The List: Nikola Jokic is magic

“The List” is a brand new series that serves as a companion piece for the “Notebook” episodes of the Locked on Nuggets podcast and the DNVR Nuggets podcast. In this edition, I share some notes on the win over the Memphis Grizzlies at Pepsi Center.

1. As the season unfolds, the Nuggets are adding new wrinkles to common plays in the playbook. You can think of it in terms of layers. The base offense, in this case a cross screen for Nikola Jokic to post up on the left block, is the first layer. The next layers play off of the defense’s tendencies and expectations.

In the clip below, the Nuggets start out by running the same cross screen action using Jamal Murray as the screener, but then immediately flip that screen to get Jokic setting a pindown for Murray to flare out to the corner. I’ve only noticed the Nuggets running this action twice so far this year. Neither time has worked. Some layers are better than others.

2. Jokic might have the softest hands in the NBA. This bullet pass from Murray was coming in hot and bouncing upward, a difficult angle to receive a pass. Jokic corrals the ball and goes into a shooting motion all at once. I don’t think there’s a single other center in the league that could’ve done this.

3. Jokic seems to love going up against rookies and young bigs who haven’t quite learned all of the nuances of the game. In this clip, Jokic gets to make a decision of whether to roll down to the post for a post-up or jump up to set a ball screen. He jukes Brandon Clarke into thinking that he’ll roll into the post, leaving him out of position to stop the driving Will Barton.

4. One of the principles of Denver’s pick and roll (PnR) game is that if the defense goes under on a screen, Jokic will immediately rescreen in the opposite direction. The rescreen punishes the on ball defender by burying him a step deeper for that second screen. In the clip below, Monte Morris and Jokic successfully pull of the triple screen action and get the ball deep into the paint before finally kicking for an open shot. Great two-man game.

5. Jokic is looking as svelte as I’ve ever seen him. He was skinnier back in 2015 during his rookie season but this is the most trim I’ve seen him without looking scrawny. I might go as far as to say he looks…athletic. And plays like the one below highlight that increased athleticism. Watch how muchg round he covers as he hedges on the screen, recovers to his man, roll to the rim, and then boxes out. Lots of movement and he looks surprisingly spry.

6. I loved how quickly Michael Porter Jr. rotated over to help on Jonas Valanciunas on this play. Jog over and he might get dunked on. But MPJ sees an opportunity to help and he sprints to cut off the dunking angle before making a great block.

7. The yin to that yang are plays like this one where he and Morris get mixed up on a slip screen. Morris is expecting to switch a ball screen but the screener does a great job of slipping the screen at the last minute and flaring out to the wing. This action is difficult to defend even for seasoned veterans but the key here is for Porter Jr. to communicate with Morris throughout the action, letting him know whether or not the plan is to switch. Clearly, that communication fell short on this play.

8. What a beautiful pass. Worth a slow motion rewind.

9. And what an elite move in the PnR by Jamal Murray. Watch as he catches the defender with a crossover and then immediately follows up with a nice freeze move before attacking the last line of defense with a nice shot fake and then dropoff. Phenomenal triple combo from the Blue Arrow.