2004-2023 CBS Interactive. 40: 111: 204: 54.4: 14: 38: 36.8: 77: 94: 81.9: 31 +87: Explore. Two-time defending NBA MVP Nikola Jokic dominated on Wednesday night, nearly racking up a triple-double with 31 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists and four steals in the Denver Nuggets' 110-99 . "It's just so hard with the advent of technology, and training, and eating to compare an athlete of Russell's time to the modern athlete. Furthermore, neither of them are athletically gifted and received doubts from pre-draft scouts because of their physique. Nikola Jokic is 1 of 2 players in NBA history to shoot 10-10 or better from the field in a triple-double. Wilt Chamberlain has been dethroned as the benchmark for triple-doubles among centers, with Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic now wearing the crown. Today, Jokic stands tall as one of the superstars of the league and the reigning MVP too. 40. The carbonated beverage was Jokics addiction, which he quit while on his flight to Denver. Jokic participated in the rest of Tuesday's practice, so it appears the wrist issue is minor and shouldn't impact his availability or usage moving forward. Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets | NBA.com They averaged 124 points in that series behind Butlers 37.6 per game, but they pulled this one out with old-fashioned defense and rebounding that has always worked so well before for them at this time of year. Embiid has a sprained lateral collateral ligament (LCL) and, as of this writing, is officially listed as doubtful for Game 1. First, let's talk about Shannon's third candidate for the crown. When the Denver Nuggets selected Nikola Jokic as the 41st pick in the 2014 NBA draft, people did not expect him to become a star. JokicNikola15 I know Nikola Jokic and I wouldn't trade him for [very many] players in the world. Almost pulled from NBA Draft. Big man back. Jokic has been durable throughout his NBA career, but he once missed a week of practice and a couple of games overseas due to inflammation in his right hand. In Game 7, Sabonis was 8-of-10 on shots in the paint, 2-of- 6 from everywhere else (he took and missed one 3), and Looney dominated him in the paint. Lineups Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. 28. Advanced metric king. Its been that way all season. I didnt know it was a 40, 27 and 10 night, Nuggets Coach Michael Malone said after the game Sunday. 42-40. nikola jokic 40 yard dash time. Thats the level Jokic is at nowadays: Even his off games are record-breaking. 41. He was the best center for most of the 80's, won a title as the best player, and has 3 MVPs. Yes, faster. Hand size: 9 7/8" Arm length: 33 1/2" Wingspan: 79 1/8" Combine drills, performance No shirt on. Spin: After averaging 12.4 rebounds per game in Denver's first-round series victory over Minnesota, Jokic routinely outworked Deandre Ayton in Saturday's dominant victory. Where does Jokic rank among Europe's all-time greats? Splits Isaiah J. Downing/USA Today Sports, via Reuters, the only center in the leagues top 20 in steals. Dirk Nowitzki (@swish41) October 23, 2015. This was a massive step in the right direction after posting a -- for his standards -- modest line of 13 points, 14 rebounds and six assists in the series opener. How do the contenders stack up against each other? Jokic posted 24 points (9-21 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 5-5 FT), 19 rebounds and five assists across 33 minutes during Saturday's 125-107 victory over the Suns in . Home; Tickets; Schedule. Jokic finished with 28 points (8-29 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 9-10 FT), 17 rebounds, 12 assists, two blocks and two steals over 42 minutes during Tuesday's 112-109 victory over the Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals. Nikola Jokic Stats, News, Bio | ESPN The average MVP doesnt make this flashy of a pass when double teamed. Jokic posted 24 points (9-21 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 5-5 FT), 19 rebounds and five assists across 33 minutes during Saturday's 125-107 victory over the Suns in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals. He finds ways to touch the ball. Jokic recorded the 79th triple-double of his . That was the amuse-bouche for minutes later, when he coolly tossed a blind over-the-head pass from the low post to Aaron Gordon for another dunk. But either way, once the legendary Russellthrew his hat into the ring, the discussion was on. Clutch. Andrew Wiggins is going to get the LeBron assignment and generally has done well defending him, but the Warriors need Wiggins to have a series like he did in the Finals last year. Which is pretty insane when you think about all the other times he has left our jaws on the floor. He was missing layups and had been called for a technical foul. Pick-and-roll. Two, just because the regular season didnt go the way we wanted it to go or other people wanted it to go, doesnt mean we werent developing grit and tough habits and good things. Eventually, Denver traded Nurkic, who the team had drafted 25 spots ahead of the Joker. When Jokic is on the court, the Nuggets offense is on par with the leagues best teams. 