DCasey91 wrote:HotRocks34 wrote:As far as people guarding Jokic nobody currently in the league can check him one on one. Zubac and Nurkic are probably the two best options and Jokic hit the Clips for 41 points on 14/26 FGA earlier this year when they tried to have Zubac single cover him. Eventually he'll solve one on one coverage and roll it.
I think in the two games Jokic played Nurkic last season he averaged 23 PPG on 47% FG (17/36). Not his typical 26 ppg on 58% last year but I would not call that being shut down. Just a bit slowed. In the two outings, a win and a loss, Jokic had 21/5/16 with a 30 NBA EFF (very good) and 25/16/5 with a 27 NBA EFF (good). Nurkic didn't play in the teams' third meeting.
Squads that are good at double teaming Jokic, like the Thunder, often do best against the Nuggets.
I don't know what Zubac weighs these days but I think Nurkic is like 290 lbs. Ayton used to do ok against Jokic and he's like 250.
In order to try and guard Jokic someone has to be tall, heavy and strong. Anthony Davis is like 6' 9" barefoot and 250 and he can't do anything against Jokic. He doesn't have the length or body leverage. Jokic is 6' 11" and maybe 275 himself.
I'd like to see Ewing (255) and Robinson (250) defending Jokic but I don't know if either of them has enough mass to get the job done, particularly Robinson. Hakeem (260) and Shaq (300) might be better options. Hakeem was an extremely strong guy.
Those four weren't used to routinely checking guys out to the three point line, however, and that would make things tougher for them.
Jokic is a unique blend of bulk and finesse, as well as shooting. I doubt any historical figure would be able to consistently lock him down one on one.
I know people harp on Embiid but he's literally the ideal matchup defensively. More used to modern setups obviously and Jokic can't overwhelm him on the strength department
Jokic cooks Gobert because he's way too smart when length isn't the be all and end all.
There was a game where Ben and Embiid caused a great deal stoppage along with Tucker. It's sad but Ben style wise is a brilliant match against Luka/Tatum and somehow Lillard
But yeah ironically outside of Curry you do not under any circumstance let Jokic/Shaq Bron and Jordan dictate play inside. When it happens its a nightmare to slow down.
Philly may have been the first team to use a PF to guard Jokic because Embiid picked up some quick fouls checking him. That started in Jan 2023, about two years ago.
https://www.libertyballers.com/2023/1/29/23576354/doc-rivers-halftime-adjustment-turned-p-j-tucker-into-an-unlikely-heroThat concept then spread throughout the league and led to the steady double teaming of Jokic we see today, frequently done with a PF on Jokic and the center guarding the rim to stop Jokic from driving. There's a few variations of the coverage but I think the Sixers moving Embiid off Jokic in that game got the ball rolling.
Embiid does have the physical profile to guard Jokic (tall, heavy) but I'm not sure if he's disciplined enough as a defender to do so consistently without fouling.
I believe Philly still uses the same "PF on Jokic" strategy today, at least when Embiid plays. This is from the meeting in Philadelphia last season (Embiid did not play in Denver).
This is what Embiid said about Tucker guarding Jokic in 2023. There's more in the article but partly he says it's hard to guard Jokic without fouling but another thing he added is that it's tough to defend Jokic's passes to cutters so it may actually be better to have the center guard the rim from cutters Jikic passes to and let a PF guard Jokic straight up. And that's how a lot of teams play Denver and Jokic now.
