Trying to contain the attack of the Nuggets and his master to play is a real headache for the Heat in this final. Beyond his game, high and low post, and the quality of his passing game, Nikola Jokic has an additional weapon to make Floridians suffer: his 3-point shot.
Since the start of this playoff campaign, he has posted his best career success rate with 47%. His volume remains quite low – 31/66 in all, or around four attempts per game – but it has almost doubled compared to the rest of the year, when he only tried his luck twice from behind the arc.
Mike Malone considers this threat to be ” essential. Our attack is great, period. But when Nikola makes 3-point baskets, it puts a lot more pressure on the opposing defense. “And in particular on Bam Adebayo, responsible for contesting it.
” The most important thing is to read the game and react. It’s easier said than done, of course. But it’s really about reading, reacting and looking at the pictures », enumerates thus the pivot of the Heat. The concern is that when the latter has to go up to the 3-point line to hinder the pivot opposite, Miami finds itself amputated from its biggest player, and its best rebounder, in the racket.
Feint to finish or fix
However, despite the return of Kevin Love in the five, the Heat are struggling to contain the size of the Nuggets and thus found themselves largely dominated in the rebound during the last meeting. And more broadly, attracting the pivot of Miami so far from the circle allows Nikola Jokic and his teammates to attack better in the racket.
” If you shoot more than 40% from 3-pointers, the opponent becomes very concerned about it, goes out on you on the line and closes in to hinder you. Nikola is able to fake the shot or attack into the gap “, analyzes Mike Malone according to whom Nikola Jokic has “ one of the best shot fakes in the league “.
A “grandfather” feint that has claimed more than one victim since the start of his career.
” And there you have a brilliant passer of 2m11 attacking the circle and going to score. He is an outstanding finisher. He’ll find someone working in the back of the defense for a lob, or he’ll get the ball out for a wide-open 3-point shot. It’s not just the 3-pointers he scores, it’s also the pressure and the extra layer he puts on the defense », Explains Mike Malone again.
The latter simply sees in it another aspect of the definition of a great player who, every evening, shines with ” his ability to make each of his teammates better “.
| Nikola Jokic | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2015-16 | DEN | 80 | 22 | 51.2 | 33.3 | 81.1 | 2.3 | 4.7 | 7.0 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 10.0 |
| 2016-17 | DEN | 73 | 28 | 57.8 | 32.4 | 82.5 | 2.9 | 6.9 | 9.8 | 4.9 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 16.7 |
| 2017-18 | DEN | 75 | 33 | 49.9 | 39.6 | 85.0 | 2.6 | 8.1 | 10.7 | 6.1 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 18.5 |
| 2018-19 | DEN | 80 | 31 | 51.1 | 30.7 | 82.1 | 2.9 | 8.0 | 10.8 | 7.3 | 2.9 | 1.4 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 20.1 |
| 2019-20 | DEN | 73 | 32 | 52.8 | 31.4 | 81.7 | 2.3 | 7.5 | 9.7 | 7.0 | 3.0 | 1.2 | 3.1 | 0.6 | 20.0 |
| 2020-21 ★ | DEN | 72 | 35 | 56.6 | 38.8 | 86.8 | 2.9 | 8.0 | 10.8 | 8.3 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 26.4 |
| 2021-22 ★ | DEN | 74 | 34 | 58.3 | 33.7 | 81.0 | 2.8 | 11.0 | 13.8 | 7.9 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 3.8 | 0.9 | 27.1 |
| 2022-23 | DEN | 69 | 34 | 63.2 | 38.3 | 82.2 | 2.4 | 9.4 | 11.8 | 9.8 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 3.6 | 0.7 | 24.5 |
| Total | 596 | 31 | 55.3 | 34.8 | 82.9 | 2.6 | 7.9 | 10.5 | 6.6 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 20.2 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
