Antoine Davis hopes to get another shot at Pete Maravich's college scoring record after falling three points short on Thursday.

Maravich's 3,667 points in three years at LSU represented an NCAA Division I record many thought would never be broken.

But Detroit Mercy star Davis had the opportunity to pass that mark by scoring 26 points against Youngstown State.

He finished with 22 points, however, and his college exited the Horizon League tournament at the quarter-final stage.

That defeat potentially ends Detroit Mercy's season and Davis' career, but there remains the possibility of an invite to a postseason tournament.

"The NCAA tournament is the goal," Davis said.

"I wouldn't have a problem with [the College Basketball Invitational]. I'm sure none of my team-mates would have a problem with it."

Davis played five years at college due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, averaging 25.4 points per game.

Maravich, playing without a three-point line between 1967 and 1970, scored 44.2 points per game.

Mike Davis, Antoine's father and head coach, said: "People would have put an asterisk by his name if he would've broken [the record].

"Pistol Pete was in a world of his own, and there will never be another Pistol Pete in college basketball.

"I think there will never be another Antoine the way he scored in 144 consecutive games."

Antoine added: "I'm thankful to even be in the same boat as Pistol Pete."

The surging Denver Nuggets (44-19) host the struggling Memphis Grizzlies (38-23) on Friday in a clash between the top two teams in the Western Conference.

Since the turn of the year, only the 22-5 Milwaukee Bucks have boasted a better record than Denver's 21-7, and the Nuggets have surged to a five-game lead atop the West.

Their closest challengers are the Grizzlies, who have been flailing since starting center Steven Adams suffered a knee injury on January 22, going 7-8 in the 15 games since.

Adams is only averaging 8.6 points per game in his 27 minutes of action, while shooting a league-worst 36.4 per cent from the free-throw line, but his impact on the Grizzlies' success has proven to be immense.

During the first 46 games of the season – prior to Adams' injury – the Grizzlies owned the best defensive rating in the NBA, while also boasting the second-best rebounding rate, and a top-10 offense.

Since then, Memphis have held up surprisingly well defensively and have been fourth in defense over the past 15 games, but their offense has cratered – becoming the 24th-ranked unit – and their ability to rebound has fallen off a cliff.

Adams leads the team at 11.5 rebounds per game, but his value goes far beyond just the rebounds he hauls down himself, as he is almost universally considered the physically strongest player in the league, and he uses that to wreak havoc on the offensive boards.

The Grizzlies have been 27th in rebounding rate since his injury, falling from the second-best offensive rebounding team to 18th in that category, while also dropping from 15th in defensive rebounding to 28th.

While it is easy to point to some recent cold shooting from Memphis as the reason for their recent struggles – 29th in three-point percentage (31.7 per cent) since Adams' injury – it is their failure in the rebounding department that is ruining a lot of their good work.

It is great to have a top-five defense, but when you are only gathering 68.2 per cent of opponents' misses, it means that even your strength is no longer a strength.

It goes to show that while Jaren Jackson Jr is Memphis' best defensive player – and a strong favourite to win Defensive Player of the Year – Adams may be their most important piece on that end. 

That is even more true when the other team rolls out a center like Nikola Jokic.

Jokic, the reigning back-to-back league MVP and favourite to earn the first three-peat since Larry Bird from 1984-86, is essentially unguardable, but it is incredibly helpful to have a physical presence like Adams who is impossible to push around and can at least dictate Jokic's catch positions.

With Adams out, Jackson will likely assume the responsibility, and while that is a mouth-watering matchup between arguably the league's most gifted players on each side of the ball, the Grizzlies ace will need to be on his most disciplined behaviour.

Leading the league with 3.3 blocks per game, Jackson also sits sixth in fouls per game (3.4), and could leave his team without an anchor on the defensive end if the crafty Jokic draws a couple of early calls and puts his opponent in foul trouble.

But Jokic, while almost flawless on the offensive end, still has his own exploitable warts defensively.

The Serbian has shed the reputation of being a poor defender – leading all centers with 1.3 steals per game – but remains a liability when it comes to protecting the rim, with Denver ranking 25th when it comes to preventing points in the paint.

That is where the Grizzlies will see their greatest advantage as the league leaders for points in the paint, with Ja Morant's 14.8 points per game in that area trailing only Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (15.5) for the most among all guards.

Denver's plan of attack will likely be the complete opposite, as Memphis are the fourth-best team at preventing points in the paint but allow the fourth-most made three-pointers per game, while the Nuggets lead the league in three-point percentage (39.2 percent).

PIVOTAL PERFORMERS

Memphis Grizzlies – Ja Morant

Sometimes it is complicated to see whose impact will have the greatest effect on their team's success, and sometimes it is painfully obvious.

Morant is the Grizzlies' franchise player, leading scorer (27.1 points per game), leader in assists (8.2) and the heartbeat of their fast-paced, rim-attacking offense.

It will be his responsibility to exploit Jokic's defensive deficiency and generate high-quality looks inside for himself and team-mates, as Memphis are likely doomed if they have to rely on outside shooting (24th in three-point percentage).

Denver Nuggets – Jamal Murray

The Nuggets know what they are going to get from the metronomically consistent Jokic on a nightly basis, but the contributions from second star Jamal Murray are often what make or break their results.

In the 35 wins he has played in this season, Murray is averaging 21.7 points and 6.1 assists per game while shooting 48.3 per cent from the field, 41.6 per cent from deep and 85.5 per cent from the free-throw line.

In 14 losses, those figures plummet to 16.3 points and 5.5 assists on dismal shooting splits of 38.2/29.7/76.9 – illustrating that when it is not Murray's night, it is usually not the Nuggets' night either.

KEY BATTLE – Can Denver capitalise on the absence of Adams?

While Jokic is one of the best defensive rebounders in the league, having the third-best rate among players averaging at least 20 minutes, he is not even close to the same kind of threat on the offensive boards, where Adams' absence will be felt.

If Memphis can figure out how to limit Denver to one shot per possession and secure the defensive glass, it will not just limit second opportunities, but it will ignite the Grizzlies' fast-break offense and allow Morant to operate in the open floor with a runway.

Another key factor is that while Denver have been shooting the lights out, and Memphis have been struggling from distance, three-point percentage is often a stat that regresses to the mean over time, meaning at some point their fortunes will likely reverse.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

These sides have split their two meetings this season, with Denver securing a 14-point home win in December, before Memphis evened the ledger with an 18-point home win of their own in January.

It fits with their evenly matched recent history, with a 2-2 record from their past four meetings, and a 5-5 record dating back to January 2020.

Kyrie Irving feels he has finally "joined the party" after partnering with Luka Doncic to make franchise history in the Dallas Mavericks' 133-126 win against the Philadelphia 76ers.

The pair became the first Mavs team-mates to score at least 40 points each in the same game, with Doncic shooting 13-of-22 for his 42 points and Irving 15-of-22 for 40.

It is the third time Irving has reached the 40-point mark this season, and the first time since making a high-profile trade from the Brooklyn Nets on February 6.

The eight-time NBA All-Star spoke about "scaling back the pressure" earlier in the week in order to "show up to the party", and he did just that with his display against the Sixers.

"Like I said last time I was sitting up here, I just had to join the party and just make sure my team-mates were going to follow along," he said.

"Luka was ready for the party, I was ready for the party tonight, and it was one of those games where we had some special performances. I'm grateful that the work translated.

"I've got to keep it up. I've just got to keep it up and stay consistent in terms of just being prepared for when he's going to pass and get used to his flow in the game."

Irving has averaged 27 points across his 48 games for Dallas and Brooklyn this campaign, while fellow superstar Doncic leads the way in the NBA with 1,801 points overall.

The duo also combined for 18 assists, eight rebounds and four steals in Thursday's win against Philly at American Airlines Center, while hitting 13-of-21 from three-point range.

"I enjoyed watching those two working off of each other," Mavs coach Jason Kidd said. "As much as we play the game on paper, it's still played on the court. 

"They've got to work through the kinks, but I think at the end of the day, we'll be happy with what we have."

Irving is the only player in NBA history to be part of a team-mate duo scoring 40-plus points each in regulation for two different teams.

The 30-year-old previously did so with LeBron James during his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and it is now Doncic who is starting to build a strong partnership with Irving.

"Playing with him is so easy," said Doncic on the back of his sixth 40-point, 10-assist showing of the season. "He helps me a lot.

"The offense I don't think is a problem. I think offensively, we're good. It's just the defensive end. We've got to get stops."

