Should people call out Jokic more for his lack of leadership?

[Ryoga Hibiki]

I have seen many Nuggets games over the last 7-8 years. I thought Jokic is having a top3 peak all time, and not necessarily 3rd.
I am not so sure anymore, and the reason for me is his approach and this has been severely hurting the Nuggets.
Because of how great he is, we always shielded him from any blame whenever the Nuggets lose, but I now suspect this is a mistake.
There's a concept they teach you in those manager trainings, coined by Peter Drucker, it's called 'the shadow of the leader".
Whatever you do, when you ar at the top, people in your organization will look at you and pick up your habits.
This is very true in the NBA, the culture of the organization is often an emanation of its best player. Popovich said many times that the Spurs were the Spurs because Timmeh allowed him to coach. There's a famous clip of Steven Jackson admitting how seeing Timmeh accepting criticism forced him to do the same.

The Nuggets are again failing to keep the effort and the attention to details, with a different coach, throwing games they shouldn't lose. In the past we've seen Jamal coming out of shape not being called out. We do see Jokic taking plays off today.
If something is not working in the locker room, the best player must be held accountable for that. He commands enough respect to make everyone follow him. But it's not happening, and I think we should stop blaming everyone but him.

[tsherkin]

If something is not working in the locker room, the best player must be held accountable for that. He commands enough respect to make everyone follow him. But it's not happening, and I think we should stop blaming everyone but him.

That seems odd. He's doing his job. He doesn't have telepathic control over his teammates, nor the ability to do their jobs for them. Cam Johnson had a rough one and Jamal Murray didn't play the 4th due to injury. Jokic himself didn't have a particularly strong shooting performance, especially in the 4th, but the idea that he should be singled out over and above everyone else doesn't make sense. That isn't how leadership works; guys don't just WILL the rest of the team to do their jobs.

[kingr]

I think Jokic is mad overrated on this board, but no. He's won a championship with this same 'leadership', and he's playing great. They are without aaron gordon who's a key piece to their team. If he was playing, they'd be winning more and this wouldn't be thing.

[TheGeneral99]

They are 14-6 (which is on pace to 57 games)...what the **** else do you want?

Not every team is going to win every single game of an 82 game season...lol.

Oh and Denver has done that despite Murray missing 7 games and Braun missing 9 games. Jokic is one of the few superstars that shows up every game and doesn't do any load management. He's a great leader, makes everyone around him significantly better, is humble as heck and does literally everything for his team. Unreal.

[Ben-N1ce]

Best player doesn't need to be the leader. Kendrick Perkins led OKC. Just ask him.

[Optms]

If something is not working in the locker room, the best player must be held accountable for that. He commands enough respect to make everyone follow him. But it's not happening, and I think we should stop blaming everyone but him.

That seems odd. He's doing his job. He doesn't have telepathic control over his teammates, nor the ability to do their jobs for them. Cam Johnson had a rough one and Jamal Murray didn't play the 4th due to injury. Jokic himself didn't have a particularly strong shooting performance, especially in the 4th, but the idea that he should be singled out over and above everyone else doesn't make sense. That isn't how leadership works; guys don't just WILL the rest of the team to do their jobs.

You also omitted lack of defense from the Joker which is a pretty big deal. OP isn't saying he should do his teammates job for them, he is pointing out the terrible body language, the lack of defense and the fact that he isn't getting it done when someone of his talent level should be the deciding factor in a close game against a 6 win team.

[Ssj16]

I agree there is a component of leadership that Jokic fails to bring sometime but the season is so early, their team is injured and I think it's about the bigger picture.

If he can get the others like Cam Johnson, Peyton and Spencer to cook and conserve his energy for playoffs, that should be the primary focus.

People can criticize the regular season all they want but Jokic will be judged by his playoff success and that's where I would scrutinize his leadership.

[Optms]

I think Jokic is mad overrated on this board, but no. He's won a championship with this same 'leadership', and he's playing great. They are without aaron gordon who's a key piece to their team. If he was playing, they'd be winning more and this wouldn't be thing.

Lets get to the bare bones of the matter, he won in a weak year where he played no 50 win teams and faced a Heat team that was starting Kyle Lowry and the corpse of Kevin Love.

Yeah, overrated.

[Ssj16]

If something is not working in the locker room, the best player must be held accountable for that. He commands enough respect to make everyone follow him. But it's not happening, and I think we should stop blaming everyone but him.

