Whether Nikola Jokic heard the noise about his November struggles is immaterial. All that mattered was that he wasn’t playing up to his standards – the same lofty bar he lifted during an incredible postseason debut last spring.
So Jokic did everything in his power to solve the riddle that was plaguing him and his team.
“I was just lifting a little bit,” said Jokic, following Saturday’s sterling 28-point, 14-rebound and 12-assist triple-double that lifted the Nuggets over the Thunder. “(Nuggets strength coach) Felipe (Eichenberger) gave me some plan that he think it will work for me. So I’m just following that. I trust him. He’s always with me, he’s always worked with me, he knows my body better than me, and he’s my friend, so I trust him.”
Over their recent four-game jaunt to the East Coast, it wasn’t uncommon to see Jokic tossing a few weights around in the cramped hallways following games.
“Nikola was struggling, and he wanted to find anything he could do,” said Nuggets coach Michael Malone. “Work on my game, work on my craft, work on my body, get stronger, get in better shape, he’s been putting a lot of time in. When I look at him, he looks like he’s lost a lot of weight, he’s got more energy out there and I think Nikola, since our road trip, has been dominant.”
Since Dec. 5, a span of six games, Jokic is averaging 20.5 points on 56% shooting, 10.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists. His 3-point shooting – which he made fun of after Thursday’s win over Portland – has even tipped at 33%, far higher than his 25% season average.
The most poignant moment Saturday night came minutes into the third quarter when Jokic appeared to hop into a screen at the 3-point arc but instead rolled right past a stationary Steven Adams en route to an uncontested two-handed dunk.
“Nikola he’s been working really hard, before and after practice, I think he’s been getting in great shape, and he looked fast out there,” Malone said. “… Five years now, and I’ve never said Nikola and fast in the same sentence.”
When told of the compliment, a noticeably trimmer Jokic let out a big exhale.
“Yes,” he sighed. “Finally, something athletic. In the same sentence with me.”
Malone revealed he met with Jokic amidst his struggles, and reminded him that he was the franchise’s cornerstone.
“I said listen, ‘Less thinking, just play, knowing full well you’re our best player, and if you miss a shot, and you make a good aggressive move, no one cares,” Malone said. “That’s the only way you’re going to get out of this is just by keep on playing and staying aggressive.’”
Despite the fact that he’s clearly turned a corner, Jokic put to rest any notion that there was joy in his struggle.
“Nobody likes to work on the planet, so no,” he said with a grin. “I wish I can just go out there and score 50, 40 every night, to be honest. It’s hard, but maybe one day I’m gonna do it.”
"fast" - Google News
December 15, 2019 at 02:04PM
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Nuggets coach Michael Malone finds new word to describe Nikola Jokic: “Fast” - The Denver Post
"fast" - Google News
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