28. Watch the moment Nikola Jokic set the Denver Nuggets' all-time franchise record for assists with this slick pass to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as the Nuggets t. P.J. Nikola Joki You just have to be ready for the ball, no matter where you are or where he is on the court because he can find you, Zeke Nnaji, a third-year reserve forward for the Nuggets, said in the locker room on Sunday. Latest on Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN . Om du vill anpassa dina val klickar du p Hantera integritetsinstllningar. Al Horford and other Celtics bigs (outside Robert Williams III) can space the floor and make Embiid cover ground. I mean, he was Air Jordan.". Jokic is not fast. While continuing to play in Europe as an NBA Draft pick, Jokic nearly signed with another professional basketball club instead of joining the team that drafted him. Todos os direitos reservados. News: 2 days ago Jokic finished with 28 points (8-29 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 9-10 FT), 17 rebounds, 12 assists, two blocks and two steals over 42 minutes during Tuesday's 112-109 victory over the . In fact, as a pre-teen, he once quit basketball and left a game at halftime for a chariot horse race. nikola jokic 40 yard dash time . Hes got abs. One of the most effective plays the Nuggets run involves Jokic catching the ball around the free-throw line, leaving the entire court at his disposal. Ive never seen him have abs before.. Double-digit dimes. Golden State will need more out of Jordan Poole than they got against Sacramento. This wasnt a good matchup for Philly under the best of circumstances. While rehabbing his left ankle, Jokic tried not to put weight on his compromised foot as he got shot ups in practice. He would just make people look silly, and then he had the kind of quickness that could turn into acrobatic quickness because he could jump out of the gym as we saw in the slam dunk contest. February 19, In fact, he was so dominant thatformer NBA star Jalen Rose believes Chamberlainis in a category of his ownwhen it comes to NBA History. . STEPH IS IN A LEAGUE OF HIS OWN pic.twitter.com/xUR53sB6yy, Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) April 30, 2023, Steph was elite, Kings coach Mike Brown said. Jokic shot 121-for-235 (51.5%) from that distance during his MVP campaign. And Jokic does have shortcomings: Hes not a strong defender, even though hes the only center in the leagues top 20 in steals. DENVER (AP) Nikola Jokic had a triple-double and Jamal Murray scored 35 points as the Denver Nuggets eliminated the Minnesota Timberwolves 112-109 in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series . He played before Barcelona representatives and the signing of the contract was postponed.. during his MVP season. AsSharpe pointed out, Wilt Chamberlain has a great argument for being the best athlete in NBA history as well not onlybecause ofhis track and field achievements, butbecause of what he accomplished at his size. . This is a Celtics team that plays with its food. Kevon Looney's historically elite rebounding provided separation in a winner-take-all Game 7. Nikola Jokic sets Nuggets' franchise all-time assists record (3,680 Sodas in Serbia. They started strong and led most of the first half, but the Heat eventually got the Madison Square Garden crowd quieter and quieter as the game went on. Menu GOAT comparisons. While, Those plays also illustrate his mid-range touch, which is among the best in the NBA. in a newspaper. nikola jokic 40 yard dash time. 21. Two years ago, Kobe gave Jokic a challenge: Win MVP. As a team the Kings shot under 40%, 25.5% from 3, and had an offensive rating of 104.2. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy That's how good he was Who would you compare the guy to? Hyperbole? He took advantage of the opportunity by averaging 10 points per game on 51.2% shooting and making the NBA All-Rookie First Team. The 6-foot-11 Serbian can score in the interior he finished second in points scored via post-ups but he skillfully operates as a playmaker in Denvers offense. 1. Watch Nikola Jokic's top highlights and moves from his award-winning season. Joker, Big Honey, Cookie Monster, Yoke, Big Tipper are nicknames for Nikola Joki. Jokic became the first player in NBA history to lead his team in points, rebounds and assists for four straight seasons. 