Since the Wolves had found the solution to curb its influence, Nikola Jokic decided to withdraw. Or rather to make others play. Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon aggressive, Jokic only takes one shot in the first five minutes, but on the other hand, the 2024 MVP gets everyone involved. The proof: his four teammates each scored a basket before him. Meanwhile, Jokic blackens the stats sheet to sign, in the end, an ultra complete performance: 24 points on 10 out of 18 shots, 14 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 interceptions and 3 blocks!
“I thought we played simpler and we didn’t give them the opportunity to be aggressive” explains the All-Star pivot. “We ran a little faster and gave ourselves a chance to have more time on offense. We didn't lose any balls, we defended well, we grabbed the rebounds, and we were much more aggressive than them. This is what changed in this meeting. »
Real undermining work
But the Serbian pivot was not passive either, and when it was necessary to hit the nail on the head and close the match, it was he who struck. In the middle of the 3rd quarter, the “Joker” took the match into his own hands to score 13 of his 24 points in six minutes. Rudy Gobert then Karl-Anthony Towns are overtaken, and the Nuggets finish the quarter at +27. This will be the final gap. A way to remind us that he is the best player in the world, and that the Nuggets are the NBA champions. This was Mike Malone's message before the meeting.
“It’s a message that reminds everyone of who we are, and what we are capable of doing” concludes Jokic. “We have been at the top, and we have been in situations where we were at the lowest. We know how to react, we know how to play like champions, and we had the right mindset tonight. »
| Nikola Jokic | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 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 |
| 2023-24 ★ | DEN | 79 | 35 | 58.3 | 35.9 | 81.7 | 2.8 | 9.5 | 12.4 | 9.0 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 26.4 |
| Total | 675 | 31 | 55.7 | 35.0 | 82.7 | 2.6 | 8.1 | 10.7 | 6.9 | 2.7 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 21.0 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
