Nikola Jokić, a two-time NBA MVP and NBA Finals MVP, has experienced a diverse basketball career, although being just 30 years old.
The Serbian center is again proving important as the Denver Nuggets’ face, making his statistics hard to understand.
As of November 28, the 28-year-old has scored 28.8 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 8.9 assists in 17 games.
Even more impressive, Jokić is achieving this despite a bad year in basketball shooting. He made 67.5% of his two-pointers and 38.3% of his threes last season. He has a healthy 63.7% TS% despite dropping to 63.9% and 31.1%.
Let’s examine what makes the 6’11 do-it-all superstar so effective. Numbers are useless without context.
Jokić is now playing at a level comparable to any player in history. The NBA has no greater player at game control or overall.
He’ll immediately spot a double-team and allow the helper reach a set distance before throwing a pass to have the defender cover more territory.
If teams believe Jokić can be stopped with single coverage, he will easily play a scoring role and patiently and surgically аttаck his defender.
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He’ll fire a soft floater or push shot and time it so no one can protest if his man drops back too quickly. Jokić uses his 265-pound size to overpower defenders by twisting and turning, often with tremendous success. Despite having the athletic edge over Jokić, even the most disciplined defenders cannot fully contest his shot as he pivots in the opposite direction.
Jokić’s precision rivals that of Larry Bird, but he could also be compared to an older Michael Jordan, who used the post as his primary weapon.
Precision was important to Jordan. For his 15-foot turnarounds to work, the ball had to strike the glass perfectly. On a drive against a 7-footer, he’d need to spin the ball just right to bounce and wriggle it into the hoop.
Jokić, despite his size, excels at ball placement, particularly on off-angle shoots and passes. Whether he’s sprinting up the court after a rebound or jogging to set up in the half-court, his attitude is the same. Calculations and timing must be perfect for every pass.
His location seems unimportant too. Whether he’s deep in the post searching for kickouts or outside the long line looking for high-low opportunities, opponents treat him the same since most have been torn apart by his selflessness.
Why does this matter?
It’s essential because a player may dominate the 2020s.
Since 2018, the league has not had a repeat champion, but the Nuggets are a strong contender owing to Jokić’s domination.
He’s a contender to become this generation’s Tim Duncan, one of the most impactful big me𝚗 with the hardware to prove it.
Jokić, like Duncan, is uninterested in praise, allowing him to focus sharply before going to wаr.
No one knows if he wins another championship, but his tale is far from over. His domination and meticulousness appear to only improve.
If so, the best may be yet to come.
NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass, and Basketball-Reference stats unless otherwise specified. All salary data from Spotrac. All odds from FanDuel Sportsbook.