The 33-31 Mavs are sixth in the Western Conference ahead of facing the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.

Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving made some franchise history during the Dallas Mavericks' 133-126 home win against the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.

It was the first time ever two Mavericks team-mates scored at least 40 points each in the same game, with Doncic shooting 13-of-22 for his 42 points, while Irving was 15-of-22 for 40 points.

The duo also combined for 18 assists, eight rebounds and four steals, while hitting 13-of-21 from three-point range.

It was a close contest through a high-scoring first half, but after Dallas came out of the locker room leading 71-67, they put their foot on the gas.

Dallas put together a 39-24 third period to jump out to a 20-point lead, and the final score was flattering for the 76ers, who trailed by 14 with under three minutes remaining before a garbage-time run.

Philadelphia's failure was no fault of their top trio, with Joel Embiid putting together 35 points (13-of-21 shooting), eight rebounds and two steals, while James Harden had 27 points (eight-of-12 shooting) with 13 assists, and Tyrese Maxey added 29 points (12-of-21).

The win gets the Mavericks back on the right foot after dropping five of their past six, now sitting sixth in the Western Conference at 33-31.

Philadelphia fell to 40-22, but remain well clear in the Eastern Conference's third seed.

Poole goes for a splash

A 34-point Jordan Poole eruption led a second-half trouncing by the Golden State Warriors in their 115-91 home blowout against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Poole finished nine-of-20 from the field, five-of-12 from deep and 11-of-12 from the free throw line, and all five of his three-pointers came in the second half as Golden State took the third and fourth quarters by a combined margin of 70-35.

Kawhi Leonard played an efficient game despite his side's struggles, shooting eight-of-12 from the field for 21 points, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks.

The win is the Warriors' fourth in a row, and they now sit fifth in the West at 33-30 on the back of the NBA's fourth-best home record (26-7).

Wizards stay in the hunt

The Washington Wizards fended off the resurgent Toronto Raptors 119-108 to keep themselves in the thick of the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament placings.

Kyle Kuzma led the way against a Raptors team that came into the contest with 10 wins from their past 12, scoring a game-high 30 points on 10-of-24 shooting with five rebounds and five assists.

Kristaps Porzingis added 25 points (eight-of-12 shooting) and two blocks, while defensive specialist Delon Wright flashed some ability as a starting point guard, racking up 11 assists to go with his six rebounds and three steals.

The Wizards have now won six of their past nine, improving to 30-32 to create a 1.5-game buffer between themselves and the Chicago Bulls in the race for the 10th seed.

The Golden State Warriors are hoping to get Stephen Curry back in their lineup as soon as Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Curry, who suffered an injury to his left lower leg on February 4, has participated in multiple team scrimmages, including one Thursday morning.

After Thursday's shootaround, reporters asked Warriors coach Steve Kerr if Curry could be available Sunday in Los Angeles.

"I suppose," Kerr replied.

Curry has already been ruled out for Golden State’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday.

Entering play Thursday, the Warriors are 12-12 this season without the two-time league MVP, but his return will be welcome news for a team in the thick of the jumbled Western Conference playoff picture.

Before Thursday’s games against the Los Angeles Clippers, the defending champion Warriors sat in fifth place in the West at 32-30, just 2.5 games up on the 11th-place Lakers.

Despite dealing with shoulder and leg injuries in his 14th NBA season, Curry is having one of his best individual campaigns, scoring 29.4 points per game on 42.7-percent shooting from beyond the arc.

The Warriors' season has been a rocky one – especially given the team's 7-23 road record – but they remain contenders when healthy.

One development of note has been the reemergence of Curry's 'Splash Brothers' running-mate Klay Thompson, who has averaged 26.2 points in 21 games since January 2.

LeBron James' foot injury will be reassessed in three weeks, the Los Angeles Lakers have confirmed.

The 38-year-old sustained the injury in the third quarter of Sunday's victory over the Dallas Mavericks and subsequently missed the defeat to the Memphis Grizzlies and the victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Reports on Thursday stated that James would not require surgery and, although not confirmed by the team, the Lakers have said it is a right foot tendon injury.

A team statement said: "LeBron James has been evaluated by Lakers team physicians and medical staff, and it has been determined that he has sustained a right foot tendon injury.

