Your job is to make Jokic better -- what do you have in mind?

[elementally morale]

So you just got your well paying job offer. It's millions per year. You can earn a contract that is renewable and all you have to do is make Jokic a better player. If you say it's impossible because he lacks the tools to become better you are not eligible for the job. It doesn't matter if you think he is overrated, fat any lazy and that is your reasoning -- or if you think he is the best of all time and that is your reasoning. You won't get the job. However, if you come up with a good plan, you earn millions per year -- renegotiated at the end of each regular (!) season.

You have to change the way he plays the game. Not overhaul but noticeably change. Add some elements, take away some elements. Shoot more, shoot less, practice threes, forget threes... whatever you have in mind.

Any suggestions?

[Mask the Embiid]

hahahaha they have doubt now

[Im Still Ballin]

Can I introduce a LeBron-inspired PED stack?

EPO for endurance, anabolic steroids and HGH for size, strength, speed, power, and recovery. BPC-157 and TB-500 peptides for additional recovery and injury prevention.

[highwhey]

first off, i'd slap him silly and tell him to cut the "humble act", no one cares you're from a war-torn country (whole lot of people are too). 2nd, DEFENSE. you're a fvcking center, you're 7 feet tall, stop being lazy, close out on 3s, challenge more shots/layups. the fact that Braun was playing better defense on kat than jokic could ever dream of speaks volumes about his flaws on that end.

[Im Still Ballin]

I also recommend he wear some Jump Soles to maximize his ability to jump higher.

[elementally morale]

hahahaha they have doubt now

Doubt? I always had some issues with certain elements of his game. But I had issues with MJ, Magic, Shaq, Kobe and everyone else that ever played.

You look very happy to see someone lose, but it's not an achievement. If this loss makes anyone look better it's the TWolves GM. By the way, I was a believer when they made the big trade. I thought it was a good idea.

It's interesting btw, that I like Joel Embiid. He has his shortcomings and some are big enough and easy to hate on. I don't see the point though. I want him to become better and compete for a championship. Wanted a 76ers-Nuggets Finals for many years now. Competition is good.

Anyway, what do you suggest? Is Jokic beyond repair? So bad that it's not worth a try?

[elementally morale]

first off, i'd slap him silly and tell him to cut the "humble act", no one cares you're from a war-torn country (whole lot of people are too). 2nd, DEFENSE. you're a fvcking center, you're 7 feet tall, stop being lazy, close out on 3s, challenge more shots/layups. the fact that Braun was playing better defense on kat than jokic could ever dream of speaks volumes about his flaws on that end.

Jokic didn't see any war. There was no war in Sombor. The last time was like 1916-7 when there was fighting in the Sombor area. (I know. It was a part of my at the time much bigger country.)

I have no problem with his humbleness but I understand what you are talking about. It's more hustle you are looking for, right? It may look better but I doubt it would work on the perimeter. He really lacks the physical tools to do that. I do agree he could attack close shots and layups more though. He plays two different halves most of the time. In the first half it's less contesting and more running. Then in the 2nd halves he tends to play tougher defense. Still, that criticism has some validity.

[Charlie Sheen]

Reduce his ballhandling responsibilities. The rest of their lineup is capable of bringing the ball up the court.

My thinking is Denver does this to extend his minutes on the court because it allows him to get a blow. Not too sure they are gaining anything by getting more minutes on the court at the cost of less fatigued minutes overall. When he starts lagging changing ends of the court, give him some time to recover on the bench.

[highwhey]

Jokic didn't see any war. There was no war in Sombor. The last time was like 1916-7 when there was fighting in the Sombor area. (I know. It was a part of my at the time much bigger country.)

I have no problem with his humbleness but I understand what you are talking about. It's more hustle you are looking for, right? It may look better but I doubt it would work on the perimeter. He really lacks the physical tools to do that. I do agree he could attack close shots and layups more though. He plays two different halves most of the time. In the first half it's less contesting and more running. Then in the 2nd halves he tends to play tougher defense. Still, that criticism has some validity.

yeah, closing out on 3s is maybe a reach for him, but he could improve significantly on protecting the rim. seems to me he doesn't do it bc it tires him out quickly. but it bugs the sh1t out of me that guys like braun/AG play way better defense than their own center does. that's where my criticism of him not recieving any blame stems from. all these roles players are covering his deficiencies and providing the intangibles behind the curtain, yet they never recieve their due credit but receive all the blame when they lose as if they just didn't bust their ass defending someone much bigger than them for 48 minutes when jokic should have been doing that all along.

they could use a better backup center to help him, no deandre jordan...he's not playable.