2. Jokic is questionable for Wednesday's game versus the Timberwolves due to a right wrist sprain. You expect it to be tough, coach Erik Spoelstra said. Advanced Game Log Embiid did not practice Saturday, Rivers calls him doubtful NBA playoffs first round results, schedule, times and where to watch, Three takeaways from Celtics Game 6 win to eliminate Hawks, Durant, Lillard, NBA Twitter react to Curry dropping 50 in Game 7, There will be a Game 7 Monk, Fox run Kings past Warriors for win, Knicks Julius Randle out for Game 1 vs. Miami Heat, Three things to watch: Miami Heat renew rivalry with New York Knicks, With the Milwaukee Bucks out of the picture, The pre-playoffs conventional wisdom on how this series might play out. Opposing teams with quick guards often look to attack him when hes on defense. Jokic, listed at 6-foot-11, has nine dunks on the year. With new Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers sitting courtside, Love fired three long passes for scores, with Butlers basket on the last one capping the run and giving the Heat a 74-66 lead. Denvers system is run through Jokic, who touched the ball 7,269 times this season, over a thousand more than the next player (Russell Westbrook, 6,192). It took Chamberlain 703 games, while Jokic accomplished the feat in 416. Michael Wilbon, the ESPN broadcaster and longtime M.V.P. He began with watching highlights of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, then eventually drifted to the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon and Magic Johnson. The pre-playoffs conventional wisdom on how this series might play out became the reality of Game 7: Curry and the Warriors are going to get theirs, could the Kings score with them when it matters? Each individual will have their own opinion. Any chance Philadelphia has in this series is rooted in MVP-level Joel Embiid being the best player on the floor in at least four games. Maybe its because he doesnt do many commercials and isnt active on social media. Contact him at. 41. West Semifinals - Game 2, DEN LEADS SERIES 1-0. They did it without needing the type of huge performances Butler delivered in the first round, when he scored 56 and 42 points in the final two games. They continue to look nothing like a team that was only three games above .500 when they reached April and needed to win a play-in game just to get the final postseason berth in the East. Eventually, Denver traded Nurkic, who the team had drafted 25 spots ahead of the Joker. This season he accounted for over 40% of the field goals his teammates made while he was on the court, which is the highest assist percentage in NBA history from a center. As slow as Dirk Nowitzki is his average speed on the court last season was 3.7 miles per hour, the slowest of any Mavs player (although the offense doesnt call for him to be the guy on the move a lot) having seen Manning have to scramble a few times this year, Ill take Dirk. Nuggets will dominate again | Can Stars wake up? The Warriors now move on to a TNT/Disney television executives dream Curry vs. LeBron James. Inside the numbers behind Nikola Jokic's repeat as Kia NBA MVP Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. As the season's leading MVP candidate, Nikola Jokic is showing out, averaging 26.2 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 8.6 assists per game on 56.8% shooting. Shoots: As the youngest player on the Serbian National Team at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Jokic led the team in rebounds and helped secure a silver medal for his country. Jokic became the first player in NBA history to lead his team in points, rebounds and assists for four straight seasons. In April, Jokic recorded his 81st career game with at least 10 assists, passing Wilt Chamberlain for the most such games in NBA history among centers. To put that into context: Only 16 players made at least 100 mid-range shots this season, and, Not to Jordan or LeBron, but Tom Brady. He was missing layups and had been called for a technical foul. But is the slow poke slower than Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning? 29. all are 27 or younger. None of that matters when you can deliver touchdowns. Early in the third quarter against Memphis on Tuesday, Jokic caught the ball near the perimeter, instantly tossed the ball between his legs without looking and found a cutting Bruce Brown for a dunk, drawing oohs and aahs from the crowd. It shows that he was athletic, he was versatile. None of that matters when you can deliver touchdowns. When he shoots 3-pointers, he slowly winds up and casually flicks his wrist, as if basketball is interrupting his day. Marvelous in mid-range. Jokic puts a rainbow arc on his shots like no other, and it often requires the camera to adjust. Pot of gold. Michael Jordan had electric quickness, he had quicker than the eye quickness. Kevin Huerter shot 2-of-9. Jokic often pins the ball with one hand away from defenders and keeps his upper body straight when making passes. 39. After that, its Tobias Harris on the wing. The Nuggets would subsequently promise to select the Serbian prospect at pick 41 if he reentered the Draft pool. "I think [Russell] has a compelling argument but I think the better argument is between Wilt and LeBron Now, we don't have LeBron as a college athlete but we know he played football up until his junior year and he was All-State in football, had over 1,200 yards receiving and I think double digit touchdowns. Not to Jordan or LeBron, but Tom Brady. Hed start behind, but do a slow mans Usain Bolt where his long legs and strides would run down Manning in the last 20 yards. Mascot mugger. With Jimmy Butler hobbled late by an ankle injury, Miami gets big performances from Kyle Lowry and Kevin Love to take the series opener in New York. around water polo, one of the top sports in Serbia. Now, now, Spencer we'll get to MJ. