The Denver Nuggets are firing on all cylinders behind Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray, picking up their sixth straight win on Thursday against the Orlando Magic. Jokić continues to make a strong case as an MVP frontrunner and is adding to his legacy as one of the greatest centers in basketball history.
During the game, Jokić recorded 13 assists, surpassing Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most assists by a center in NBA history. While the three-time MVP insists he doesn’t focus on records, he couldn’t resist cracking a few jokes postgame.
Nikola Jokić Shares Humorous Take After Historic Milestone
Jokić entered Thursday’s game just six assists behind Abdul-Jabbar’s tally of 5,660 on the NBA’s all-time career assists list for centers. The 30-year-old wasted little time closing the gap, surpassing the Lakers legend after setting up teammate Jalen Pickett for a wing three-pointer with 6:26 remaining in the second quarter.
Jokić finished the night with 23 points, 11 rebounds, a game-high 13 assists, and two steals, shooting an efficient 10-for-17 (58.8%) from the field. The performance pushed him to 5,667 career assists, seven more than Abdul-Jabbar, a milestone he addressed with humor afterward.
“I always say those things are something for after [my] career,” Jokić said when asked if the record “means anything” to him. “I think the legacy [is] for after [my] career, that I’m gonna look back on the porch drinking beer and telling lies to my kids.”
Nikola Jokic on passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the #NBA‘s all-time center assist leader:
“I always say those things are something for after career.
I think the legacy for after career that I’m gonna look back and, on the porch drinking beer, and telling the lies to my kids.” pic.twitter.com/PiY48FVbQ9
— Joel Rush (@JoelRushNBA) December 19, 2025
Jokić has already cemented himself as the greatest player in Nuggets history and arguably the defining star of the current decade. Since the start of the 2020s, he leads all NBA players in four of the five major statistical categories: points, assists, rebounds, and steals, with Myles Turner the only player ahead of him in blocks, further highlighting Jokić’s all-around dominance.
But for now, Jokić remains focused on winning rather than legacy talk. If Denver continues to add championships with him as its anchor, the historical debate will only tilt further in his favor.
With Thursday’s win, the Nuggets improved to 20–6 and remain second in the Western Conference, firmly in title contention. Jokić was aided by Jamal Murray’s game-high 32 points, including 20 in the second quarter, as Denver erased a 14-point deficit and closed the half on a stunning 35–7 run.
The Nuggets will look to extend their winning streak to seven games on Saturday when they host the Houston Rockets (16–8) in a matchup between Western Conference contenders.