"James will be reevaluated in approximately three weeks."

There is just over a month remaining of the regular season, with the Lakers facing a battle to secure a spot in the playoffs, sitting 11th in the Western Conference on a record of 30-33.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brothers are among a new set of minority investors to acquire a stake in Major League Soccer side Nashville SC.

The two-time NBA MVP, alongside his Milwaukee Bucks team-mate Thanasis and other siblings Kostas and Alex, are the latest sports stars to buy into an MLS outfit.

The terms of the stake acquired by the quartet, who are joined by Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg in becoming investors into the Tennessee franchise, has not been disclosed.

In a statement, Giannis confirmed his excitement to come on board with the team, who finished fifth in the Western Conference last season before a first-round playoff exit to LA Galaxy in the MLS Cup.

"My father was a professional soccer player, and it was the first sport I fell in love with in Greece," he told ESPN.

"I've always had the dream of owning a soccer team. When my brothers and I explored Nashville SC, we knew it was a team and a city that we wanted to get involved with.

"I couldn't be more excited to join the Boys in Gold, and can't wait to come to a match at GEODIS Park soon."

The Antetokounmpo brothers and Forsberg join previous high-profile investors in Nashville, including actress Reese Witherspoon and Tennessee running back Derrick Henry.

Other famed sportspeople with stakes in MLS outfits include Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant, who owns five per cent of the Philadelphia Union.

Philadelphia 76ers man James Harden also is a minority investor in the Houston Dynamo, while Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson has a stake in the Seattle Sounders.

LaMelo Ball will be out for the rest of the NBA season after the Charlotte Hornets point guard underwent surgery on a fractured right ankle.

Ball suffered the injury during the Hornets' 117-106 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Monday.

The 21-year-old went down awkwardly with the ball during the third quarter.

Charlotte revealed Ball has undergone a successful operation and further updates will be provided on his recovery.

The third overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Ball averaged 23.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 8.4 assists and 1.3 steals in the 36 games he played this season.

He became the fourth-youngest All-Star in NBA history when he featured in the 2021-22 showpiece.

Ball was named the NBA Rookie of the Year for the 2020-21 season, having averaged 15.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.6 steals.

Kevin Durant felt he "fit in pretty well" during an impressive Phoenix Suns debut against the Charlotte Hornets but still feels under pressure to prove himself.

Durant scored 23 points in his first appearance for the Suns in a 105-91 win over the Hornets on Wednesday following his blockbuster trade from the Brooklyn Nets last month.

Returning to the court after recovering from a knee injury that had kept him out since January 8, the 13-time NBA All-Star was 10-of-15 shooting and racked up his points haul in just 27 minutes.

Devin Booker scored 37 points, claimed six rebounds and provided seven assists as Phoenix – fourth in the Western Conference – snapped the Hornets' five-game winning streak to go 34-29 for the season.

Durant said: "I feel like I fit in pretty well, everybody out there was trying to make me as comfortable as possible.

"I just got to keep grinding, man, and this jersey on me will look normal as games go on."

Despite all he has achieved over the years, Durant was nervous prior to his Suns bow.

He added: "New environment, new situation, new team-mates, I mean I always feel I got to prove myself to my team-mates and my coaches every single day no matter what I've done in the league. So I feel like there's pressure to be who I am every day."

Booker was pinching himself over being on the same side as Durant.

He said: "This is one of those moments that doesn't really feel real. I mean, it's just every time he shoots the ball, it's just so effortless.

"You can see defenders trying their hardest to contest or fight over a screen and he just looks unbothered, unfazed."

Suns head coach Monty Williams wants Durant to focus on playing to the best of his ability rather than feel he must be a leader.

"I think there's too many players in the NBA that get too much pressure to lead," Williams said. "I just don’t think it's necessary. It’s my job to lead.

"The players do it in spots, but that's the one thing I told him, I said, 'I'm not looking for you to lead. We just want you to be yourself and hoop,' and I think that's where he's the most free to be himself."

Kevin Durant scored 23 points in his Phoenix Suns debut as Devin Booker stole the show with 37 points in a 105-91 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday.

Durant stepped out for the Suns for the first time since his trade last month, having been sidelined with a sprained right knee, shooting 10-of-15 from the field and two-of-four from beyond the arc with six rebounds, two assists and two blocks.

