DENVER — Both Nikola Jokic and Denver Nuggets’ coach Michael Malone said at shootaround Monday morning they aren’t worried about the big man’s scoreless stat line in Denver’s 96-79 win over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday.
Jokic only attempted three shots from the field in 30 minutes but did grab nine rebounds and hand out seven assists. The 22-year-old also finished a team-high +21.
“We’re getting wins, my plus-minus is good, we were winning when I was on the floor so if I’m not scoring, who cares?” Jokic asked a group of assembled reporters. “The more important thing is that we win and I’m here to help my team win. That’s it.”
Against the Kings, the 6-foot-10 big man attempted just one field goal in the first quarter and one in the second. His final attempt of the night came on a 20-foot fadeaway from the wing as the shot clock was expiring to start the fourth. Jokic turned down some “great looks” over the course of Saturday night’s game according to Malone.
“It’s not a concern. There’s nothing to worry about but I definitely want to get him going and find ways to get him more aggressive offensively,” Malone said. “We try to move the ball and share the ball, that’s who we are. We’re a very unselfish team but I think getting him touches early, calling his number early, now it’s up to him to make the right play.”
“I definitely don’t want him going four more quarters without him scoring,” Malone continued. “That’s not good for him, that’s not good for us in the long-run. He’s way too important to this team.”
Malone spoke with Jokic after Denver’s win over Sacramento and asked him to be more aggressive. His message to the big man was simple, Malone said: “shoot more.” The Nuggets coach also recognized that he has to do a better job of getting Jokic more attempts within the realms of Denver’s free-flowing offense.
“Obviously, I don’t want that to happen,” Malone said referencing Jokic’s three shot attempts. “We have to find ways for him to score a little bit more.”
Jokic, who’s naturally unselfish and doesn’t care how many field goal attempts he winds up with at the end of the night, joked that he’ll score 87 points against Washington if it would make those who own him on their fantasy teams happy.
Against the Washington Wizards, the Nuggets will make a point to get Jokic more involved in the offense from the opening tip.
It’s too early to sound the alarm but through two regular-season games, Jokic hasn’t looked like the same guy who averaged roughly 19 points, 11 rebounds and five assists after he became Denver’s starting center on Dec. 15 of last season. Jokic scored seven points on 3-10 shooting to go with 12 rebounds and eight assists in the Nuggets’ opening night loss in Utah last week.
Part of that has to do with the fact that Jokic is now sharing the frontcourt with four-time All-Star Paul Millsap. Jokic is now playing off the ball much more than he did a year ago and the two have described their chemistry on the court as “a work in progress.”
But Jokic did agree that there’s room for him to be more aggressive.
“It was kind of just that game, you know, I just didn’t feel it,” Jokic said his performance in Denver’s win over Sacramento. “The most important thing was that we got the win.”
The Serbian isn’t the type of player that will complain about his role or the number of shots he gets — that’s not his style.
“What feels better, getting a good rebound or making a shot?” Jokic was asked. “Win,” he said with a smile as he departed into the Nuggets’ locker room.
Against John Wall, Bradley Beal, and the Wizards, who are well-rested and eager to start a four-game West Coast road trip tonight in Denver, the Nuggets will count on Jokic for more production.
