How Good is Jokic?

[Mickey8]

Hey guys , I am a big fan of Nikola Jokic , I just want to post some of his games from the youth championships in which he competed . I think it might be interesting for the some of you Denver Nuggets fans. This is one is the FIBA U19 world championship game from 2013 , USA vs. Serbia . There are plenty of NBA players in this one , Okafor, Payton, Smart, Harell etc. Jokic was coming off the bench in this tournament , he had a very good game and overall good tournament , he was substitution to San Antonio first round draftee Nikola Milutinov and Nikola Jankovic who was chosen , as ideal starting five of the entire tournament . An Interesting fact , he only played once for the Serbian NT team in the youth competitions , and his team went all the way to the finals, same thing as the senior National Team player , last summer he played at Olympics , and he went all the way to the final game as well, he was one of the most important member of that squad.

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These are some of his games when he was 16 and 18 year old, you can notice his chubbiness in that period but the supreme talent of his was omnipresent.

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Red and White jersey #9

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Yellow Jersey #15

[Egg Nog]

As long as I can remember, he's looking like the BEST Center the Nuggets have ever had, including Marcus Camby who I hold as one of the best Nuggets ever

I'm surprised you mentioned Camby but not that one guy who averaged 11pts/12rbs/4.5blk in '95/'96.

He was a pretty good center, that guy.

[NuggetsWY]

As long as I can remember, he's looking like the BEST Center the Nuggets have ever had, including Marcus Camby who I hold as one of the best Nuggets ever

I'm surprised you mentioned Camby but not that one guy who averaged 11pts/12rbs/4.5blk in '95/'96.

He was a pretty good center, that guy.

LOL - yeah, he was pretty good - I also liked Camby and thought he was probably a great teammate, but old "what's his name" wasn't too bad at all - besides, I have to say that or that big finger might just poke me

I was also a fan of Wayne Cooper - but I'm just too old because The Horse is probably my favorite or at least right there with Deke --- I did not remember it, but I looked it up --- how many remember his actual name?

Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo

[Mickey8]

Hollinger Stats - Player Efficiency Rating - Qualified Players
RK PLAYER GP MPG TS% AST TO USG ORR DRR REBR PER VA EWA
1 Russell Westbrook, OKC 44 34.6 .542 23.6 12.5 42.4 6.1 27.9 17.2 29.51 420.8 14.0
2 Kawhi Leonard, SA 41 33.6 .626 12.5 7.5 28.4 4.2 15.1 9.8 28.38 367.7 12.3
3 Anthony Davis, NO 41 36.3 .578 7.7 8.4 30.4 6.6 28.0 17.2 28.36 374.9 12.5
4 Kevin Durant, GS 43 34.4 .660 17.6 8.3 26.4 2.1 23.4 13.6 28.25 391.5 13.1
5 James Harden, HOU 47 36.5 .616 28.5 14.2 35.1 3.8 21.0 12.5 28.02 448.4 14.9
6 Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL 42 34.8 .608 19.8 10.8 28.1 6.4 22.0 14.3 27.86 379.0 12.6
7 Chris Paul, LAC 36 30.9 .611 36.7 9.1 25.8 2.6 16.0 9.5 27.47 273.3 9.1
8 DeMarcus Cousins, SAC 42 34.5 .564 13.1 10.4 35.1 6.7 27.6 17.0 27.15 338.7 11.3
9 Isaiah Thomas, BOS 39 34.2 .617 18.7 7.8 32.9 2.1 6.9 4.5 27.02 319.0 10.6
10 Nikola Jokic, DEN 38 25.5 .660 22.6 10.6 22.0 11.8 24.2 18.1 26.00 209.9 7.0

He's ahead of Lebron and playing ten minutes less on average than the players on this list He's crazy efficient on the offense .

[TunaFish]

As long as I can remember, he's looking like the BEST Center the Nuggets have ever had, including Marcus Camby who I hold as one of the best Nuggets ever

I'm surprised you mentioned Camby but not that one guy who averaged 11pts/12rbs/4.5blk in '95/'96.

He was a pretty good center, that guy.

