Nikola Jokić is among several of the league’s premier big men battling for the 2024-25 double-doubles crown.
The 2024-25 NBA regular season is coming to an end, but there’s a lot left to play for in several areas. From playoff spots to individual awards and even a potential lottery berth, there’s a lot at stake for several teams and players with the postseason right around the corner. One thing that will probably go down to the wire is which player will lead the league in double-doubles at the end of the regular season.
It seems it will be a four-player race ahead of the final days of the campaign, with Domantas Sabonis, Nikola Jokić, Karl-Anthony Towns and Ivica Zubac all competing to earn that crown. Other players such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Trae Young and Alperen Sengun were in the race earlier this year, but it’s safe to say they won’t reach Sabonis or Jokić with only a handful of games left in the campaign.
Sabonis (56 double-doubles) holds a narrow lead for the crown and that’s even with the Sacramento big man missing some time in March, which allowed some other players to close the gap. One of the best two-way players in the NBA and an absolute force on the glass, as evidenced by the fact that he’s averaging a league-leading 14.0 boards per game, Sabonis also led the league in double-doubles in 2023-24 with 77 in 82 contests.
Jokić finished second in the league in double-doubles one year ago and unlike Sabonis, the Joker can record double-doubles with either rebounds or assists, as he’s having one of the best statistical seasons in league history for a player at the center position. He’s averaging 29.7 points, 12.8 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game while racking up 55 double-doubles. He’s the biggest threat to Sabonis’ lead, especially since he’s not expected to rest in the final week due to the Nuggets continuing to battle for playoff seeding.
Third on the list is Towns, who responded to the trade that sent him from the Timberwolves to the Knicks by delivering one of the best seasons of his career. Despite moving to center due to Mitchell Robinson’s injury issues, Towns has been outstanding down low for the Knicks and has recorded 54 double-doubles across 68 contests. His 12.8 rebounds per game rank second in the league, tied with Jokić and behind only Sabonis. Even if he doesn’t surpass them in the race for most double-doubles this season, his two-way impact for a playoff-bound Knicks team should be acknowledged.
Zubac was well-established coming into this year, but he has taken his game to another level to be in the conversation for the league lead in double-doubles. The Clippers’ big man is having a career-best season in 2024-25 with several personal-best marks across the board and has racked up 53 double-doubles in 74 outings. He’s among the league leaders in rebounds with 12.5 points per game and has proven to be one of the best rebounders in the league and one of the most consistent big men in the association.
The last week of the season sets up a fascinating finish to see which big man will come away with the 2024-25 double-doubles crown.
