Beyond the Triple-Double: Jokic’s 56-Point Masterpiece Rewrites Christmas History

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In a game that will be remembered as arguably the greatest individual performance in Christmas Day history, Nikola Jokic delivered a triple-double masterpiece to lead the Denver Nuggets to a 142–138 overtime victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The “Joker” didn’t just win the game; he rewrote the NBA record books in front of a national audience. Here is a breakdown of the historic night in Denver.

The Headline: A Triple-Double Like No Other

Jokic finished the night with a staggering 56 points, 16 rebounds, and 15 assists. With this line, he became the first player in NBA history to record at least 55 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 assists in a single game.

His 56 points also rank as the third-highest scoring total ever on Christmas Day, trailing only Bernard King (60 in 1984) and Wilt Chamberlain (59 in 1961).

Overtime Dominance: The 18-Point Record

After Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards hit a miraculous, twisting three-pointer at the buzzer to send the game to overtime, the Timberwolves seized momentum with a 9–0 run to start the extra period.

Then, Jokic took over. He scored an NBA-record 18 points in the overtime period alone, breaking the previous mark of 17 set by Stephen Curry in 2016. Jokic was perfect from the field in OT (3-for-3) and nearly perfect from the line, sinking 10 of 11 free throws to drag Denver back from the brink.

Key Performers & Box Score

Player	Points	Rebs	Asts	Shooting (FG/FT)
Nikola Jokic (DEN)	56	16	15	15-21 FG / 22-23 FT
Jamal Murray (DEN)	35	5	10	5-11 from 3PT
Anthony Edwards (MIN)	44	6	3	14-25 FG (Ejected in OT)
Julius Randle (MIN)	32	8	4	Physical interior presence

The “Ant-Man” vs. The Joker

The game was a heavyweight duel between Jokic and Anthony Edwards. Edwards was sensational, scoring 44 points and single-handedly erasing a 15-point Nuggets lead in the final five minutes of regulation.

However, the drama reached a boiling point in overtime. As the Nuggets mounted their comeback, Edwards was whistled for a foul and subsequently assessed two technical fouls for arguing.¹¹ His ejection with 21 seconds left in OT effectively ended Minnesota’s hopes and allowed Jokic to seal the game at the free-throw line.

Stat of the Night

90.3%: Nikola Jokic’s True Shooting Percentage for the game. To score 56 points on just 21 field goal attempts is a level of efficiency rarely seen in the history of the sport.

What This Means for the West

With the win, Denver moves to 22–8, firmly holding the #3 seed in the Western Conference. Despite being down three starters (Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun, and Cameron Johnson), the Nuggets proved that as long as the three-time MVP is on the floor, they are never out of a game.