LOL - yeah, he was pretty good - I also liked Camby and thought he was probably a great teammate, but old "what's his name" wasn't too bad at all - besides, I have to say that or that big finger might just poke me

I was also a fan of Wayne Cooper - but I'm just too old because The Horse is probably my favorite or at least right there with Deke --- I did not remember it, but I looked it up --- how many remember his actual name?

Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo

No doubt there have been some good centers in Denver. With Jokic there is something different with him, his skills seem unique for a center. He is attracting attention from other teams who look as if they're trying to game plan for him. Not sure how you limit his passing opportunities. In fifty years of watching the nba closely, there have been only a few players that I can remember that can make such reads and distribute the ball so quickly but they were mostly point guards. I expect more turnovers if he continues to be the focal point of the offense just by increasing his numbers of touches. I can't predict his future but I have little doubt he has arrived.

[NuggetsWY]

I'm surprised you mentioned Camby but not that one guy who averaged 11pts/12rbs/4.5blk in '95/'96.

He was a pretty good center, that guy.

LOL - yeah, he was pretty good - I also liked Camby and thought he was probably a great teammate, but old "what's his name" wasn't too bad at all - besides, I have to say that or that big finger might just poke me

I was also a fan of Wayne Cooper - but I'm just too old because The Horse is probably my favorite or at least right there with Deke --- I did not remember it, but I looked it up --- how many remember his actual name?

Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo

No doubt there have been some good centers in Denver. With Jokic there is something different with him, his skills seem unique for a center. He is attracting attention from other teams who look as if they're trying to game plan for him. Not sure how you limit his passing opportunities. In fifty years of watching the nba closely, there have been only a few players that I can remember that can make such reads and distribute the ball so quickly but they were mostly point guards. I expect more turnovers if he continues to be the focal point of the offense just by increasing his numbers of touches. I can't predict his future but I have little doubt he has arrived.

Hmmm, some greats in 50 years, but demonstrate those traits Jokic is showing? Reads & distribute so quickly as you say? Sabonis & Walton have been mentioned. I'm not sure there have been any others. But I'm open to suggestions.

[lakerhater]

GSW fan here. Jokic is amazing and I now look forward to every game against the Nuggets in the future. Just a unique player who is the best passing center I've ever seen. The difference between him and the other centers that he's compared to is Jokic has handles and makes plays in transition like he's a PG.

[Klomp]

Ridiculous!

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[Mickey8]

That one to Murry was even nastier

[NuggetsWY]

Well, we surely don't get tired of watching him play, waiting for the next "nearly impossible pass"

[NuggetsWY]

http://milehighsports.com/nikola-jokic-deserves-all-star/
Article asks, "Why doesn't Jokic play more?" It's an interesting read.

[skywalker33]

As long as I can remember, he's looking like the BEST Center the Nuggets have ever had, including Marcus Camby who I hold as one of the best Nuggets ever

I'm surprised you mentioned Camby but not that one guy who averaged 11pts/12rbs/4.5blk in '95/'96.

He was a pretty good center, that guy.

Yeah my bad, but two different types of players. Jokic will never be as good defensively but Dikembo could never match the all-around play of Jokic.


Good call Egg Nog !!

[Mickey8]

It would be great if he choses not to participate at Eurobasket this year and spend summer break with the trainers working on his body .

[Sir Psycho Sexy]

It would be great if he choses not to participate at Eurobasket this year and spend summer break with the trainers working on his body .

Nah

[TunaFish]

LOL - yeah, he was pretty good - I also liked Camby and thought he was probably a great teammate, but old "what's his name" wasn't too bad at all - besides, I have to say that or that big finger might just poke me

I was also a fan of Wayne Cooper - but I'm just too old because The Horse is probably my favorite or at least right there with Deke --- I did not remember it, but I looked it up --- how many remember his actual name?

Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo

No doubt there have been some good centers in Denver. With Jokic there is something different with him, his skills seem unique for a center. He is attracting attention from other teams who look as if they're trying to game plan for him. Not sure how you limit his passing opportunities. In fifty years of watching the nba closely, there have been only a few players that I can remember that can make such reads and distribute the ball so quickly but they were mostly point guards. I expect more turnovers if he continues to be the focal point of the offense just by increasing his numbers of touches. I can't predict his future but I have little doubt he has arrived.