That seems odd. He's doing his job. He doesn't have telepathic control over his teammates, nor the ability to do their jobs for them. Cam Johnson had a rough one and Jamal Murray didn't play the 4th due to injury. Jokic himself didn't have a particularly strong shooting performance, especially in the 4th, but the idea that he should be singled out over and above everyone else doesn't make sense. That isn't how leadership works; guys don't just WILL the rest of the team to do their jobs.

You also omitted lack of defense from the Joker which is a pretty big deal. OP isn't saying he should do his teammates job for them, he is pointing out the terrible body language, the lack of defense and the fact that he isn't getting it done when someone of his talent level should be the deciding factor in a close game against a 6 win team.

Do you hold the same accountability for the Luka and his lack of defense?

[KGtabake]

No, they should leave him be and stop complaining all the time about whatever reason.

[Optms]

That seems odd. He's doing his job. He doesn't have telepathic control over his teammates, nor the ability to do their jobs for them. Cam Johnson had a rough one and Jamal Murray didn't play the 4th due to injury. Jokic himself didn't have a particularly strong shooting performance, especially in the 4th, but the idea that he should be singled out over and above everyone else doesn't make sense. That isn't how leadership works; guys don't just WILL the rest of the team to do their jobs.

You also omitted lack of defense from the Joker which is a pretty big deal. OP isn't saying he should do his teammates job for them, he is pointing out the terrible body language, the lack of defense and the fact that he isn't getting it done when someone of his talent level should be the deciding factor in a close game against a 6 win team.

Do you hold the same accountability for the Luka and his lack of defense?

Yes.

[Ssj16]

I think Jokic is mad overrated on this board, but no. He's won a championship with this same 'leadership', and he's playing great. They are without aaron gordon who's a key piece to their team. If he was playing, they'd be winning more and this wouldn't be thing.

Lets get to the bare bones of the matter, he won in a weak year where he played no 50 win teams and faced a Heat team that was starting Kyle Lowry and the corpse of Kevin Love.

Yeah, overrated.

I already debunked this myth that they won in a weak year. Laker fans are so salty because if they had won, the championship would have been legitimized somehow.

[Ssj16]

You also omitted lack of defense from the Joker which is a pretty big deal. OP isn't saying he should do his teammates job for them, he is pointing out the terrible body language, the lack of defense and the fact that he isn't getting it done when someone of his talent level should be the deciding factor in a close game against a 6 win team.

Do you hold the same accountability for the Luka and his lack of defense?

Yes.

This is hilarious, I don't recall seeing any post on this from you. However, I see you posting that Luka can rival SGA to win the MVP.

[Mavrelous]

Not seeing this at all TBH, he's a great leader, he just doesn't have the personnel to compete now w/o his best 2 defenders.

[EmpireFalls]

Just call him out for his lazy defense.

[tsherkin]

You also omitted lack of defense from the Joker which is a pretty big deal.

He plays defense. He just isn't an ATG defender. That isn't the same thing.

[TheGeneral99]

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[Optms]

Do you hold the same accountability for the Luka and his lack of defense?

Yes.

This is hilarious, I don't recall seeing any post on this from you. However, I see you posting that Luka can rival SGA to win the MVP.

Don Luka was winning without Lebron and carrying the play-in Lakers to the second best record in the West. I am very partial but have given him the benefit of the doubt due to his extraordinary shape.

[hagredionis]

That seems odd. He's doing his job. He doesn't have telepathic control over his teammates, nor the ability to do their jobs for them. Cam Johnson had a rough one and Jamal Murray didn't play the 4th due to injury. Jokic himself didn't have a particularly strong shooting performance, especially in the 4th, but the idea that he should be singled out over and above everyone else doesn't make sense. That isn't how leadership works; guys don't just WILL the rest of the team to do their jobs.

You also omitted lack of defense from the Joker which is a pretty big deal. OP isn't saying he should do his teammates job for them, he is pointing out the terrible body language, the lack of defense and the fact that he isn't getting it done when someone of his talent level should be the deciding factor in a close game against a 6 win team.

Do you hold the same accountability for the Luka and his lack of defense?

Luka is not a center so it's not his job to anchor the defense and provide rim protection. But that is the job of a center. That's how basketball works, the center is the most important position for a good defense.

[HMFFL]

If something is not working in the locker room, the best player must be held accountable for that. He commands enough respect to make everyone follow him. But it's not happening, and I think we should stop blaming everyone but him.

A good leader won't be liked or followed by all.