NBA Today: 3 NBA stars that could average a triple-double for the 2019-20 season
Less than a half a decade ago, triple-doubles in the NBA were a rare occurrence. The task of grabbing at least 10 points, rebounds, and assists was viewed as a sizeable task, and few believed that anyone would be able to match Oscar Robertson's accolade of averaging a triple-double over the course of an entire season.
Nevertheless, during the 2016-17 season, Russell Westbrook and James Harden combined for a ridiculous 64 triple-doubles - and Westbrook eventually finished the campaign as the first man since Robertson to average a triple-double for the season. Westbrook has since repeated the feat in the 17-18 and 18-19 seasons, and the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kawhi Leonard are among the players currently nearing a triple-double for the new season.
Nevertheless, the task of averaging a triple-double over 82-games remains incredibly difficult, and here we will take a look at the three NBA stars most likely to average a triple-double for the 2019-20 season.
#3 Nikola Jokic
Not many centers around the league have ever posted a triple-double, although Nikola Jokic continues to do it on a regular basis. The 24-year-old is quickly transforming into one of the NBA's top players, and many experts have already labeled him as the best passing big man that the league has ever seen.
In his rookie year, Jokic averaged just 2.4 assists per game, although the Serbian has since developed his playmaking skills and finished the 18-19 season with an incredible 7.1 assists per game. Jokic will once again increase that number this year, and the Denver Nuggets star managed two triple-doubles during the opening week of the season.
As a dominant 7 ft 0 in center, Jokic is always likely to post double digits in points and rebounds - leaving his triple-double efforts almost exclusively dependant on assists.