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Monday, May 1, 4:39AM. He sent me a picture, Nuggets president Tim Connelly, . section: | slug: | sport: basketball | route: player_profile_home | 25. To put that into context: Only 16 players made at least 100 mid-range shots this season, and only elite point guards Kyrie Irving (54.4%) and Chris Paul (51.6%) connected at a higher clip. 41 reasons Nikola Jokic is one of the most unique MVPs ever The second-round pick continued to play overseas after the Nuggets selected him in the 2014 draft. In a chat with ESPN's Rachel Nichols, The Joker talked about his transition to the NBA, admitting to sleeping during draft night and even how poorly conditioned he was to deal with his new surroundings. For a man who makes a living running up and down a hardwood floor, Dirk Nowitzki is not exactly fast. After averaging 12.4 rebounds per game in Denver's first-round series victory over Minnesota, Jokic routinely outworked Deandre Ayton in Saturday's dominant victory. Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic won the Most Valuable Player Award the last two seasons and is still playing as well as ever. I want to come off the bench. At a time when the game began to drift away from big men, Jokic became the first center since Shaquille ONeal to win the MVP award. Morant, at 6-foot-2, has 19. Given the wrist injury is no longer bothering him, expect Jokic to go at full throttle in Game 3 on Friday. Looney played well against Sabonis, but Anthony Davis is at another level right now, can the Warriors contain him? The Kings have a young core with Fox, Sabonis, Keegan Murray, Huerter, Monk, etc. These are two unique techniques that likely stem from. Nikola Jokic RUNS 40 Yard Dash in Nuggets Arena! - YouTube Denvers system is run through Jokic, who touched the ball. He did the back-to-back NBA MVP double thing with the Milwaukee . When Jokic was relayed Porter's message following Game 5, the two-time MVP . Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. After averaging 12.4 rebounds per game in Denver's first-round series victory over Minnesota, Jokic routinely outworked Deandre Ayton in Saturday's dominant victory. Use of this website (including any and all parts and components) constitutes your acceptance of these. With the Milwaukee Bucks out of the picture, this Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics series feels like it could be the real Eastern Conference Finals (the winner of Sixers vs. Celtics will be heavy favorites over the Heat or Knicks). And while we all know how good he has become, his journey to the league wasn't so easy, and it was far from typical. The talent is there, the focus comes and goes. Quick guards, like Charlottes Terry Rozier, center, often can zip past Jokic. That brings us to this point. The last Most Valuable Player to suit up for every contest was Kobe Bryant during the 2007-08 season. Name another MVP that was drafted during a Taco Bell commercial. 15. 20. Jokic is one of three players in NBA history to average at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for a season, joining Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook. AfterRusselllaid out his own argument, and Sharpe laid out his for James and Chamberlain, Bayless injected the name that most would think of in any debate involving LeBron James. Tucker will defend one of the Jays for stretches. Despite coming up against the size of both Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert, Jokic has been able to assert his dominance in the series. These are two unique techniques that likely stem from his upbringing around water polo, one of the top sports in Serbia. Limited-time dunker. pic.twitter.com/jN7GLV0Tfs, Denver Stiffs (@denverstiffs) June 8, 2021. Ive never seen him have abs before., How many MVPs created their signature move because of an injury? ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. The Warriors have been in these moments for a decade and had the poise to handle it. Thats a lot of weapons. Nikola Jokic becomes the first player in NBA history to - Reddit Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets, C - News, Stats, Bio Although, the more apt comparison for this race would be Charles Barkley vs. Dick Bavetta. They gradually narrowed the deficit before halftime, blew by the Knicks with a 21-5 run in the third quarter and pulled away to a double-digit lead in the fourth. De'Anthony Melton and Jalen McDaniels could see a bump in minutes because Doc Rivers seems them his best defensive options. That brings us to this point. Yet Jokic, 27, makes flashy passes look effortless and punishes opponents with brute force at the basket. He's the unstoppable force in the history of basketball, and