On this day in 1987, Denver Nuggets guard Lafayette “Fat” Lever began a remarkable run of three-consecutive triple doubles during the 1986-87 season. Beginning with a 25-point, 15-rebound, 12-assist triple-double against the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 24, 1987, Lever posted three-straight triple doubles as he continued to cement himself as one of the premier triple-double threats in the NBA.
Following that performance, Lever collected 36 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in Denver’s overtime loss at Portland two nights later, while his triple-double run concluded on Jan. 29, 1987, with 24 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists against the Dallas Mavericks.
Lever would finish the 1986-87 season with averages of 18.9 points, 8.9 rebounds and eight assists per game. In the following year, Lever would post nearly identical averages and was rewarded with his first All-Star appearance.
Lever still sits at ninth on the all-time triple-doubles list with 43 in his career. However, his place on that list will likely fall in the coming months, as Nikola Jokić currently sits at 36 career triple-doubles.
Over the course of his six-year career with the Nuggets, Lever appeared in 474 games and posted averages of 17 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game.
You can check out some of Lever’s best moments as Nuggets in the video below: