Is Nikola Jokic the Best Passing Center of All Time?
August 19, 2019
After his third season in the league averaging 6.1 assists and playing 75 games of a possible 82, rumblings of
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After his third season in the league averaging 6.1 assists and playing 75 games of a possible 82, rumblings of
The 2019 NBA offseason has already become one with widespread ramifications, and free agency has yet to begin.
The New Orleans Pelicans and Los Angeles Lakers got things started when they agreed in principle to a trade that will send all-star big man Anthony Davis to Hollywood.
Although, the trade felt anti-climatic in a way. The Lakers have long been enamored with Anthony Davis, and they were finally able to land him after a tumultuous trade deadline. As a result, the Pelicans acquired some of the most intriguing young talents the league has to offer in the form of Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram.
The Washington Wizards have been granted permission to interview Denver Nuggets president of basketball operations, Tim Connelly, for the same position, per Adrian Wojnarowski. There seems to be a legitimate interest from Connelly, which could very well be a big problem for Denver.
It’s been all season, but the feud, so to speak, between the local media/fan base against pretty much everyone else, all started with a tweet from Fox Sports analyst Nick Wright. “The Nuggets are exactly what so many of us said they were: A pretend contender with a pretend superstar… Good luck next year fellas.” People far and wide from everywhere have been calling the Nuggets frauds and that they’ll “get exposed come playoff time.” While it started with arguments and anger from Nuggets fans and local media, the fan base is now embracing the term: frauds.
Two teams that continue to surprise from the beginning of the season even to now as we get into the Western Conference Semifinals are facing off in the second round of the Western Conference Playoffs. The Nuggets find themselves in a place the franchise hasn’t been in a decade, the second round. It wasn’t a pretty series, but they now have the playoff experience that they lacked after going seven games and getting past the San Antonio Spurs. The Portland Trail Blazers are another team that is seeming to get hot at the right time. Damian Lillard is looking nearly unstoppable – watch his game five buzzer beater over Paul George to win the series against the Oklahoma City Thunder if you need an example. CJ McCollum is healthy and playing well. Those two playing well together is making them one of the most dangerous backcourt duos in the league today. These two teams are divisional rivals and always play competitive and spirited games every time the two teams are on the court. Here’s what to expect in this matchup of the Western Conference Semifinals.
There is more skepticism around the Denver Nuggets than your typical two-seed. Despite challenging the Golden State Warriors for the top spot in the West for much of the year and finishing with a 54-28 record, the Nuggets’ inexperience led to many questioning whether their playoff acumen, especially when they matched-up against the wily, veteran-laden San Antonio Spurs in the first round. And although the Texas outfit forced a game seven last night with a 120-103 victory at home, the performance of Nikola Jokic should give Denver heart that they have a superstar who can shine in the postseason for years to come.
What a season it has been for both teams. The Nuggets came into the season off a heartbreaking Game 82 loss that kept them out of the playoffs last season. This year, they pushed all the way up to the second-best record in the Western Conference despite being one of the youngest teams in the league and leading the league in games lost due to injury, missing at least one starter for over 60 games this season. The San Antonio Spurs are right in the thick of it as usual, and they did it without having any of the trio of Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker or the “heir apparent” Kawhi Leonard. Despite not having the usual cast, the team has stuck to the same style of play that has kept them among the most consistently good teams in the league over the last 20 years. Here’s what to expect from each team going into the first round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs.
It was looking a bit dicey at the end of the third quarter in Boston, playing the Celtics, but a quick 5-0 run all by Torrey Craig in 1.1 seconds was precisely the spurt of energy that propelled the Denver Nuggets the rest of the way to clinching a nine-point win, a sweep of the season series, and most importantly: a playoff berth. The first one in six years.
Michael Malone, during his post-game press conference after Tuesday night’s win against Minnesota, came right out and said, “I made the decision to shorten the rotation, only play 8 guys in the first quarter, and I’m going to continue to do that for the time being.” That rotation included the regular starters in Murray, Harris, Barton, Millsap, Jokic, and the 3 most crucial bench pieces with Morris, Beasley, and Plumlee.
It’s only been 7 games since Isaiah Thomas’ return and the honeymoon phase with fans and local media is already wearing off. I get it, he hasn’t played in 11 months and he’s going to have to find that groove again and work his way back and that’s all well and good, but not here and certainly not at this point in the season.
It all began when Will Barton landed awkwardly on a fastbreak layup and hurt his hip and core against the Phoenix Suns on October 20. Since then, a lingering hamstring injury to Gary Harris. A broken toe as well as ankle soreness for Paul Millsap. An ankle sprain for Jamal Murray and a controversial suspension of Nikola Jokic. Every starter has missed at least one game this season. Somehow, the incredible amount of depth the Denver Nuggets have has kept them in the top of the daunting Western Conference, but as the team begins the final stretch of the regular season, it’s time to get the opening night Starting Five back on the floor.
The year is 2011. The NBA world is still shaking after LeBron James decided to “Take his talents to South Beach” and team up with Dwyane Wade and eventually Chris Bosh to form a big 3 that would ultimately go on to win 2 NBA Finals in 4 years. It was also yet another year of Carmelo Anthony making it to the All-Star Game. He was a starter for the Western Conference as a representative of the Denver Nuggets. Little did Nuggets fans know that he would be traded to the New York Knicks just 3 days later. And little did Nuggets fans know that he would be the last player to represent the team in an All-Star Game for 8 years.
