Nikola Jokić has redefined what dominance looks like in today’s NBA, and he’s done it without relying on the typical blueprint of raw athleticism or flashy highlight reels. Defenses know exactly what the Joker wants to do, yet they still can’t stop him from picking them apart with passing angles no one else even sees.
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What really sets Jokić apart is how many different ways he can beat you on any given night. If you force him to score, he’ll drop 40 with ease. If you double him, he’ll rack up 15+ assists. The Serbian sensation is a reigning three-time MVP, probably should have won it five times, and a one-time NBA champ. And he’s not done yet.
To accurately break down Nikola’s greatness, you’d need to hear it from one of his teammates. DeAndre Jordan did just that. The former Nugget, now Pelican, was interviewed on All The Smoke about what makes Jokic stand apart from other top players in the league. Jordan immediately credited the big guy’s b-ball IQ.
“His IQ is off the charts. He lets the game come to him. You can’t speed him up. I think that’s like a big advantage to a player like him,” stated the one-time All-Star. He’s not the first person to say this, either. Many have credited Jokic for being one of the smartest players the game has seen in decades. Perhaps the smartest ever?
“He can score on all three levels. He can score in the post, floater, elbow. He can shoot the 3, and if not, you close him out, and he drives right by you,” added DeAndre, reminding listeners how the Joker is as dangerous an offensive weapon as SGA, Brunson, or even LeBron.
But one area that Jordan doesn’t feel like Jokic gets enough credit for is his defensive efforts. “People don’t give him enough credit defensively, I feel like. He’s not blocking shots off the backboard, but he’s there, contesting shots.
“He’s got quick hands. He’s getting strips and steals. He’s kicking the ball 1000 times a game on those pocket passes,” he stated. Jordan then put it as simple as you could. “He just knows the game man, that’s what separates him.”
It was Brian Windhorst who revealed recently that per 100 possessions with Jokic on the floor, the Nuggets score 151 points and defensively, give up merely 104. Otherworldly stats that put his MVP case into a broader perspective.
And he looks like he’s trying to pick up right where he left off. Denver is currently out to a 10-3 start and only trail the defending champion Thunder in the West. Jokic’s numbers are as consistent as they’ve always been, which means if he stays healthy, the Nugs are guaranteed a playoff birth.
So the NBA better start waking up, especially in the West. If teams like Minnesota or the Lakers want to have any chance of stacking up against the league’s best player, they need to start outsmarting him, outmuscling him, and outscoring him. And even then, the Joker will find a way to stand tall.
