Nikola Jokic Stats: Jokic Came Up Big to Lead Nuggets on Title Quest
Second-Round Pick Nikola Jokic, The Gift That Keeps on Giving for Denver Nuggets
Dominating Playoff Performance Gives Jokic the One Trophy he was Missing
As hard as it is to believe, there were 40 players selected in the 2014 NBA Draft before the Denver Nuggets picked Nikola Jokic, the 6-foot-11 native of Sombor, Serbia. Since then, the Nikola Jokic stats serve as a reminder of what could have been for the teams that passed on Jokic.
Questions about his athleticism led to teams passing on the versatile big man. Those teams had to be kicking themselves nearly a decade later when Jokic followed up a brilliant regular season by leading the Nuggets to the NBA title.
According to the NBA rankings, the Nuggets are priced at +500 to win the NBA title again next season. The Boston Celtics (+550), Phoenix Suns (+650), and Milwaukee Bucks (+700) are next in the NBA championship odds.
Let’s look at some of the numbers put up by Jokic that have him enjoying life as an NBA champion for the first time.
Saving His Best for Last
The league has plenty of players who put up gaudy stats in the regular season only to fizzle out when the stakes go up in the postseason. Nobody can accuse Jokic of wilting when the pressure is turned up.
When looking at Nikola Jokic stats, his career playoff averages are 27.5 points per game (on 52.8% shooting), 12.1 rebounds, and 7.3 assists.
Jokic posted career-bests with 13.5 rebounds and 9.5 assists in this year’s playoffs.
He had a pair of triple-doubles in the five games against the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. In the five games, he averaged 30.2 points, 14 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game.
What Were They Thinking?
Some of the players taken in the second half of the first round or early stages of the second round in the 2014 NBA Draft include James Young, Mitch McGary, Jordan Adams, and P.J. Hairston. C.J. Wilcox, Josh Huestis, Damien Inglis, K.J. McDaniels, Cleanthony Early, Jarnell Stokes, and DeAndre Daniels.
NBA history might look a little different had Jokic not fallen to pick No. 41 in what has turned out to be a rated as a so-so draft class.
Jokic has a Value Over Replacement Player mark of 52.8 and that is more than double the next closest member of the 2014 draft class. Ironically, that player happens to be No. 3 overall pick Joel Embiid.
Yes, that is the same Embiid who beat out Jokic for the regular-season NBA Most Valuable Player award to keep him from winning three straight MVPs during the regular season.
Jokic came into the season as the two-time reigning MVP. Of course, he won the more important of the MVP awards and that was NBA Finals MVP. He was also the Western Conference Finals MVP.
Denied A 3-Peat
The last time somebody won three consecutive NBA regular-season Most Valuable Player trophies, it was the legendary Larry Bird who accomplished the feat.
Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash. LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Giannis Antetokounmpo each won back-to-back MVPs since that time only to be denied the chance to join Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell as the only players to win the MVP award three years running.
The Nikola Jokic stats show that he averaged 24.5 points per game, 11.8 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game.
Embiid led the NBA in scoring, putting up 33.1 points to go with 10.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists. Those are certainly worthy of winning the MVP, but so were Jokic’s numbers. Jokic finished third in the NBA assists leader during the regular season.
Jokic had 29 triple-doubles during the regular season.
Nobody can accuse Jokic of padding his stats in meaningless situations as Denver was 27-2 when he had a triple-double.
The Best is Yet to Come?
Jokic is still only 28. Jamal Murray, who averaged 26.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 7.1 rebounds in this year’s playoffs, is just 26. Michael Porter Jr. is 24, Aaron Gordon is 27, and Bruce Brown is 26.
According to the spotrac.com salary database, just nine teams had a younger team than the Nuggets. They all expect to be back.
The contenders will be looking to bolster the rosters to stop the Nuggets from repeating as NBA champions. It already started with the reported trade of guard Bradley Beal from Washington to Phoenix. Still, this is looking like a team capable of making a run at another title during the 2023-24 season.
Where Does He Rank?
Jokic’s place in the pecking order of NBA greats is still to be determined based on how long he opts to play.
At the current time, his career numbers are comparable to what New York Knicks legend Willis Reed put up when it comes to Win Shares. Through the first seven years, he is grouped with Shaquille O’Neal, Bob Lanier, Bill Russell, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Reed.
In the Win Share per 48 minutes category, the only NBA players ahead of Jokic are Jordan, George Mikan, and James.
He is ninth in NBA playoff history with an average of 27.5 points per game, 17th with 12.1 rebounds per contest, and 19th with 7.3 assists per game.
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