[Im Still Ballin]

Imagine a juiced-up 330-pound Jokic with Tour De France endurance. Juice-kic.

[elementally morale]

Here are some of my thoughts:

1. The game is 48 minutes. Jokic says it's not how you start but how you finish -- but it is actually both. Stop giving opponents easy first quarters. The hole is something you have to spend much energy to crawl out of.

2. Take more shots in 1st quarters and 1st halves. It is very predictable after all these years that you are going to look for assists early on. It is a mistake. If the shot is there, take it. Assits will take care of themselves. Look to score more, especially to start the game.

3. Take less 3 pointers. If you take this many you go practice. Even if it's a 35% shot for you (and this year and especially this playoffs it wasn't) it's a bad shot. You shoot 60% on 2s. Cut back on threes. But if you insist on taking them, spend months practicing them.

4. Foul some cutters and perimeter dunkers hard. Send a message.

5. Attack the basket in a more decisive way when you are crowded. You will get more FTs. Don't look for the finesse play all the time, mix it up. Brute force also works. The key is that your opponent have no idea what you will do. Be less predictable.


This is what I could come up with.

[j3lademaster]

It’s hard to try to add anything to someone this good without fear of taking something away. We can try to get more stamina on him, but what if that drops him 30 lbs and he becomes 80% of what he used to be on that block? Make him care more. But maybe him racing horses and truly taking summers off is what gets him ready for the coming season. If he ‘cared more’ he might start passive aggressively throwing Murray under the bus for averaging 16 on 38% shooting for the series so far after the g6 loss.

No player will ever be perfect so just need to accept building around his very few deficiencies. That’s way less work than any gm who doesn’t have Jokic is faced with. I feel 90% of that job will be me bs’ing my value and why I should even have my job in the first place, spend $100 to show your higher ups you saved $5 in that headache dept no one wants to deal with type shit.

[elementally morale]

It’s hard to try to add anything to someone this good without fear of taking something away. We can try to get more stamina on him, but what if that drops him 30 lbs and he becomes 80% of what he used to be on that block? Make him care more. But maybe him racing horses and truly taking summers off is what gets him ready for the coming season. If he ‘cared more’ he might start passive aggressively throwing Murray under the bus for averaging 16 on 38% shooting for the series so far after the g6 loss.

No player will ever be perfect so just need to accept building around his very few deficiencies. That’s way less work than any gm who doesn’t have Jokic is faced with. I feel 90% of that job will be me bs’ing my value and why I should even have my job in the first place, spend $100 to show your higher ups you saved $5 in that headache dept no one wants to deal with type shit.

I think the notion if him not caring is incorrect. We will see how he comes back next season. He is under 30 and should show no sign of decline due to age. And I think he is a competitor despite his laid-back nature. So I expect him to come back playing a bit different next year. I don't know what the change will be. If it's only one guess that I have, I'm guessing more points earlier in the game. Way too many games started with him just passing for 6-8 minutes to start 1st quarters. And I think the Nuggets are a better team when they play less fancy. So I wouldn't be surprised to see more points and more rebounds but less assists. Fewer triple doubles, but more of a threat to win via scoring more. Is that the way to go? I'm not sure but it is worth a try. Jokic so far has never tried to be the scorer and it'd be interesting to see. It may not work.

I had my thoughts earlier. If he does some or all of that and the team becomes worse, I'm losing my job.

[BarberSchool]

Jokic didn't see any war. There was no war in Sombor. The last time was like 1916-7 when there was fighting in the Sombor area. (I know. It was a part of my at the time much bigger country.)

I have no problem with his humbleness but I understand what you are talking about. It's more hustle you are looking for, right? It may look better but I doubt it would work on the perimeter. He really lacks the physical tools to do that. I do agree he could attack close shots and layups more though. He plays two different halves most of the time. In the first half it's less contesting and more running. Then in the 2nd halves he tends to play tougher defense. Still, that criticism has some validity.

you from Austria-Hungary ? On my euro side I have ancestors from Pécs & Orfű

[BarberSchool]

As for making Jokic better;

It’s all about physical fitness and wing skills.
Much more training for 3pt shooting, and ball handling and gathering on drives.
Along with more intense strength training, higher protein lower carb alcohol free diet, etc