Booker shot 15-of-26 from the field in his 37-point haul with six rebounds and seven assists, while Deandre Ayton scored 16 points with 16 rebounds.

Veteran guard Chris Paul took a back seat, with only two points whilst providing 11 assists as the new-look Suns showed off their multi-dimensional line-up.

The victory snapped the Hornets' five-game winning streak, with the Suns going wire to wire in a strong display, improving their record to 34-29.

Charlotte got within six points at three-quarter time but Durant played his part at the start of the fourth with nine points, registering only 19 minutes for the opening three periods, as Phoenix pulled away.

Tatum and Mitchell record 40-point games

Jayson Tatum recorded his ninth 40-point game of the season as the Boston Celtics overcame Donovan Mitchell's Cleveland Cavaliers 117-113.

Tatum finished with 41 points with improved 13-of-21 shooting including four-of-six three-pointers with 11 rebounds and eight assists, while Al Horford added 23 points and 11 rebounds.

Mitchell shrugged off an apparent quad concern in the third quarter with 44 points, piling only 29 in the second half. That was Mitchell's seventh 40-point game of his season.

Knicks down Nets to continue win streak

The New York Knicks extended their winning streak to seven games as Jalen Brunson scored 39 points in a 142-118 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

Brunson hit 30 of his 39 points in the first half, with the Knicks piling on 47 points in the first quarter as they opened up 81-57 half-time lead. The Knicks improved their record to 37-27, sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference.

Cam Johnson scored a season-high 33 points for the Nets, who fall to their fourth straight loss and a 34-28 record as they continue to slide in the east.

Anthony Davis will join LeBron James on the sidelines and miss the Los Angeles Lakers' game with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday due to a foot injury.

The Lakers said Davis had a right foot stress injury, which is an issue that has caused him to miss 20 games earlier this season.

Darvin Ham's 29-33 side are already without James (ankle) and D'Angelo Russell (foot) as they look to launch a charge to qualify for the playoffs. Entering Wednesday's slate of games, the Lakers are 12th in the Western Conference.

Wednesday's game was the second of a back-to-back for LA, having lost 121-109 to the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday.

Joel Embiid will also not play on Wednesday due to a sore foot, missing the Philadelphia 76ers' clash with the Miami Heat.

The 76ers said it was left foot soreness, forcing him to miss a game for the 13th time this season.

Stephen Curry has stepped up his recovery from a leg injury amid suggestions the two-time NBA MVP could return during the Golden State Warriors' three-game road stretch next week.

Curry has missed the Warriors' last nine games after suffering the injury in a collision with McKinley Wright IV against the Dallas Mavericks last month.

Scans subsequently revealed Curry had sustained tears to his superior tibiofibular ligaments and interosseous membrane, as well as a contusion to his lower left leg.

While Curry initially planned to return "after the All-Star break" without setting a specific date, the team confirmed last Thursday he was to sit out at least one more week.

On Wednesday, however, a report from ESPN claimed the Warriors were optimistic Curry could feature in their upcoming road trip, which begins against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday before taking them to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies.

The team then released an update regarding the four-time NBA champion, revealing he had increased his workload in practice and would soon be reassessed.

"Stephen Curry, who has missed the last nine games due to injury, is making good progress and has recently increased his on-court workload to include scrimmaging," a statement on the team's Twitter account read.

"His return to play will be based on his continued progress and response to full practice and scrimmages."

The Warriors are 32-30 for the season and sit fifth in the Western Conference, having made it three consecutive wins with Tuesday's 123-105 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Giannis Antetokounmpo believes fans take the level of his game for granted, though it is not something he has a problem with.

The Milwaukee Bucks forward scored 33 points in a 118-104 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, which extended the team's winning streak to 15 matches.

Antetokounmpo returned for the game after missing Sunday's win over the Phoenix Suns due to a quad injury, having also dealt with a wrist injury during the All-Star break.

His return saw his highest points total since a haul of 36 against the Boston Celtics in mid-February and he feels supporters take his performances for granted.

"Yes. And it's okay. I don't think I'm the first, I don't think I'm the last," he replied when asked if felt that was the case.

"I feel like people take for granted Kevin Durant, people take for granted LeBron James, people take for granted Stephen Curry. You see all this greatness every day and they take it for granted until they're not there no more.

