Beyond his dangerous mix of athleticism and skill, one of the primary reasons Nikola Jokic is the best NBA player in the world right now is his on-court intelligence. On Saturday night, in the biggest game in the Denver Nuggets’ franchise history, the two-time MVP used his basketball acumen to bury the Los Angeles Lakers and put Denver on the doorstep of the NBA Finals.
How, you might ask?
According to Nuggets head coach Mike Malone, Jokic actually called the plays in Denver’s offense in the closing minutes as it reeled L.A. in for a 3-0 series lead. Unsurprisingly, Jokic understands his teammates — like working a great two-man game with Jamal Murray — and he knows what can pick apart an elite defense like the Lakers.
The ensuing stellar results straight out of Jokic’s creative basketball mind should have been predictable.
"That was Nikola's call…"
Denver HC Michael Malone on Nikola Jokic deciding what action to run down the stretch of Game 3.#NBAConferenceFinals presented by @GooglePixel_US pic.twitter.com/92xzb45pWQ
— NBA (@NBA) May 21, 2023
Michael Malone says Nikola Jokic was calling the plays down the stretch tonight. In Nuggets huddles, Jokic was telling his teammates to clear one side of the floor so he and Jamal Murray could run two-man game. "Coach Jokic did a great job tonight, said Malone.
— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) May 21, 2023
Jamal Murray’s return to spectacular shooting form is clearly not the only reason the Nuggets are the new comfortable NBA title favorites. They have players like Jokic who know the team inside and out and can keep matters humming along by themselves.
It’s a testament to their unity and the excellent coaching job Malone has done this postseason.
