nuggets franchise assists chief 🪙 pic.twitter.com/hqwTpFgEsr

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 19, 2023

Jokic acquired a standing ovation and his teammates made certain to understand the second.

“We clapped slightly bit,” mentioned Jamal Murray. “That’s a whole lot of passes. That’s fairly spectacular.”

English thought so, too.

“I knew that ultimately my all time help report can be damaged. I’m honored to see that it’s 2 time, I imply 3 time MVP of the NBA do it. Congrats massive fella,” English posted on his Twitter account.

I knew that ultimately my all time help report can be damaged.
I am honored to see that it is 2 time, I imply 3 time MVP of the NBA do it. Congrats massive fella. #Joker #NikolaJokic

— Alex English (@AlexEnglish_2) January 19, 2023

English compiled 3,679 assists in 837 video games with the Nuggets. This was Jokic’s 568th profession recreation and he already has three all-time records in Nuggets’ lore: assists, defensive rebounds and complete rebounds. Jokic is 10,252 factors shy of English’s all-time scoring mark in Denver and is 270 video games away from passing English in video games performed.

Jokic completed with 31 factors, 13 assists and 11 rebounds as he navigated foul bother to gather his second straight triple-double.

By no means one to dwell an excessive amount of on particular person accolades, Jokic mentioned he appreciated this explicit mark.

“When you have got a whole lot of assists, it simply reveals that you simply’re workforce participant,” mentioned Jokic, whose teammates plan to signal the ball for him. “That’s one thing I need to be. I would like all people to recollect me as a man who was a very good workforce participant.”

Thought to be one of many best passing massive males in NBA historical past, Jokic is averaging a career-high 9.9 assists this season. And he’s been a tear recently.

“He has a John Stockton type of thoughts in a 7-foot physique,” Nuggets appearing coach David Adelman mentioned after the sport.

Jokic has dished out no less than 10 assists in three consecutive video games and has recorded double digit assists in 11 of his earlier 16 video games.

He presently ranks second within the NBA in complete assists and third in assists per recreation.

Data from The Related Press was used on this report.