it's not just dunks. Sabonis will be an All-NBA center this season, but at the very least the Kings need the right front-line players next to him to play off his strengths to take the next step. He sent me a picture, Nuggets president Tim Connelly said last June. Nikola Jokic's career season, along with his availability, helped him stand out from the rest of the field. Jokic, as he recalls, was asleep during the moment. Considering where he has elevated the Nuggets this year, it's safe to say his road has lead to victory. He stays to himself and off social media platforms. Jokic closed Sunday's 114-108 overtime loss to the Timberwolves in Game 4 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals with 43 points (15-26 FG, 5-8 3Pt, 8-12 FT), 11 rebounds, six assists and two steals across 39 minutes. Which team has the most wins as road dogs since 2014-15? The questions are if/when Embiid returns, and when he does how limited is he? If he is single-covered, Jokic simply backs down the defender or shoots over him. Shooting All Rights Reserved. Triple-doubles. WR measurements Height: 6'2" Weight: 225 lbs. Monday, May 1st vs Were just playing great basketball, Butler said in a postgame interview on the court with ABC, while still showing a limp after a fourth-quarter ankle sprain. Nuggets eliminate Wolves 112-109 behind Murray, Jokic 25 games) was when Hakeem Olajuwon did so in. and just in time. Then I came here with probably the worst-conditioned body in the NBA.". The Knicks were without All-Star forward Julius Randle because of a sprained left ankle and they surely missed him when the transition points dried up and it became a half-court game. 01444899 info@futureinternationalschools.com. 38. He is not only the first MVP in franchise history, but Jokic is already the teams all-time leader in career double-doubles and triple-doubles. Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray lament "missed opportunity" to sweep Wolves This season he accounted for over 40% of the field goals his teammates made while he was on the court, which is the, The 6-foot-11 Serbian can score in the interior he finished second in points scored via, Its uncommon for an MVP to transform his body in the way Jokic did, reportedly, around 30 pounds when he first came to the states, then slimming down even more during the NBA stoppage. Like his Coach Mike Malone, I too know this kid's name. He also admitted to drinking a gallon of Coca-Cola a day. Its uncommon for an MVP to transform his body in the way Jokic did, reportedly shedding around 30 pounds when he first came to the states, then slimming down even more during the NBA stoppage. 4. Jokic ranked 60th in the NBA in dunks this season with 45, the lowest total for a frontcourt MVP since Dirk Nowitzki (20) in 2006-07. Despite participating in practice Tuesday and declaring his wrist isn't an issue, the Nuggets are listing Jokic as questionable. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Give the Warriors defense credit for some of that, but a lot of it was just the Kings learning how to play in these moments. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Guys, they dont know what hes going to do because hes got such great footwork. At a time when the game began to drift away from big men, Jokic became the first center since Shaquille ONeal to win the MVP award. Nikola Jokic is far from your typical NBA star. For a player not known for his defense, Jokics active hands allowed him to rank top five in total deflections (. ) Spin: After averaging 12.4 rebounds per game in Denver's first-round series victory over Minnesota, Jokic routinely outworked Deandre Ayton in Saturday's dominant victory. Tracking data for deflections did not become available until 2016, but none of the five prior MVPs reached the feat during their respective award-winning campaigns. NFL undrafted free agent tracker 2023: Where Ohio State's players are Its not common for a future NBA superstar to drink three liters of Coke every day before practice. Already a Nuggets pioneer. 18. Award. Nothing emphasizes Jokics value to his team more than his gargantuan number of touches on offense. Ls vr integritetspolicy och cookiepolicy fr att f mer information om hur vi anvnder dina personuppgifter. Connaughton sank a 3-pointer that capped an 11-0 run to put Milwaukee ahead 62-41 with 5:29 left in the second quarter. The reports of the death of the Warriors era have been greatly exaggerated. easy canvas painting with black background. In April, Jokic recorded his 81st career game with at least 10 assists, passing Wilt Chamberlain for the most such games in NBA history among centers. The almost routine dominance of Jokic Malone called him a generational talent is bolstering his case to become the first N.B.A. He reassured me that he wasnt going to be a liability and he wanted to stay in there and make sure we get this win, Spoelstra said. Some players seem to defy the laws of physics with their athleticism. It wasnt until YouTube came into Jokics life at age 14 that he discovered NBA talent.