"And you're like, 'Oh, man. I miss those guys. I miss the show that they put on.' It's okay.

"As I said, I'm not the first. I'm not going to be the last. I just got to keep on going out there, enjoying the game of basketball.

"Because when I stop enjoying the game of basketball, the game is done. I got to keep on enjoying, keep on building, keep on trying to win games.

"I can't control what other people think. If they take it for granted, I can't control that, I don't take it for granted.

"When I go out there I try to give everything that I have – four minutes, five minutes that I played against Chicago, that's all I had.

"The All-Star Game when I played 10 seconds, that's all I had. Against Miami at home, I don't know how much I played, that's all I had.

"Today, I played 30 minutes, that's all I had. If I keep on giving everything I have, and I know I don't take it for granted, I'm okay with that. If other people take it for granted, it's their opinion, their mindset, it's okay."

Kyrie Irving accepts he needs "scale back" the pressure he is putting on himself after his shooting struggles continued in the Dallas Mavericks' loss to the Indiana Pacers.

The eight-time NBA All-Star scored 16 points in Tuesday's 124-122 defeat at American Airlines Center as the Mavs dropped to seventh in the Western Conference.

He has averaged 24.7 points in his seven games since joining in a high-profile trade from the Brooklyn Nets, taking his overall average for the season to 26.7.

Irving has made just 15 of his 40 field-goal attempts over the Mavs' past two games and missed a potential game-winning three late on against the Pacers.

Speaking after his side's fifth defeat in six outings, Irving said: "I appreciate the coaching staff and my team-mates trusting me with that shot and the comfort they gave me.

"I really want to win here. I really put a lot of pressure on myself at times. I think I need to scale it back a little bit.

"In the second half of the season, we feel we've got to be great every single possession. Usually these learning curves happen in preseason, but it's happening now.

"It definitely puts a glaring eye on what we're doing right and what we're doing wrong. 

"It's easy to criticise, but for us, I've just got to focus on being the best that I can be and showing up for not only Luka [Doncic], but for my team-mates."

Partnering Irving with fellow superstar Doncic was supposed to bring instant success to the Mavs, but the former does not believe he has yet to truly arrive.

"It's the big business, baby," Irving said. "As much pressure as I put on myself, I have goals that I would love to accomplish, but all those are pushed to the side.

"I know I have 15 other guys on this team that are relying on me to do things that they've either seen me do or they're expecting me to do as one of the best players in the league. 

"So sitting alongside Luka, I just have to show up to the party.

"I've been in situations in this league. Some have been failures, some have been successes, but over the last few years I've made it a goal of mine to be stronger mentally, especially dealing with the rigours of this mentally, physically, emotionally. It'll come. It'll come."

The Mavs are back in action on Thursday when taking on the Philadelphia 76ers.

Nikola Jokic became the sixth player in NBA history to reach 100 career triple-doubles as the Denver Nuggets won 133-112 against the Houston Rockets on Tuesday.

The Serbian center finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his 24th triple-double of the season.

It was also Jokic's 15th triple-double in his past 20 games, with the Nuggets winning every game he has achieved the feat this season.

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said: "We haven't lost a game in those triple-doubles which speaks to his greatness."

Jokic joined Russell Westbrook (198), Oscar Robertson (181), Magic Johnson (138), Jason Kidd (107) and LeBron James (106) in reaching triple figures for triple-doubles in the NBA.

At 28 years old, Jokic could foreseeably climb up that list if he continues on the trajectory of his past two back-to-back MVP seasons.

"For him to be mentioned with all these historical accomplishments, reminds you that we are so blessed to have a guy like Nikola," Malone added.

"I challenge all of us in Denver to never take him for granted. To never take his greatness for granted."

Malone subtly added that Jokic should win a third straight MVP, while discussing his strengths.

"We all know he's a two-time MVP, about to be a three-time MVP, you talk about the skill level, the IQ, the rebounding, playmaking, scoring all that but the intangibles are the areas Nikola has grown the most," Malone said.

On Jokic's defense, Malone added: "He's a high IQ player. He has tremendous anticipation and outstanding hand-eye coordination.

"People think if you're not a great athlete, you can't be a good defender but I think that's malarkey.  I think Nikola is a living example of a guy who can be an effective defender and not necessarily be an elite athlete."