How good would Nikoka Jokic have been in the '80s or '90s NBA

[elementally morale]

You've obviously never played ball.

I played organized basketball for lots and lots of years. Had a teammate who made it to the NBA. I happen to agree with plowking. It doesn't mean we are definitely right. However, it's a very much debatable question. Bigs in the 80s and 90s (as they were) would've had problems containing Jokic because he can take the ball away from the basket and is a great great passer. At the same time he is close to 7 feet and 300 pounds, very strong. If he doesn't have to deal with closing out on perimeter players due to endless switches, he would be a much more useful (not better, more useful) defender. Would he be the best center in the NBA in the 80s and 90s? Not sure. Maybe not. But he is a playmaker as well. So... I don't know. I think he would be better in that situation than he is now and at the same time not necessarily be the best player. (And if you train those bigs to play the current style of basketball... who knows. Talent is talent, height is height, mass is mass. In all eras.

[plowking]

You've obviously never played ball.

I have. Have you played higher level ball than me? Maybe.

I played in the league one level below NBL 10 plus years ago. I think that is high enough to make an assessment.

[Micku]

Horrible take. There would be a lot of bigger, stronger players. The pace in the 90's would be slower, half-court and more physical which would affect his offensive output.

He would still be great, but the way the league is setup now rewards him.

The league today awards every offensive players now. Due to the spacing and the rules, all players have a bonus to their stats.

With Jokic, I don't think a coach would have him initiate the offense like he does now. He plays like a bigger version of Larry Bird to me. But I don't know if they are going to play him like that. If he stretches a big out, he'll be deadly and screw up the defense of the 90s. Especially out to the 3pt line, but I don't think coaches back then would allow him to play like that. In the paint, I think he'll have a tougher time to score than now due to the lack of spacing. You could kind'a see it with Min having Kat and Gobert. He's good enough to score on anybody one on one tho. His touch, footwork, and b-ball iq is too good. Not to mention his play making. I think his assists will go down due to the lack of spacing and shooting from the 3, but idk for sure. He's amazing at finding players. So, as long as they move without the ball, he'll find them.

He'll still be great. I just don't think he'll get as much triple-doubles or be as efficient. The rules back then allow you to be more physical with him, but the dude is really strong anyway. There'll just be more big bodies you can throw at him and the lack of spacing. He probably wouldn't play the same.

The nutrition and training would probably be different too. He'll adjust. He's a great player. I think great players are transcendent no matter the era.

[Reggie43]

Do you guys think he will have an easier time guarding Olajuwon, Shaq, Robinson etc fulltime compared to what he has to deal with now?

[Xiao Yao You]

Do you guys think he will have an easier time guarding Olajuwon, Shaq, Robinson etc fulltime compared to what he has to deal with now?

yep certainly

[Axe]

Do you guys think he will have an easier time guarding Olajuwon, Shaq, Robinson etc fulltime compared to what he has to deal with now?

He will have an easier time dealing with them since he isn't a tall and slow role player.

[Micku]

Do you guys think he will have an easier time guarding Olajuwon, Shaq, Robinson etc fulltime compared to what he has to deal with now?

It's much harder to play defense now compared to back then. But they are great players. They are going to get theirs.

[Reggie43]

It's much harder to play defense now compared to back then. But they are great players. They are going to get theirs.

Yeah its harder but I wouldnt want Shaq, Malone, Barkley etc banging on me in a seven game series. The wear and tear from that alone could also effect you on offense.

Defensively imagine a team like the Knicks having the luxury of putting Mason on him while Oakley and Ewing wait on the helpside.

[NBAGOAT]

Yeah its harder but I wouldnt want Shaq, Malone, Barkley etc banging on me in a seven game series. The wear and tear from that alone could also effect you on offense.

