Nikola Jokic Reaches Impressive Feat Only Accomplished By Russell Westbrook and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
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Nikola Jokic is a guard that happens to be 7-foot tall. While that may be ludicrous to say, anyone who has watched Jokic play would agree. The Serbian big-man is fleet-footed and is gifted with one of the softest touches in the modern NBA. He is also a terrific playmaker, ranking as one of the highest assist leaders in the NBA this season.
Jokic can do it all on the court. The center has become a triple-double machine and was averaging a triple-double for the start of the season. While he has cooled off a little, he is still putting up historic numbers on a weekly basis. He has matched records set by Wilt Chamberlain before, and now he is joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Russell Westbrook for an insane statistical distinction.
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Nikola Jokic ranks in the top 10 in total points, rebounds and assists
He’s the third player in the last 50 seasons ranked in the top 10 in all three categories at the All-Star break, joining Russell Westbrook in 2016-17 and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1978-79
H/T @EliasSports pic.twitter.com/NPN2NiB3tv
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 6, 2021
Jokic is everything for this Nuggets team. While they have an ascending star guard in Jamal Murray, Jokic is clearly the one determining this team’s success. While he needs to develop his defensive ability, Jokic is a near-perfect player in the front-court. His numbers are doing the talking for him, and it is hard to miss.
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Nikola Jokic: One-of-a-kind center?
Nikola Jokic is the player we have never seen before. We have had playmaking bigs in the NBA before, but nobody like Jokic. He will most likely end this season with the record for most assists dished out by a center in one NBA season. Anytime you beat a record Wilt Chamberlain set is a very special time.
He may not be a fierce interior presence like most centers before him, but Jokic can stretch the game anywhere. He is adept at shooting the three-ball and can score at all three levels. While he isn’t a good rim protector and can often find himself lost on defense, his impact on the court is second to none.
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While it seems the MVP race will boil down to James Harden, Joel Embiid, and LeBron James, Jokic is in the same tier as those players. The Nuggets have struggled a little this season, but are expected to pick the pace up. While their title chances aren’t as bright as they were because of roster changes, Jokic could easily just drag them to the promised land if needed.