Nikola Jokić and Alperen Şengün just made NBA history - and they did it in style.
In what’s quickly becoming one of the league’s most intriguing matchups, the Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets delivered a heavyweight clash that felt more like a playoff preview than a mid-December regular-season game. The energy was different.
The physicality was turned up. And at the center of it all - literally and figuratively - were two of the most gifted big men in the game today.
Jokić dropped a monster 39-point, 15-rebound, 10-assist triple-double, while Şengün answered right back with a 33-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist line of his own. It marked the first time in NBA history that two centers have recorded triple-doubles in the same game.
That’s not just rare - that’s unprecedented. And it speaks to how the modern big man is redefining the game in real time.
But this wasn’t just about stats. This was a battle - physical, emotional, and strategic.
Denver walked away with the win, improving to 2-0 against Houston this season and holding firm in the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference behind the Thunder. Jokić, as he often does, closed it out with poise, even after fouling out in overtime and committing four turnovers.
He still went 8-of-11 from the free throw line - part of a Nuggets team that attempted 33 free throws to Houston’s 26. That discrepancy didn’t go unnoticed.
After the game, Şengün was asked a pointed question: does he feel like he gets the same whistle Jokić does? His answer was honest, thoughtful, and showed a level of maturity that’s quickly becoming part of his brand.
“No, I am not,” Şengün said. “I mean, he got three-time MVP.
I’m sure he wasn’t getting the calls when he was my age, too. Eventually, I’ll get there.
He did work all the way to come to here. He is already making tough shots, and at the same time, when you basically can’t touch him, it’s hard to guard him.”
That’s the kind of response you want from a rising star - respectful, but confident. Şengün knows where he stands, and more importantly, where he’s headed. And that path, while still being carved, is starting to look awfully familiar.
Of course, that’s led to the inevitable comparisons - Şengün being dubbed “Baby Jokić” by fans and analysts alike. But Jokić himself isn’t buying into it. In fact, he wants the narrative to end.
“I think people need to stop comparing us,” Jokić said postgame. “He needs to be recognized [for] who he is.
He’s definitely a talented player. He’s really good in the pocket, he started shooting the mid-range a little bit more, and making it.
And he’s still young, so I think he needs to be recognized as Alperen Şengün. Not like, whoever people are comparing him to.”
That’s high praise coming from the reigning MVP - and it’s not just lip service. Jokić sees what everyone else is starting to realize: Şengün isn’t just mimicking greatness. He’s crafting his own version of it.
Yes, their games share some DNA - the vision, the touch, the ability to orchestrate an offense from the post like a point guard in a 7-footer’s body. But their roles within their respective systems are different.
Jokić is the engine of a championship team. Şengün is the rising star of a young, upstart squad still finding its ceiling.
And yet, in moments like this, they meet on even ground.
This wasn’t just a game - it was a statement. From Jokić, that he’s still the gold standard at the position. From Şengün, that he’s not far behind.
And if this is what we’re getting in December? Just imagine what a playoff series between these two could look like.