Nikola Jokic reacts to his huge triple-double vs. Hornets / News - Basketnews.com

Nikola Jokic says his career-high 27 rebounds came as a part of being in the right spot. He also emphasizes that a 40-27-10 triple-double is a nice stat line but it's not what he is looking for.

Credit: AP-Scanpix Credit AP-Scanpix

Nikola Jokic registered a video-game stat line of 40 points, career-high 27 rebounds, and 10 assists to propel his Denver Nuggets to a 119-115 home win over the Charlotte Hornets.

Player of the Game EFF 52 Nikola Jokic Points 40 Accuracy 13-26 Rebounds 27 Assists 10

"To be honest, we were forcing misses and I was there to grab the rebounds. And the game just opened up for me," the back-to-back MVP reacted to a humongous triple-double post-game.

"Of course, the opposing team missed the shots and I was there, in the right spot," Jokic also emphasized the perfect timing. "I think a rebound is a fact of playing defense."

"It's nice stats but it's not what I am looking for," he added in the press conference and then commented on a three-time MVP possibility.

"I don't think about it. ... If it happens, it happens."

Denver Nuggets are now 9-3 at home and three straight home games are coming up.

"Hopefully, we can continue the streak, we are playing really well at home. The fans are gonna be satisfied and they are gonna come," the Serbian center said.

Nuggets coach Mike Malone was also impressed by his leader's stats and stressed what makes him unguardable.

"I had no idea he had 27 rebounds. I knew he had a lot of rebounds but have not seen that number very often. ... What he does, it's just amazing every night. So, I am just very thankful he is playing in Nuggets uniform.

"I know he is a helluva player. When Nikola makes threes, 2-for-4 tonight, I think he becomes a completely different animal. Really unguardable. Like he is almost unguardable every night. But it [threes] really stretches the defense out. ... Nikola is a generational talent," Malone praised Nikola Jokic.

"I love it when I make three-pointers. On practice, I really shoot very well," Jokic said. "But on the game, it feels like maybe it's just too much. Wrestling down the floor and the rim and then just to have a steady arm to shoot. Maybe it's that."

Points this season

51%115,8Points made:115,8Accuracy:50,5%Place in standings:7Record max:141Record min:98Best scorer:Nikola JokicTeamNBAStatisticsSchedule

'The Joker' almost played 40 minutes on Sunday night and the head coach had an explanation for a such big workload.

"Our bench was not giving anything tonight. End of the first quarter and the start of the second quarter is a 13-0 run. I mean the start of the fourth quarter is a 6-0 run and I call a timeout. A double-figure lead is down to 6 points. When you are coming off the bench, you have an obligation. Guys get pissed off when they come out of the game. Well, if you are playing better, you are not coming out of the game - simply stayed at it.

"I cannot afford to watch a 13-0 run and sit and do nothing about it. The luxury of having Nikola Jokic when things go sideways, when things are not going that way, I know I can bring him back into the game and he is going to settle us down. And that was what happened tonight," Malone told the media.

Jokic posted his fifth triple-double of the season and 81st overall. He had 20 rebounds in the first half.

Wilt Chamberlain is the only other player with at least 40 points, 27 rebounds, and 10 assists in an NBA game. He did it four times, the last when he had 53 points, 32 rebounds, and 14 assists for Philadelphia on March 18, 1968.

Nikola Jokic's performance:

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