Denver Nuggets: Will Nikola Jokic’s defensive prowess be a liability again?
Nikola Jokic has mightily struggled on the defensive end since breaking into the league; will that change this season for the Denver Nuggets?
Since entering the league in 2012, Nikola Jokic has proven time and time again that he has the ability and talent to be a perennial NBA all-star. And averaging nearly a triple-double last season only hammered down that potential. Although, if there was one flaw in his game – and it’s actually a pretty big flaw – it’s been his inability to play defense at a high level.
Historically, that’s not exactly the Denver Nuggets have struggled with when it comes to the center position. As far as I can recall, the Nuggets have almost always had a solid defensive 5 manning the middle.
We’ve seen legends such as Dikembe Mutombo, Marcus Camby, and Juwan Howard, to name a few, play the role of the defensive anchor at the center position for the Nuggets over the last few years.
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Nikola Jokic has emerged as the next great big to man the Nuggets’ offense. Though, his inability on the other end of the floor has robbed him from being one of the best two-way, and complete, players in the league today.
Specifically, the big defensive flaw that has plagued his career is without a doubt his ability to defend inside and out when defending the pick-and-roll. After securing the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, headed into the playoffs, last season, Denver defeated the seasoned San Antonio Spurs in seven games.
Then, the Nuggets struggled – and ultimately lost – to the Portland Trail Blazers. The Blazers feasted on Jokic’s poor interior defense. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum couldn’t be stopped and lived in the paint for much of the series.
This season, Jokic has shown some improvement to his defensive abilities to match up with his offensive skill set. Throughout the first five games of this season, Jokic has seven steals to go along with three blocks.
If Jokic can continue to show growth as a defender, there’s no question that he could play himself into the NBA MVP race, as well as several more all-star game appearances in the future.
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Jokic can evolve into an elite center if he can just be an average defender inside. Time will tell if Jokic will be able to turn what has been a liability in his game to an asset. If Jokic can, it will only make the Denver Nuggets an even bigger threat to come out of the Western Conference come playoff time.