{"id":272072,"date":"2025-11-09T12:49:12","date_gmt":"2025-11-09T12:49:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/272072\/"},"modified":"2025-11-09T12:49:12","modified_gmt":"2025-11-09T12:49:12","slug":"leveling-up-how-nikola-jokic-manages-to-get-better-and-better-year-after-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/272072\/","title":{"rendered":"Leveling up: How Nikola Jokic manages to get better and better year after year"},"content":{"rendered":"

A tweak or two on each end has helped make the seemingly impossible plausible.<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s more zone defense and different pick-and-roll coverage on defense or increased 3-point attempts and more time spent operating at the elbow on offense, Nikola Jokic has managed to elevate his game to another level to start his 11th season with the Nuggets.<\/p>\n

\u201cNikola is playing fantastic basketball,\u201d first-year teammate Jonas Valanciunas said after Friday\u2019s win over Golden State. \u201cHe\u2019s \u2026 I don\u2019t know. It\u2019s hard to describe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Heading into Saturday\u2019s game against the Pacers, Jokic is on pace to set new career highs or match his previous best in 3-point attempts (4.9), assists (11.6), steals (2) and blocks (.9) per game, while scoring more efficiently than he ever has with a 72% true-shooting percentage and 69% effective field goal percentage.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start on offense. <\/p>\n

In his first year with full control over the offense, Nuggets coach David Adelman tried to get Jokic off the block a bit more. The hope is it limits the physical toll for a high-usage player over an 82-game regular season and what could be another long post-season.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt just was a thought I had. I also just think with the roster being deeper, we think we can get away with playing the game more fluid, as opposed to just force-feeding him the ball all the time, because I just think naturally getting hit, getting beat up, getting bumped going from block to block (with) the way teams front him, we\u2019ve had to move him around over the years,\u201d Adelman explained his thought process prior to Wednesday\u2019s win over Miami.
\u201cWe\u2019ve started him on the left side, and he runs across to the right side, and three different people get a chance to hit him. I know he\u2019s a big guy, but that does wear on you.\u201d<\/p>\n

In classic fashion, Jokic said he doesn\u2019t think the difference in a couple of post ups per game would make a big difference. In more classic Jokic fashion, he\u2019s putting his personal opinion to the side in favor of doing what has been asked of him to the best of his ability.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really enjoy to play the low-post game. I think it\u2019s something \u2026 I don\u2019t want to say my identity, but that\u2019s something that I personally love to play on the block,\u201d Jokic said after the Miami game. \u201cI think in the flow of the game, you can find those empty spots and create for others and screen for others or be aggressive in different places on the floor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Defensively, the Nuggets have let Jokic play a little farther down the court against pick-and-rolls. Adelman is also using a variety of zone defenses that require Jokic\u2019s vision and voice on the other end.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s been great, especially in some of the pick-and-roll coverages that are different. He had been up so much over the years, and for good reason, but we\u2019re trying to take that away a little bit,\u201d Adelman said. \u201cHis hands have been incredible. Communication on the back line of the zone is so important. It\u2019s probably the most important thing if you\u2019re going to be successful at it. Whether that\u2019s baseline runners or guys flashing to the middle, you\u2019re communicating to both the bottom wings \u2013 you\u2019re communicating to the two guards up top, depending on what zone you\u2019re in.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s been great. The communication has been at a high level,\u201d the coach added.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how those two tweaks have helped the Nuggets start the four-game homestand with three wins:<\/p>\n

\"DenverSacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook (18) looks to pass the ball as Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)<\/p>\n

Monday vs. Kings<\/p>\n

Score: Nuggets 130, Kings 123<\/p>\n

Stat line: 34 points (14-22 FG, 4-10 3PT, 2-3 FT), 7 rebounds, 14 assists, 4 steals, 2 blocks, 1 turnover in 36 minutes<\/p>\n

Coach speak before: \u201cJokic uses his gravity with using all of his players at his disposal to make sure he can facilitate,\u201d Kings coach Doug Christie said. \u201cHe\u2019s also aggressive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Coach speak after: \u201cWe know who he is. He\u2019s a monster, man,\u201d Christie said.<\/p>\n

\u201cListen, if you\u2019re going to give him a wide-open shot, he\u2019s going to take it. \u2026 He\u2019s a special player.\u201d<\/p>\n

What stood out: It\u2019s not often Jokic\u2019s defense gets the top billing, but that should be the case after the game against Sacramento. The Kings went with an undersized lineup with Domantas Sabonis at center surrounded by four guards. The six combined steals and blocks were the most of his season.<\/p>\n

Instead of swatting the ball at or near its peak, the blocks came when Dennis Schroder and DeMar DeRozan gathered the ball before going up. The steals were a product of tipped passes, a couple of dislodged balls in the post and one clean interception.<\/p>\n

\u201cJok doesn\u2019t get the credit he deserves on defense. He\u2019s always top two, top three in steals and deflections,\u201d Aaron Gordon said after the win over Miami.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s doing more this year on the defensive side. He\u2019s just so smart, so he understands the game. The better we understand our defensive schemes as a group, the better he\u2019s going to look,\u201d Gordon added. <\/p>\n

