In the league, there are a lot of shooters this season who don’t calculate defenses very well when shooting, resulting in staggering fair shooting percentages. In memory ? Of course, Kevin Durant and his fantastic 56.8% shooting on the season… but also Nikola Jokic who has only shot less than 50% once since the start of the regular. Sick him.
He is strong this Niko, very very strong. When you give him the ball, it’s more likely to end up in the basket than the other way around. You will tell us: “Yes but he is a pivot, it is normal that he has this kind of percentages since he plays under the basket” and we will answer you that yes, his position does indeed suggest such a percentage.
Except that here, the Joker does not take his shots only near the hoop, and that in each space of play, his percentages are well above the averages of the league. Halfway, but also three-point. The website Statmuse offers you a map of his shots taken this season, be careful before clicking on the link, we cling to something solid so as not to fall huh.
His only misstep? Against Utah on October 29. Yeah, it was at the very beginning of the season. Since, no one has managed to disturb the Balkan giant enough to prevent him from making more than one in two baskets during his matches. What allows it to be so effective? It is Petr Cornelie who explains it best, since the Frenchman had been able to train with the double MVP in Denver.
“It feels slow… but its first tap is actually quite fast. He is very good at putting you behind his back. He has a control of his body that is incredible, really. 95% of the time he’s going to give your defense the right answer, whether it’s passing or shooting” – Petr Cornelie, on First Team’s microphone.
Boom, Petr has just spared us all the words in the world to explain what makes Nikola Jokic’s offensive strength: his reading of the game. facing the defender is also his great strength. A facility that perhaps comes from his affection for the tactical aspect of basketballwhich he explained a few days ago in an interview for Arena Sports, taking the example of the teams he meets a lot in regular and Playoffs.
“When we play a team four times in the season, in preseason or in the Playoffs… We prepare on five or six systems and come on, let’s say two or three more special situations. I like to watch what the opposing coach is going to show the guys or ask them to do. It’s something I like to do. I mean, why not? If I can find out what they are going to do…” – Nikola Jokic
Oh yeah, the kind of guy who peeked at the neighbor’s paper in college makes him that dear Nikola. Still, with such an appetite for strategy, the pivot can boast of being one – if not the – of the most effective distributors in the league. This season, the chubby Nuggets giant is averaging 25.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.8 assists. Yeah, some MVP statsbecause there is obviously room left on the chimney.
Nikola Jokic is way too easy actually. Rather logical, for someone who was brought up on the harshness of European defences. A real monster of regularity and game reading, which will make short work of you… even if you are ready to face it.
Sources : First Team, Arena Sports