Will the Trail Blazers double-team Nikola Jokic? "Have at it," says Michael Malone

The Portland Trail Blazers have an open invitation from the Nuggets to double-team Nikola Jokic as often as they’d like to in the two team’s second-round playoff series beginning Monday night in Denver.

“If they want to double, have at it,” Michael Malone said. “If you watched the San Antonio series closely they stopped doubling him for a reason. He picked people apart.”

In Game 1 of Denver and San Antonio’s first-round matchup, the Spurs sent a hard double-team Jokic’s way nearly every time the Nuggets’ All-Star center tried to attack the basket. It resulted in Denver’s big man finding open shooters positioned around the arc and tallying 14 assists, but the Nuggets only converted on six of their 28 3s. San Antonio largely kept to a similar strategy over the next few games but the Nuggets ultimately found their rhythm from 3-point range.

Eventually, the Spurs began to guard Jokic 1-on-1.

“In Games 3, 4 and 5 we made 15, 15 and 14 3s. And after that, you could tell they said, ‘We’re going to play this guy 1-on-1,’ and he had 43 points,” Malone said referencing Jokic’s Game 6 performance. “So good luck. Do whatever you want to do. Nikola’s seen every type of coverage and double team before now it’s a matter of us spacing the floor correctly and making shots so we’ll be ready for that.”

Jokic averaged 23.1 points, 12.1 rebounds and 9.1 assists in his first career playoff series. He also logged 37.3 minutes per game after averaging 31.3 in the regular season.

The Trail Blazers doubling Jokic early and often in Game 1 is their likely course of action considering how thin Portland is on its front line. Former Nugget Jusuf Nurkic was ruled out for the rest of the season after fracturing his leg in March and the Trail Blazers have been starting backup center, Enes Kanter, who’s dealing with a separated shoulder and isn’t 100 percent healthy, ever since. Kanter is officially listed as questionable for Game 1 but the common sentiment around Pepsi Center Monday morning is that he’ll play.

Throughout the regular season, Kanter was a force on the glass, averaging 3.7 offensive rebounds per game, the fourth-most in the league. He helped the Trail Blazers become the top rebounding team in the league this season, just ahead of the Nuggets who were second overall. Kanter also averaged 13.1 points per game on 57.7% shooting from the field.

“He’s a great offensive rebounder,” Jokic said of Kanter. “He s a really physical guy who’s going to push and fight for every catch, for every rebound. He’s a really good finisher around the rim, good screener for them. He’s a really good player.”

Behind Kanter, second-year big man Zach Collins and reserve center Meyers Leonard will also take turns guarding Jokic. Whether the Trail Blazers apply single or double coverage throughout the series, the Nuggets will be ready for any look Portland throws their way.

“We’re going to see everything,” Malone said. “Seven-game series, two teams that know each other well. Whether Kanter is hurt or not, they’re going to give Nikola different looks. We expect them to double-team him at times and I’m sure there will be times where they play him straight up. I don’t think you can give any great player a steady diet of one thing.”