Hmmm, some greats in 50 years, but demonstrate those traits Jokic is showing? Reads & distribute so quickly as you say? Sabonis & Walton have been mentioned. I'm not sure there have been any others. But I'm open to suggestions.

I am bit too lazy to search for video to demonstrate my point but I will try to describe what I am seeing. Malone loves his weave and loves his hand offs at the top of the key, usually with Jokic being fed by the point guard. Jokic is so quick to read the defense and casually flip the ball to tightly covered cutters or drive for a floater. Incorporate that with pick and roles using guards as cutters and this offense is about letting Jokic operate. He is very deceptive with his passing, very quick with his decision making and his passes are usually very accurate. Lots of quick flips over and around the defense. Some of his passes look like something John Stockton would try.

I saw Walton many times up close and never saw this (saw a lot of quick moves and shots to the backboard). Sabonis was great at seeing the double team and passing out of it. Jokic is a different animal.

I am straining for a comparison but I remember Magic Johnson, who I thought was a great passer, play center when Kareem went down. Magic did some similar passing from the center position in a hand full of games. Magic didn't have the body to actually play center except in that emergency. That's the best I can come up with.
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[NuggetsWY]

Malone loves his weave and loves his hand offs at the top of the key ...

But that's only effective with players running the baseline and cutting to the basket, otherwise Jokic is just handing the ball to Nelson at the top of the key. Murray started the season running the baseline and cutting to the basket, but I think he's tired of being ignored, so if Jokic isn't in there, he's sitting in the corner wishing he had some knitting needles or something as he watches Nelson & Barton go one-on-one. Harris cuts pretty nice when Jokic has the ball and even Nelson has done it a few times now. But mostly the Nuggets stand around out at the 3pt line, waiting for the chance to jackup a shot.

However, our offense is being effective, so why not just let it go?
Has anyone noticed that Jokic's assist numbers are down in January when compared to December? I believe that's a true statement. What does that say?

[TunaFish]

Malone loves his weave and loves his hand offs at the top of the key ...

But that's only effective with players running the baseline and cutting to the basket, otherwise Jokic is just handing the ball to Nelson at the top of the key. Murray started the season running the baseline and cutting to the basket, but I think he's tired of being ignored, so if Jokic isn't in there, he's sitting in the corner wishing he had some knitting needles or something as he watches Nelson & Barton go one-on-one. Harris cuts pretty nice when Jokic has the ball and even Nelson has done it a few times now. But mostly the Nuggets stand around out at the 3pt line, waiting for the chance to jackup a shot.

However, our offense is being effective, so why not just let it go?
Has anyone noticed that Jokic's assist numbers are down in January when compared to December? I believe that's a true statement. What does that say?

I think by now everyone can see the passing skill and also wonder why he doesn't get more assists. My own take is that the playmaking calls for his initial passes to be at or near the top of the key, meaning that the receiving player has to take a dribble to get to the basket. If they had hockey assists, Jokic would lead the league. There is also the problem of a lot of misses by those same players. I fully expect that as Jokic's minutes increase, so will his numbers.

[NuggetsWY]

Malone likes to claim Jokic doesn't get more minutes because he has foul problem and there have been a few games where that was true, but here's an interesting stat for you:

Jokic averages 3.1 fouls per game -- leads the team
Nelson averages 2.8 fouls per game - second on the team

[Mickey8]

Myles Turner: I like watching (LaMarcus Aldridge) and how he reads guards. Oh, another guy is [Nikola] Jokic. He’s a peer and I play against him now, but he has incredible vision. It’s cool the way he picks apart defenses. I’ve seen a couple games where he’s out there facilitating as a seven-footer. Another is [Jonas] Valanciunas. I actually learned a lot from him last year in the playoffs.
– via HoopsHype

[Mickey8]

Triple double first game coming out of injury, the kid is crazy good