Defensively imagine a team like the Knicks having the luxury of putting Mason on him while Oakley and Ewing wait on the helpside.

their is much less helpside than you're thinking with denver's shooting/spacing around him and jokic's passing abiity. jokic's passing is scarier than his scoring most likely and any type of soft double is asking for a porter open 3 or gordon layup both very efficient shots. There really isnt any easy answer on defense for his skillset with the team around him. I didnt even add imagine an average 90s big not mason getting put in more than 10 pnrs a game with mostly murray or gordon and having to guard jokic at the 3pt line etc. They're helpless. 90s/00s teams had no answer for shaq either when he had shooting he never had shooting around him like jokic does or was able to pass like him.

[NBAGOAT]

this video breaks down just jokic's scoring game well. There really hasnt been anyone like him in any era https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuIvEgtOnos

[Micku]

their is much less helpside than you're thinking with denver's shooting/spacing around him and jokic's passing abiity. jokic's passing is scarier than his scoring most likely and any type of soft double is asking for a porter open 3 or gordon layup both very efficient shots. There really isnt any easy answer on defense for his skillset with the team around him. I didnt even add imagine an average 90s big not mason getting put in more than 10 pnrs a game with mostly murray or gordon and having to guard jokic at the 3pt line etc. They're helpless. 90s/00s teams had no answer for shaq either when he had shooting he never had shooting around him like jokic does or was able to pass like him.

Yeah, he's too skilled with the playmaking. You can't double him because of it. I think he is the best passer in the game rn, and one of the best of all time. And Jokic can come off screens too like a guard and do a catch and shoot like he did against AD. Jokic is too skilled to be stop too. He could beat you in several different ways.

[Reggie43]

Diffrent defensive rules means it would be easier to defend Jokic too and no freedom of movement rules plus handchecking means those shooters would be less effective

[NBAGOAT]

Yeah, he's too skilled with the playmaking. You can't double him because of it. I think he is the best passer in the game rn, and one of the best of all time. And Jokic can come off screens too like a guard and do a catch and shoot like he did against AD. Jokic is too skilled to be stop too. He could beat you in several different ways.

yea video pointed out bigs were having so much trouble guarding him offball since they're just not good at navigating screens and he was coming off screens getting open jumpers like a wing. teams dont play big vs denver for a reason. Going small is best way to attack him on defense and size also means less versatility. you dont want say a slow big guarding jamal murray on switches

[NuggetsFan]

Do you guys think he will have an easier time guarding Olajuwon, Shaq, Robinson etc fulltime compared to what he has to deal with now?

Yeah. Jokic's defense gets underrated. The only reason why he's considered a bad/average defensive player is because other team target him in the pick and roll and get the switch. It's a gameplan that the entire league does. Which is why smallball is so popular. When you have legitimate big's you give up alot defensively. You even see it with the elite defenders like Gobert/Embiid come playoff time. Forget the 80's and 90's even in the early 00's teams didn't do that. I remember a team like PHX would occasionally do it to a player like Nene and he'd look absolutely lost and it would be a easy bucket. Come playoff time that can happen 15+ times a game. Jokic has great post defense/great size and strength. Where he struggles is with lateral quickness/vertical explosion near the rim. The rules nowadays are all focused on making it easier to score for the guards. Guarding the rim is about 1000x easier when your perimeter defenders can handcheck and actually play defense. Basically any guard nowadays can get to the rim if he wants. It used to actually be a difficult task back than.

[NBAGOAT]

Diffrent defensive rules means it would be easier to defend Jokic too and no freedom of movement rules plus handchecking means those shooters would be less effective

jokic gets to the foul line more in the 90s too, that's the one area he's not elite rn. He would torch defenses who have to send hard double teams if they dont want their guy cooked 1v1. handchecking doesnt affect guys spotting up for 3s. Porter and kcp are mostly taking spot ups. Even with rule changes, denver's offense is elite and there arent good answers for them.

most 90's team just have no answers guarding a pnr with the center as a ball handler and the screener being a 40% 3pt shooter or even someone as versatile as aaron gordon. they're used to leaving the screener who's usually a big wide open for a 18fter, you cant guard the pnr that way anymore. jamal murray shot 40% on pull up 3's last year and he's not the main option when denver runs pnr. drop defense is ineffective vs denver with those 2's jump shooting