Thunderous Intentions
Fansided

First meeting between OKC Thunder – Nuggets: preview

By Tamberlyn Richardson

OKC Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) controls the ball against Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15): Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
OKC Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) controls the ball against Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15): Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 3
Next
OKC Thunder
Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets goes to the basket against Isaiah Roby #22 of the OKC Thunder. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

Key matchup:

There are a handful of players in the NBA who are arguably unguardable and Jokic is one of them. Some of the best big men in the league stuggle to contain him so asking young Thunder centers to limit him is a big ask.

Making Jokic even more impressive is he impacts winning possibly more than any of his peers. Steph Curry creates space for all his teammates, Kevin Durant is one of the purist shooters from all areas of the court and Giannis Antetokounmpo is a beast on the fast break or near the basket.

Jokic on the other hand can take over a game in all three key areas. If the Nuggets need him to be the primary scorer or make sure they win the glass he can and his playmaking is on par with the best guards in the NBA.

And that is what makes him so dangerous he can dominate all three of those areas, usually all at once. Send two defenders at him and he’ll find the open shooter. Back off him and he’ll make you pay both at the basket and from the perimeter.

There is no one like him and while his name doesn’t get enough shine for MVP none of his counterparts compare in terms of how much he impacts winning. His on/off court statistics are mind boggling. Denver scores 15.4 more points with him on the court than off and defensively they allow teams to score 12.6 more points when he sits for a gaudy positive +28 point differential.

Consider his production this season and how overall he’s putting up better percentages than he did last year – his MVP season.

To wit, Jokic is averaging 26.3 points, 13.5 rebounds (2.4 on the offensive glass), 7.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.7 long balls per game at a 38.1 percent efficiency. Jokic is doing this without Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. or PJ Dozier and playing two minutes less per game.

He leads every key category for the Nuggets other than steals and 3-pointers made (he’s second in both). Suffice to say Mark Daigneault will need a masterful game plan to limit his effect because no one can stop him.

Home/Thunder News