Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic’s performances in Game 1 of the NBA Finals certainly point to the fact that they may be the league’s deadliest duo.
They’re the second pair of teammates to both have at least 25 points and 10 assists in a Finals game. They’re the third pair of teammates to each have at least 10 assists in a Finals game. They have the third and fourth players to have at least 25 points, five rebounds, and 10 assists in their NBA Finals debut.
They’re simply insane. They are Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic, the league’s most deadly duo. Sure, they aren’t the best, as Kevin Durant and Devin Booker probably take that title. Still, Murray and Jokic’s ability to play off of each other triumphs that of Durant and Booker.
In Game 1, Murray had 26 points, six rebounds, and 10 assists on a 56.8 TS% while also holding up decent enough defensively. Jokic, of course, found a way to one-up that performance, as he put up a 27-point, 10-rebound, and 14-assist statline. He also did this on ridiculous efficiency – a 78.1 TS%, shooting 8-12 to the field and managing to get to the line 12 times and convert 10 of his looks.
Bam Adebayo, Jokic’s primary matchup, had an incredible 26-point performance, but that can be more so credited to the Nuggets’ drop scheme rather than Jokic getting completely destroyed by Adebayo.
But the defense isn’t what makes this duo deadly. Obviously, neither are great defenders, but that’s okay since they form one of the most formidable offensive duos in NBA history. Their actions together – whether it be pick-and-roll, handoffs, or any off-ball movement – are nearly unstoppable. You can’t just switch their actions because then the defense’s size mismatch will be easily exploited. You can’t just go into a drop because of the shooting ability of both, whether it’s Murray’s pull-ups or Jokic’s catch-and-shoots. It’s still hard to show and recover because Jokic can just slip the screen, and now Jokic is operating in a 4-on-3, where he is bound to destroy the defense.
It’s simply so hard to find an answer, and in Game 1, the Heat couldn’t completely come up with one. Here’s a deep analysis into the engine that runs the Nuggets’ historic offense: Murray and Jokic.