Nikola Jokic is making this dominating-all-comers thing look too easy. In the last 10 days he’s had a triple-double against Giannis Atentakoumpo, a 27/13 outpouring against the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers, a 40-point game in the Garden, and now another triple-double against the Golden State Warriors. 17 points, 21 rebounds and 12 assists? Who does that?
As it turns out, just one man:
I’ve never seen anything quite like this. I remember watching Carmelo Anthony’s rookie season (hell, all of his Denver seasons) and never thought it felt quite like this. Maybe that’s because Carmelo was a chucker, especially early on, and what was good for Carmelo was not always good for the Nuggets despite Anthony’s immense gifts as a scorer.
What’s good for Jokic IS good for the Nuggets, because Jokic is only ever trying to get wins, not stats. The stats just appear, like a magic trick summoned from the ether, with a wave of his water-polo-playing arm. Jokic is learning to dominate every time out, while the Nuggets continue to be a winning team despite injuries and lineup changes and some very tough opponents.
Sit back, relax and enjoy these magic tricks. They’re well worth your time.
