Doubling Nikola Jokic won’t work, and the Denver Nuggets big man established that fact to the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday.
Jokic’s first NBA Finals triple-double (27 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists) coupled with Jamal Murray’s 26 points, saw the Nuggets notch up a 104-93 win at home, and while at it, the two-time MVP showed why he couldn’t be doubled.
Here’s a perfect example:
Doubling Jokic is already -EV because of his 99 awareness, but like we saw in Lakers series: if u send it with whoever guarding Aaron Gordon, he lurks on the opposite block for a reason and is always in perfect position to set a back screen on the corner 3 assignment. Good luck. pic.twitter.com/TZqQ0bpO8Q
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) June 2, 2023
To start with, Jokic’s biggest strength is his game awareness and he knows where the other four are positioned on the floor. He always stations himself in places that give him the perfect opportunity to find shooters on corner three, and all he needs to make are precision passes.
It perhaps helped Jokic that he also played point guard in his formative years, making sure that he operates like a QB in football. His excellent on-court vision makes it easy for him to set screens and find players who are in better positions to drain a shot.
And the numbers speak for themselves. The playoffs have seen him average 29.9 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 10.3 assists. He upped the ante after averaging 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 9.8 assists in the regular season. Note that his assists and rebounds have progressively increased and that shows how he’s not just an offensive weapon, but a skilled big who can make plays.
The Heat will need to figure out a way to contain Jokic, and surely double-teaming is not the solution.
Nikola Jokic Reflects On His Maiden Finals Triple-Double
While having a triple-double in the NBA Finals is something that one could be happy about, Nikola Jokic’s thoughts gave an insight into his understanding of his game.
“The most important thing is to win a game and I’m trying to win a game in any possible way,” he told, during the postgame interview. “I don’t need to shoot and I know I don’t need to score to affect the game. I think I did a good job today. Everybody contributed today. AG, Jamal, Mike, KCP, and everybody who played. It’s a great win for us.”
Jokic’s stellar outing set the tone for Denver in Game 1, and with the rest of the side playing to their strengths, it’s all about notching up three more wins, and should he indeed keep up this level of consistency, the Nuggets will be well on their way to getting their hands on the title.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
