In one of the most random statistical stretches in Utah Jazz history, Jusuf Nurkic has done what no other Utah Jazz player past or present has done: record three straight triple-doubles. Jusuf Nurkic …
Move aside Nikola Jokic, there’s a new triple-double king in the NBA — for this week.
In one of the most random statistical stretches in Utah Jazz history, Jusuf Nurkic has done what no other Utah Jazz player past or present has done: record three straight triple-doubles.
On Tuesday, Nurkic logged only the second triple-double in 16 years for Utah when he put up a 16-18-10 stat line in a win against the Timberwolves. It was the first time a Jazz player has recorded the feat since Jordan Clarkson in 2024.
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In the very next game, Nurkic recorded a 14-assist triple-double against the Spurs. This was the Jazz’s first back-to-back triple-double performance since the franchise’s all-time leader in triple doubles, Pete Maravich, did so in New Orleans.
Which brings us to Saturday. He can’t do it three times in a row. Right? Surely there’s now way.
Wrong. Nurkic has done it again.
Against the Heat on Saturday night, Nurkic put up 17 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists to become the first player in franchise history to record three straight triple-doubles. He did the impossible.
He becomes only the fourth center in NBA history to get back-to-back-to-back triple-doubles.
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He is now one of one five players to have three triple-doubles to their name when wearing a Jazz uniform, joining Maravich (7), Mark Eaton (6), Karl Malone (3) and Andrei Kirilenko (3). He’s only played 36 games in a Jazz jersey, but is already etched in the history books.
With this accomplishment, Nurkic is now also the (unfortunate) owner of the worst plus-minus for a player with a triple-double in NBA history. His minus-30 in the 31-point loss to Miami surpassed Elfrid Payton and Lonzo Ball, who both recorded a minus-27 with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2019 and 2020 respectively.
This could very well be Nurkic’s only season in Utah, and I don’t foresee any great playoff battles for him wearing purple mountains on his jersey, but in 20 years every single Jazz fan will remember the triple-double drought, think of Nurkic’s three-game streak and say to themselves, “Oh yeah! Huh.”
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The Jazz are back in action on Tuesday night against the Clippers. Can Nurkic make it four in a row?
Source: Utah News