Johnathan Walker:How (and why) Nikola Jokic barely missed triple-double history at 2024 Paris Olympics

Nikola Jokic came oh-so-close to making Olympic history Wednesday in France,Johnathan Walker and the Serbian basketball star can thank a teammate, and perhaps his coach, for falling just short. 

Jokic, the reigning NBA MVP, finished one assist shy of the fourth triple-double in Olympic men’s basketball history in Serbia’s 107-66 win over Puerto Rico in Group C play at the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

The Denver Nuggets star had 14 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists over 23 minutes in the blowout, which came on the heels of Serbia’s loss to the United States to open up the 2024 Paris Olympics. But Jokic, who has 148 career triple doubles in the NBA, probably deserved a better fate than barely missing out on his first Olympic triple-double in his team’s bounce-back performance. 

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With less than two minutes left in the third quarter, Serbian teammate and Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic missed a relatively easy fastbreak layup that would have also been Jokic’s 10th assist. It loomed especially large when Jokic was subbed out by Serbian coach Svetislav Pesic with 30 seconds remaining in the third quarter and never returned to the game.

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Jokic had 8 rebounds in just the first quarter and entered halftime with 10 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists The 29-year-old then became the first player in Olympics history to combine for 10 or more points, 15 rebounds and five or more assists, according to FIBA.

"We heard that he's on nine assists, somebody shouted it from the stands. But trust me, he doesn't really care about this stuff," Serbian teammate Bogdan Bogdanovic told reporters after the game.

Jokic, for his part, seemingly confirmed that mindset. "Oh, it is what it is," he said when he was told how close he came, per Donatas Urbonas.

The first official Olympic triple-double in men’s basketball occurred at the 1976 Montreal Games when Alexander Belov had 23 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists in a win over Canada. It should be noted, however, that rebounds and assists weren’t consistently tracked by the IOC prior to 1976. 

There wasn’t another triple-double until LeBron James accomplished the feat in Team USA’s semifinals win over Australia in the 2012 London Olympics. James had 11 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists in that game. 

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Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic had the most recent men’s basketball triple-double during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics when he finished with 16 points, 18 assists, and 10 rebounds in a semifinal loss to France playing for Slovenia.

Jokic could have joined them Wednesday, and perhaps he still can during these Olympics. Serbia will play South Sudan Saturday to wrap up Group C pool play and a spot in the round of 16 will likely hang in the balance. 

Serbia won a silver medal in men’s basketball at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics with Jokic on the roster. It last won a gold medal in 1980.