\"DenverDenver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, right, passes the ball as Miami Heat forward Simone Fontecchio (0) defends in the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)<\/p>\n

Wednesday vs. Heat<\/p>\n

Score: Nuggets 122, Heat 112<\/p>\n

Stat line: 33 points (12-18 FG, 2-5 3PT, 7-8 FT), 15 rebounds, 16 assists, 3 steals, 0 blocks, 3 turnovers in 37 minutes<\/p>\n

Coach speak before: \u201cJokic can get you turned and twisted in a lot of different ways,\u201d Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said before The Denver Gazette asked how Jokic was being used differently from prior years.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not really a surprise to see that (Adelman) has tapped into some of the stuff his dad was doing in Sacramento. They were already doing a lot of that. Jokic is the most versatile center. He can enter offense. You can play him in the post. You can play him in the high post. They\u2019re getting a little bit more in the elbow areas where Rick was so famous for kind of changing the league and using (Vlade) Divac and their bigs at the elbow and running offense through there. Wherever you get him the ball, it\u2019s a nightmare. They\u2019re very intentional about how they\u2019re using his strengths.\u201d<\/p>\n

Coach speak after: \u201cJokic manages every aspect of the game,\u201d Spoelstra said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s playing the scoreboard. He knows intuitively when those swing moments are, when there\u2019s an opportunity to take a six or eight-point lead and push it to 12 or 14. He won all of those battles whether it be an assist or offensive rebound or to score or bust out in transition and get an easy opportunity. I could go on and on and on, but he dominates those aspects of the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

What stood out: The assists were a new season high against a Miami team that mixed up its defensive looks, and a series of missed layups prevented him from flirting with another 20-assist game.<\/p>\n

The Heat defense was diminished by Bam Adebayo\u2019s absence after the first quarter, but Jokic recorded three assists when Miami\u2019s center was still in the game. It was the typical mix of finding cuts off split action, dribble handoffs, handling in the pick and roll, and finding the open man when double-teamed. Jokic also threw some ridiculous passes, like a left-handed, behind-the-back bounce pass to Christian Braun for a missed layup.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome angles are different. That\u2019s why the passes look so fun or ridiculous,\u201d Jokic explained after the game.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes you need to (make) a weird pass or whatever just because of the angle or the defender or to trick other defenders. \u2026 Sometimes I throw the pass and I think, \u2018Oh, this is not going through,\u2019 and it doesn\u2019t, but I think you need to try it. Then you will know for sure for the next time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Denver Nuggets center Nikola Joki\u0107 (15) looks to shoot for a basket over Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) in the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)<\/p>\n

Friday vs. Warriors<\/p>\n

Score: Nuggets 129, Warriors 104<\/p>\n

Stat line: 26 points (12-15 FG, 2-3 3PT, 0-0 FT), 9 rebounds, 9 assists, 0 steals, 1 block, 1 turnover in 28 minutes<\/p>\n

Coach speak before: \u201cI would use Nikola Jokic at any part of the floor \u2013 elbow, straight on, on the block. The guy is unstoppable, but it creates different angles on their high-split game. They\u2019ve been doing that for years,\u201d Steve Kerr said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really hard to guard. They put a lot of pressure on you. \u2026 It seems to change some of the angles a little bit on those splits. They\u2019ve done a really good job of implementing some new stuff that\u2019s really difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n

Coach speak after: The Warriors coach wasn\u2019t happy with his team\u2019s level of fight in a lopsided loss. \u201cIt\u2019s pretty tough when it happens against one of the best teams in the league with the best player in the world,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

What stood out: After missing his first shot \u2013 a turnaround, mid-range jumper over Draymond Green in the first 90 seconds \u2013 Jokic was almost perfect from the field.<\/p>\n

A Trayce Jackson-Davis block and an errant 3-pointer in the final minutes of the second quarter were Jokic\u2019s only other misses. He made his final seven shots, as Denver put away the Warriors in a rematch of the season-opener.<\/p>\n

Since the loss in Golden State, when the best player in franchise history went an uncharacteristic 8 of 23 from the field, Jokic has shot 63% from the field or better and led Denver to a 6-1 record in the last seven games. It doesn\u2019t seem to matter whether teams guard him straight up, send double teams at different times or use a zone.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was made to play against different defenses. He has a feel for space that I\u2019ve never seen before. Whether it\u2019s zone or matchup zone or a man defense \u2013 whether they\u2019re doubling him or they\u2019re not \u2013 his comfort level with how he sees the floor is second to none,\u201d Adelman said after the win over the Heat.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is something that you\u2019re never going to see again.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A tweak or two on each end has helped make the seemingly impossible plausible. Whether it\u2019s more zone…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":272073,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[434],"tags":[49,48,459,82],"class_list":{"0":"post-272072","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nba","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-nba","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/272072","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=272072"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/272072\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/272073"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=272072"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=272072"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=272072"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}