Nikola Jokić: season-high 56 points vs Timberwolves (Dec 25, 2025)
56 PTS · 15-of-21 FG · 4-of-6 3P · 22-of-23 FT · 42:36 MIN
Usual before this game: 28.9 PTS · 17.3 FGA · 34.7 MIN, from 29 regular-season games
Best Game Score of 30 games this season: 59.8 against a usual 30.2 (+29.6)
Season-high 56 points (previous high 55, set on Nov 12, 2025)
above usual
No more than 1 in 100 games by players at this level finish this far above their usual.
For a player who plays every game, a game this far above the usual comes less than once a season.
How the score worksWhy did Nikola Jokić score 56 points?
Nikola Jokić scored 56 points against the Timberwolves on Dec 25, 2025 in 42:36: 15-of-21 from the field (71.4%), 4-of-6 from three (66.7%), 22-of-23 on free throws (95.7%). Before this game, Jokić averaged 28.9 points on 17.3 shots in 34.7 minutes across 29 regular-season games. The 56 points were a season high, above the previous 55. This game had the best Game Score of 30 games this season. The shot count was 21, against a usual 17.3. Jokić shot 71.4% from the field, against a usual 60.4%. By shot type: free throws 22 points (usual 5.8); threes 12 points (usual 6.4); two-pointers 22 points (usual 16.7). Minutes: 42:36, against a usual 34.7; Game Score per 36 minutes: 50.5, against a usual 31.3. Jokić had 15 assists, against a usual 10.9. At home against the Timberwolves, the Nuggets won 142-138. The box score records what changed, not why: it holds no injury, matchup or coaching information.
Generated from the box score and this season's game log. How the score works
What changed
Jokić in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (29 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 42:36 | 34.7 | +7.9 |
| Points | 56 | 28.9 | +27.1 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 21 · 71.4% | 17.3 · 60.4% | +3.7 · +11.0 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 6 · 66.7% | 5.0 · 43.1% | +1.0 · +23.6 |
| FTA · FT% | 23 · 95.7% | 6.9 · 83.9% | +16.1 · +11.8 |
| Rebounds | 16 | 12.0 | +4.0 |
| Assists | 15 | 10.9 | +4.1 |
| Turnovers | 5 | 3.5 | +1.5 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 29 games | 34.0 | 29.9 | +4.1 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 50.5 | 31.3 | +19.2 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (29 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 12 (4-of-6) | 6.4 (2.1-of-5.0) | +5.6 |
| Twos | 22 (11-of-15) | 16.7 (8.3-of-12.3) | +5.3 |
| Free throws | 22 (22-of-23) | 5.8 (5.8-of-6.9) | +16.2 |
| Total | 56 | 28.9 | +27.1 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
59.8 against a usual 30.2 (+29.6)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | +26.4 |
| Rebounds | +2.0 |
| Assists | +2.9 |
| Steals and blocks | -0.6 |
| Turnovers and fouls | -1.1 |
| Total | +29.6 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
Best Game Score of 30 games this season.
Previous best: 53.2, set on Nov 12, 2025.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Nuggets won 142-138 at home against the Timberwolves.
- Previous appearance: Dec 23, 2025, 2 days earlier.
- Earlier regular-season meetings with the Timberwolves this season: 25 points (Oct 27, 2025), 27 points (Nov 15, 2025).
What this page cannot tell you
The same on every performance page
Box scores record what happened, not why: no injuries or health, defensive assignments, matchups, coaching decisions or play-by-play.
Game Score against the player's own usual line. How rare a gap is comes from NBA regular-season games of 2023-24 and 2024-25, checked on 2025-26.