Three years ago, Nuggets center Nikola Jokic was a 7-foot second-rounder with tantalizing skills. Now? He’s an All-NBA lock, posting numbers unseen since a Stilt named Wilt patrolled the paint. Here’s how Jokic has led Denver to a top seed in the West.
Statistical Nuggets!
3.6
Jokic moves like a highlight reel at half-speed. But don’t be fooled — that slow-moving planet is the nexus of the Nuggets’ universe. Per Second Spectrum, Jokic handles the ball 3.6 mpg, 25 percent more than any other center.
54%
The percentage of Nuggets FGs for which Jokic is responsible — his own and those he assists. That’s fifth in the NBA, just behind LeBron James, and by far the highest among centers.
7.4
Jokic’s assists per game this season, the most of any center since Chamberlain in 1967-68 — the season he won his fourth MVP.
* Will Denver unseat Golden State? The playoffs begin April 13.