Nikola Jokic accomplishes something no Nugget since Carmelo Anthony has

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has been named Western Conference Player of the Week, the league announced Monday. It’s the second time Jokic has won the award this season.

Jokic averaged 23.0 points on 51.0 percent shooting from the field and 42.9 percent from three, 10.3 rebounds, 9.0 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.0 blocks in three games from April 2 through April 8. Denver went 3-0 with victories over the Pacers, Timberwolves and Clippers.

The 23-year-old is averaging 18.3 points, 10.6 rebounds and 6.1 assists this season. He’s also shooting 49.9 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from three. Since the Nuggets’ loss to the Mavericks on March 6, Jokic is averaging roughly 24 points on 55 percent shooting from the field and 48 percent from three, 11 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. The Nuggets are 10-6 in that stretch.

Jokic is on pace to be the third big man in league history after Wilt Chamberlain and Kevin Garnett to average 17 points, 10 rebounds and six assists per game. His current stat line — 18.3 points, 10.6 rebounds and 6.1 assists — has only been replicated by Russell Westbrook, Oscar Robertson and Wilt Chamberlain.

“He won’t get any recognition at the end of the season, but what he does every single night and how efficiently he does it, there are not many players that do that,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “Obviously, he’s Nikola Jokic, we’re Denver, so nobody’s going to talk about it. He’s an incredible player, and we ask him to do so much for this team as a third-year player trying to carry this team, and he doesn’t bitch. He doesn’t groan. He accepts it. He embraces it, and he goes out and does it every night at a very high level.

“If you look at his numbers right now, the numbers are a joke. Break down his numbers, scoring, rebounding, playmaking, and the efficiency in which he’s doing so. I look forward to coaching him for a long long time.”

Jokic is the first Nuggets’ player to earn multiple Player of the Week honors in the same season since Carmelo Anthony in 2009-10.