Nikola Jokic turns 30 and he’s having one of his best seasons, averaging a triple-double

DENVER (AP) - The Denver Nuggets gathered around Nikola Jokic near the 3-point line Wednesday and belted out a rather off-key version of " happy birthday " in honor of him turning 30.

Usually so poised on the court, the three-time NBA MVP seemed almost bashful.

"I don't like my birthday," Jokic explained. "Getting older."

And better?

"Like wine," he cracked.

In a lot of ways, Jokic remains very much a kid at heart, right down to his new Peppa Pig-themed sneakers. But his game has certainly matured to the point where he keeps setting the bar higher and higher for himself and just might be in the midst of his finest season of them all. He’s averaging 29.8 points, 12.6 rebounds and 10.2 assists.

In addition, he’s posted a league-leading 25 triple-doubles, which is just four shy of tying the franchise record he set in 2022-23.

His coach, Michael Malone, was stumped by just what might be the ceiling for his big man?

"Geez, I don't know. He keeps on pushing the envelope," said Malone, whose team will host Charlotte on Thursday night. "When you're dealing with greatness, you never want to put a ceiling on that. We want to give him room to grow and and watch that, because it's really fun to be a part of that process."

Jokic began suiting up for the Nuggets as a 20-year-old kid who needed to improve his fitness and hone his footwork. Over the past decade, he’s blossomed into one of the league’s most hard-to-contain players and led the Nuggets to their first NBA championship in 2023.

He's married now with two young kids. He has a bronze medal he earned with Serbia last summer at the Paris Olympics. His sponsor, 361 Degrees, is getting ready to launch his signature shoe, which is inspired by Peppa Pig, the character in the long-running children's series. ("They made it. I like it. They’re going to be cool," Jokic said.)

This season, he’s showing off the latest wrinkle to his game - long-range shooting. He’s hitting a career-best 45% from beyond the 3-point line.

"He is playing the best basketball of his life," Malone said. “At his heart, he's still the same person. He's still Nikola Jokic from Sombor, Serbia. He's never forgotten where he's come from, or who's helped him get here."

Given his style of play, Malone believes Jokic could last in the league at an elite level for a while.

"The way (Jokic) dominates the game is with intelligence and skill, not athleticism," Malone said. "He's not driving down the lane and dunking on people every night. So I think that bodes well for his longevity.”

That is, if the desire remains strong. He said that sticking around long enough so his kids can see him play is, "not going to be a factor for me.”

Jokic returned to town after competing for Chuck's Global Stars in the All-Star Game last weekend. He had two points in 10 minutes as his squad lost to Shaq's OGs in the final.

It wasn’t exactly his idea of rest and relaxation.

"Part of the business, part of the job," Jokic said of his trip to San Francisco for the weekend festivities. “I would rather be somewhere else … it's a blessing and a curse."

Now, it's back to work for the Nuggets, who have won eight in a row and are currently the third seed in the Western Conference. They’re returning to health, too, with Michael Porter Jr. (hamstring), Russell Westbrook (hamstring) and Aaron Gordon (calf) all going through practice Wednesday. The only player missing was Peyton Watson (knee).

They have 27 games remaining to tinker with lineups and find the right combinations for a playoff push.

"People say, 'Oh, that's a tough decision,'" Malone said. "I look at it the opposite way. I'm really fortunate to have a tough decision to make where you have quality players that have really impacted winning. It's never about one player. It's about what's best for our team."

That's the attitude of Jokic, too.

"He's our heartbeat," said Julian Strawther, who took part in the Rising Stars event over the weekend. "It's not always being a vocal leader but leading by example with the things he does and how hard he works. Having him on our side, it makes us feel a lot better."