After his third season in the league averaging 6.1 assists and playing 75 games of a possible 82, rumblings of “is Nikola Jokic the best
The 2019 NBA offseason has already become one with widespread ramifications, and free agency has yet to begin.
The New Orleans Pelicans and Los Angeles Lakers got things started when they agreed in principle to a trade that will send all-star big man Anthony Davis to Hollywood.
Although, the trade felt anti-climatic in a way. The Lakers have long been enamored with Anthony Davis, and they were finally able to land him after a tumultuous trade deadline. As a result, the Pelicans acquired some of the most intriguing young talents the league has to offer in the form of Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram.
The Washington Wizards have been granted permission to interview Denver Nuggets president of basketball operations, Tim Connelly, for the same position, per Adrian Wojnarowski. There seems to be a legitimate interest from Connelly, which could very well be a big problem for Denver.
It’s been all season, but the feud, so to speak, between the local media/fan base against pretty much everyone else, all started with a tweet from Fox Sports analyst Nick Wright. “The Nuggets are exactly what so many of us said they were: A pretend contender with a pretend superstar… Good luck next year fellas.” People far and wide from everywhere have been calling the Nuggets frauds and that they’ll “get exposed come playoff time.” While it started with arguments and anger from Nuggets fans and local media, the fan base is now embracing the term: frauds.
Two teams that continue to surprise from the beginning of the season even to now as we get into the Western Conference Semifinals are facing off in the second round of the Western Conference Playoffs. The Nuggets find themselves in a place the franchise hasn’t been in a decade, the second round. It wasn’t a pretty series, but they now have the playoff experience that they lacked after going seven games and getting past the San Antonio Spurs. The Portland Trail Blazers are another team that is seeming to get hot at the right time. Damian Lillard is looking nearly unstoppable – watch his game five buzzer beater over Paul George to win the series against the Oklahoma City Thunder if you need an example. CJ McCollum is healthy and playing well. Those two playing well together is making them one of the most dangerous backcourt duos in the league today. These two teams are divisional rivals and always play competitive and spirited games every time the two teams are on the court. Here’s what to expect in this matchup of the Western Conference Semifinals.
There is more skepticism around the Denver Nuggets than your typical two-seed. Despite challenging the Golden State Warriors for the top spot in the West for much of the year and finishing with a 54-28 record, the Nuggets’ inexperience led to many questioning whether their playoff acumen, especially when they matched-up against the wily, veteran-laden San Antonio Spurs in the first round. And although the Texas outfit forced a game seven last night with a 120-103 victory at home, the performance of Nikola Jokic should give Denver heart that they have a superstar who can shine in the postseason for years to come.
What a season it has been for both teams. The Nuggets came into the season off a heartbreaking Game 82 loss that kept them out of the playoffs last season. This year, they pushed all the way up to the second-best record in the Western Conference despite being one of the youngest teams in the league and leading the league in games lost due to injury, missing at least one starter for over 60 games this season. The San Antonio Spurs are right in the thick of it as usual, and they did it without having any of the trio of Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker or the “heir apparent” Kawhi Leonard. Despite not having the usual cast, the team has stuck to the same style of play that has kept them among the most consistently good teams in the league over the last 20 years. Here’s what to expect from each team going into the first round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs.
It was looking a bit dicey at the end of the third quarter in Boston, playing the Celtics, but a quick 5-0 run all by Torrey Craig in 1.1 seconds was precisely the spurt of energy that propelled the Denver Nuggets the rest of the way to clinching a nine-point win, a sweep of the season series, and most importantly: a playoff berth. The first one in six years.
Michael Malone, during his post-game press conference after Tuesday night’s win against Minnesota, came right out and said, “I made the decision to shorten the rotation, only play 8 guys in the first quarter, and I’m going to continue to do that for the time being.” That rotation included the regular starters in Murray, Harris, Barton, Millsap, Jokic, and the 3 most crucial bench pieces with Morris, Beasley, and Plumlee.
It’s only been 7 games since Isaiah Thomas’ return and the honeymoon phase with fans and local media is already wearing off. I get it, he hasn’t played in 11 months and he’s going to have to find that groove again and work his way back and that’s all well and good, but not here and certainly not at this point in the season.
It all began when Will Barton landed awkwardly on a fastbreak layup and hurt his hip and core against the Phoenix Suns on October 20. Since then, a lingering hamstring injury to Gary Harris. A broken toe as well as ankle soreness for Paul Millsap. An ankle sprain for Jamal Murray and a controversial suspension of Nikola Jokic. Every starter has missed at least one game this season. Somehow, the incredible amount of depth the Denver Nuggets have has kept them in the top of the daunting Western Conference, but as the team begins the final stretch of the regular season, it’s time to get the opening night Starting Five back on the floor.
The year is 2011. The NBA world is still shaking after LeBron James decided to “Take his talents to South Beach” and team up with Dwyane Wade and eventually Chris Bosh to form a big 3 that would ultimately go on to win 2 NBA Finals in 4 years. It was also yet another year of Carmelo Anthony making it to the All-Star Game. He was a starter for the Western Conference as a representative of the Denver Nuggets. Little did Nuggets fans know that he would be traded to the New York Knicks just 3 days later. And little did Nuggets fans know that he would be the last player to represent the team in an All-Star Game for 8 years.
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