Nikola Jokic’s Effortless 35-20-12 Night Forces Shannon Sharpe to Reignite the GOAT Debate

Despite his Denver Nuggets struggling, Nikola Jokic has been on a tear ever since returning from his knee injury.

Nikola Jokic’s Effortless 35-20-12 Night Forces Shannon Sharpe to Reignite the GOAT Debate

Shannon Sharpe and Nikola Jokic (Image via FirstSportz)

In Short
  • Nikola Jokic recorded a remarkable 35 points, 20 rebounds, and 12 assists in a game against the Warriors.
  • Shannon Sharpe reignited the GOAT debate, questioning if there will be ten better players than Jokic after his career.
  • Despite Jokic's stellar performance, the Nuggets lost to the Warriors, highlighting the need for more championships to enter the GOAT conversation.

Over the past few years, one player who has single-handedly changed the landscape of the NBA happens to be Denver Nuggets superstar center Nikola Jokic.

Three regular-season MVPs, one NBA Championship, one Finals MVP, and countless other accolades have already made him, without a doubt, the best basketball player in the world.

Last season was statistically his best, and yet, the league handed the MVP award to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, especially after the latter usurped Jokic and the Nuggets in the second round of the playoffs.

This year, his Nuggets struggled when he was out due to a freak knee injury. That absence also seems to have affected the team’s balance, as they have struggled to win games after his return.

Yet, he continues to do what he is generally tasked with, and that is to be their top scorer, grab the most rebounds, and be their primary playmaker, all at once.

Are we sure once Jokic career is over? We’ll be able to name 10 better players than him? He’s well on his way to a 40-20 trip dub.

Shannon Sharpe wrote on X

This was NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe, who tweeted this after the third quarter, when it became clear that the center was about to put up some monster numbers against the Warriors.

It is unnatural for any player to consistently produce such numbers, which is why the former ESPN analyst felt that the GOAT debate might need revisiting if Nikola Jokic continues to dominate at this pace.

Nikola Jokic needs more championships to be in GOAT debate

Nikola Jokic has an uncanny way of going about his way as a basketball player. In years past, he did mention that this was just a job to him, and he did not derive happiness from being successful.

Nikola Jokic needs more such trophies to be in GOAT race
Nikola Jokic needs more such trophies to be in GOAT race (Image via Basket USA/X)

However, recently, he changed his stance while speaking with ESPN’s Malika Andrews, reiterating that without passion for the game, it would not be possible for him to play at such a high level.

He even changed his choice between winning another championship or win horse races, something he holds very dear to his heart. After all, videos of him crying after his horse won a race are still viral on social media.

In contrast, he did not display emotions anywhere close to that after winning the 2023 NBA championship. But now, he needs to change his motivation towards it.

It may be a ploy to avoid answering questions he really does not want to, but either way, the 7-footer has to add a few more Larry O’Brien trophies if he were to get into the GOAT debate with Michael Jordan and LeBron James.

The latter faces the most criticism due to his Finals losses and being two shy of His Airness. At least the Joker has to match the Lakers’ superstar in the number of rings in his possession if he were to be talked about as one of the all-time greats.

Nikola Jokic’s triple-double was not enough for Nuggets to win

Shannon Sharpe was stunned to watch Nikola Jokic amass some unreal numbers by the time the third quarter came to a close. Entering the fourth, he had recorded 32 points, 19 Rebounds, 11 Assists, 3 Steals, and 2 Blocks.

His Nuggets were firmly in the lead, and had they continued to play in the same manner, they would have won their second game in a row. However, the Warriors had other ideas.

They started a comeback attempt that saw them score efficiently, and also clamp down on the father of two and his teammates. Eventually, all Jokic could do was add three points, one rebound, and one assist.

The home team finished an impressive win with a score of 128-117. The Paris Olympics bronze medalist might be ruing missing out on a win that was in their grasp.

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