Nikola Jokić added another accolade to his résumé on Monday after turning in a first half in the Nuggets’ 103–94 Game 1 win over the Heat that placed him among rare company in the annals of NBA Finals history.
Appearing in his first-ever NBA Finals game, the Nuggets star recorded 10 points on 3-of-3 shooting and 10 assists to go with three rebounds and zero turnovers. Jokić’s first-half double-double placed him next to LeBron James as the only two players in the last 25 years to record 10 points and 10 assists in any half of an NBA Finals game.
Interestingly, Jokić achieved the feat in his Finals debut, while James, who wrapped up Year 20 in a conference finals lost to Denver, logged his 10-and-10 in his 42nd Finals game back in 2017. The then-Cavaliers forward recorded 18 points, 10 assists and six rebounds and finished with a 29/14/11 triple-double in a Game 2 loss to the Warriors.
