Listing the only 3 players to record a 30-20-10 stat line in an NBA Playoffs game
In Game 3 of the Western Conference semi-finals of the 2021 NBA playoffs between the Denver Nuggets and the Phoenix Suns, Nikola Jokic dropped an unbelievable stat line of 30+ points, 20+ rebounds and 10+ assists.
He showed the league why he deserved this season's MVP award by producing a performance for the ages. That feat is so rare that Jokic is only the third player in 75 years of NBA playoff history to record that achievement.
It is natural to assume that only centers could have a stat line like that. Although guards like Russell Westbrook and Oscar Robertson have come close, they never cracked the 30-20-10 mark.
On that note, let's take a look at the three players in NBA playoff history to drop a remarkable stat line of 30+ points, 20+ rebounds and 10+ assists in a game.
#1 Wilt Chamberlain
The exploits of Wilt Chamberlain are often unfathomable. The man has more unbelievable and jaw-dropping stat lines than any other player in NBA history.
In 1967, Chamberlain led the Philadelphia 76ers to their second-ever NBA title. In the first round of the NBA playoffs that year, the 76ers took on the Cincinnati Royals. The 76ers had ended their regular season with a 68-13 mark and were the first seed in the Eastern Division but dropped their playoff opener.
Oscar Robertson dropped 33 points in Game 1 to outshine Chamberlain's 41-point outing. The 76ers needed to win the next game to avoid going down 0-2 in the 'best of five' series, and Wilt Chamberlain turned things up a notch.
He dropped 37 points, grabbed 27 boards and dished out 11 dimes to help his team to a 123-102 blowout. Chamberlain shot 16-24 (66.7%) from the field and made five of his nine free-throw attempts.
#2 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
The Milwaukee Bucks ended the 1969-70 NBA season as the 2nd seed in the Eastern Division and were looking for their first-ever title. Then rookie Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led the team past Billy Cunningham and Hal Greer-led Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the NBA playoffs but faced the 1st-seeded New York Knicks in the Division finals.
With the Knicks taking Game 1, the Bucks were desperate for victory. In Game 2, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar pulled out all the stops and dropped 38 points, 23 rebounds and 11 assists in a gargantuan effort. He shot 16-25 (64%) from the field and made six of his 12 free-throw attempts.
Unfortunately, his efforts went in vain, as the Bucks lost Game 2 and eventually lost the series. That motivated the franchise to add All-Star Oscar Robertson during the off-season. The move paid immediate dividends, as Robertson and Abdul-Jabbar won the NBA title the next season.
#3 Nikola Jokic
In the ongoing second-round series in the 2021 NBA playoffs, Nikola Jokic gave it his all to help his team avoid going down 0-3 in the Western Conference Semi-finals against the Suns. His efforts proved futile, though, as the Nuggets ended up losing the game 102-116.
Jokic dropped 32 points on 13-29 (44.8%) shooting, including 1-6 (16.7%) from beyond the arc and made five of his nine free-throw attempts. He also grabbed 20 rebounds and dished out ten dimes along with a block. Of his 20 rebounds, ten were offensive boards, and ten were defensive.
The Denver Nuggets, on the brink of elimination, will need another monstrous outing from the reigning MVP to extend their season.
Also Read: Top 5 stats in Nikola Jokic's stellar MVP season.