Nikola Jokić has been out for two straight games and is questionable Friday against the Brooklyn Nets. With him missing time this season, it has been a huge question as to what Denver Nuggets team will show up. He has had to carry his weight and more for the Nuggets to win games this season. With the Nuggets becoming so reliant on Jokić to show up and play well, without him has become an issue. It’s never good for the best player on a team to be out, but the Nuggets can benefit from Jokić being out.
Nikola Jokić Being Out is Good for the Nuggets
Learning to Win Without Him
Without Jokić this season, the Nuggets have a 2-3 record. He has consistently been healthy throughout his career, but the Nuggets could benefit from him missing a few games. They blew out the Los Angeles Clippers and competed with the Boston Celtics in their most recent games without him. Julian Strawther and Peyton Watson played with energy and effort in the absence of Jokić, showing they could be contributors. As young players, their main issue is consistency. Providing good production more often could see them landing more minutes before the season ends.
The Nuggets’ biggest struggle with Jokić out is the lack of offensive direction. In these last two games without him, they have turned to an offense directed by Russell Westbrook and Jamal Murray, which has been productive. Against the Clippers, they shot the lights out with five players having a true shooting percentage of 73.0% or higher. That recipe is hard to replicate, but the Nuggets also had a 105.1 defensive rating, significantly better than their 113.6 defensive rating on the season. If they can bring the shooting and defensive prowess to games with Jokić, the team could rise in the standings before the playoffs.
Other Stars Must Step Up
The Nuggets have been a perennial contender since Jokić improved to become one of the NBA’s elite players. Alongside him, the Nuggets have seen the emergence of several players they drafted. Murray and Michael Porter Jr. have blossomed into stars and were big contributors to Denver’s 2022-23 NBA title. The Nuggets have seen key contributors come and go throughout Jokić’s prime. The new CBA in place has made it challenging for the Nuggets to sign key depth pieces to surround him that complement his skill set.
Both Murray and Porter Jr. are playing on max contracts. It’s important their contributions align with their contracts. Porter Jr. is producing the best overall season of his career, showing consistency and proving his elite shooting prowess. Murray has been inconsistent but shows signs of improvement on his poor start to the season.
In Murray’s last 13 games, he averaged 21.6 points per game on 45.6% from the field and 42.5% from three while averaging 1.9 steals per game. Continuing that production will be important as his play is one of the biggest determiners of how the Nuggets perform as a team. When Murray plays at an elite level, it takes the Nuggets to another tier. If the Nuggets can get consistent production from their other stars while receiving MVP play from Jokić, they will elevate themselves back into the contending force they have been in past seasons.
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