Nikola Jokic.. Most slept on rookie

[kurple]

All this talk about Towns, Porzingis and their amazing advanced stats.. I wouldn't trade Nikola for either

[MP.Trey]

Does the coach not like him or something? I had him on fantasy and he'd have a 18/10 then a DNPCD the next game. Or a 12/9/2 blocks game and get 6 minutes the next.

[kurple]

Coach Malone loves him

I like that's he's not getting 30 a game from the get go. Should have done the same with Mudiay

[MP.Trey]

Do you think he'll be better than Nurkic? When Nurkic is back, they'll have Jokic, Lauvergne AND Nurkic. Three solid young euro big men, a good problem to have but who do you see being the best player in 3-5 years?

[Fiba basketball]

I wrote about him here many times even before he was drafted saying he was probably the most talented European big man and so far I was right with everything I said.

His lack of athleticism doesn't bother him at all since he makes it up with his length and skill. IMO his future is at PF and at start of the season I didn't expect him to play C at all and even more when I heard he lost weight since even before that he wasn't strong enough to fight in the post with stronger Cs. He will probably start getting minutes at PF once Nurkic is back because the compliment each other very well on offense and defense.

I also don't get why Malone doesn't play him more. He is already better than Lauvergne (and I'm saying this as a big fan of Lauvergne) and will only continue to develop while Joffrey probably won't.

And even when he plays he doesn't get the ball that much even though he is probably their most efficient player. I get he is a rookie so he can't demand the ball but if Mudiay ,who has been very bad at scoring, can keep shooting then Jokic should get more touches.

[Im Still Ballin]

Good call.

[tpols]

Wow Mike Malone was the coach even back then. They really fired this dude who was decade tenured because of Russell Westbrook. Talk about a Trojan horse. They could've won another title this year if they didn't make that signing.

[SouBeachTalents]

Wow Mike Malone was the coach even back then. They really fired this dude who was decade tenured because of Russell Westbrook. Talk about a Trojan horse. They could've won another title this year if they didn't make that signing.
Nah, you can't just pin that on Westbrook. In the pivotal Game 4 & 5 stretch the entire Nugget team was garbage in the 4th quarter, 18 points on 7/23 in Game 4, 19 points on 5/21 in Game 5. That's not gonna cut it against a 68 win team.

Jokic had several games where he underperformed for his standards, Murray was inconsistent like he always is, MPJ was totally useless, and the Thunder were just flat out the more talented team. Firing Malone right before the playoffs was fvcking moronic though.

[tpols]

That type of analysis doesn't work because youre myopically looking at 2 games, when Mike Malones coaching and adjustments over whatever scrub coach they have now weren't there.

Westbrook was also 2-12 in Game 4 with 6 fouls. Game worst -20 on +/-. Total crashout in a close game that would've put the Nuggets up 3-1.

Are you serious dude?

[tpols]

He was 1-7 in Game 5 as well. :lol

Southbeach... you have to start doing your homework.

[SouBeachTalents]

I never disputed Westbrook played badly, but he was far from the sole reason they lost this series. It's ironic you'd accuse someone of being myopic when you're solely looking at one player when there were multiple factors for them losing this series. Removing Westbrook from the team wouldn't have changed the outcome imo.

[tpols]

With the crashouts he had in Game 4, Game 5, and Game 7... anybody... literally ****ing anybody would be better any NBA role player.

And then you add Mike Malone back and consider how close Denver was to winning... yea its entirely plausible to conclude they would've had a much better chance at winning with Mike Malone instead of Westbrook.

That Game 4 was an absolutely insane disaster. I can't believe you name dropped that game to defend him. :lol

Nuggets would've won that game with any professional basketball player in his place to not totally bomb the team out.

He did the same thing in Game 7 too.

[SouBeachTalents]

With the crashouts he had in Game 4, Game 5, and Game 7... anybody... literally ****ing anybody would be better any NBA role player.

And then you add Mike Malone back and consider how close Denver was to winning... yea its entirely plausible to conclude they would've had a much better chance at winning with Mike Malone instead of Westbrook.

That Game 4 was an absolutely insane disaster. I can't believe you name dropped that game to defend him. :lol

Nuggets would've won that game with any professional basketball player in his place to not totally bomb the team out.

He did the same thing in Game 7 too.
You have some truly bizarre reading comprehension at times bro :lol Pointing out there were other factors in them losing does not equal defending him.

Yes, he was his typical abysmal self going 2/12, but you're choosing to ignore them scoring 8 points on 2/22 in the 1st and 7/23 in the 4th, MPJ playing 34 minutes and scoring 3 points on 1/7, Jokic & Murray both shooting 48%TS, the bench getting outscored 35-8.

Like I said, a multitude of reasons. Just scapegoating Westbrook is lazy, First Take level analysis.