Whether or not Nikola Jokic plays tonight against the New Orleans Pelicans will be a significant factor in the Western standings this season.
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The Denver Nuggets are sitting pretty at the top spot of the Western Conference standings this year. After a slightly slow start to the year, they have rounded into form since December onwards.
Bruce Brown has proved to be one of the best moves of the offseason, impacting them on both ends of the floor. Aaron Gordon is having a career year thus far, staking a claim to the All-Star team.
Jamal Murray has shrugged off a slow start to slowly round into form for them. The Canadian combo guard had to sit out all of last season while rehabbing an ACL tear from April 2021.
Michael Porter Jr is also back in action and sniping from any and everywhere. However, if we have to pinpoint to one factor behind the Nuggets’ success, it is the presence of a doughy 7-footer from the Balkans.
Nikola Jokic has put together one of the most dominant 3-year runs of all time by a center. The Nuggets’ big man is playing offensive basketball at a level that only the all-time greats have attained.
The Serbian big man is averaging the highest assists average of his career by far. At 9.9 assists per game, he’s just 0.1 dimes per game lower than a triple-double average.
Is Nikola Jokic playing tonight vs New Orleans Pelicans?
Jokic will be graded closer to tip-off after sitting out the Nuggets’ two previous games. Denver has lost one game and won one in the absence of their MVP contender.
Also Read – Nikola Jokic, Who is on Pace to Win his 3rd MVP, Ties Michael Jordan for Mindboggling NBA Record
The Nuggets endured a late heartbreak in their previous game – a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Nikola Jokic was noticeably absent from the floor, and his absence was felt by Denver on both ends.
Zeke Nnaji could not find much joy on the offensive end as the Thunder defense prevented his pick-and-roll actions from coming to fruition. On the other end, Denver conceded 14 offensive rebounds to his opponents as they used their size to great effect.
Getting Jokic back in action will help them sizeably on both ends of the floor.
Jokic stats this season
Jokic is on course to create history with his statistical output this season. He’s currently averaging 25.1 points, 11 rebounds, and 9.9 assists per game through 41 appearances.
He’s doing this while shooting the ball at a mind-boggling 62.6% from the field. There seems to be no route to stopping his offense for any opposition center as things stand.
Jokic could become only the 3rd person to average a triple-double through the course of a season. And he’d do it with a field goal percentage far more efficient than both Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook.
If he finishes the season at the same pace and notches a triple-double average while the Nuggets hold on to their no. 1 seed, there will be little to stop him from winning MVP honors for a third straight season.
