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LeBron James Explains Why Nikola Jokic is So Hard to Guard on Latest Podcast Episode
Nikola Jokic is tough to stop when he runs the inverted pick-and-roll.
LeBron James and JJ Redick released the second episode of their podcast, Mind the Game, on Wednesday morning. Redick asked LeBron about the inverted pick-and-roll, where the big man handles the ball and a smaller player sets the screen. It set off an intriguing strategic discussion from one of the best basketball minds the world has seen.
James explains the various ways to try to defend the play when a talented big man has the ball. Draymond Green, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kristaps Prozingis, and Nikola Jokic are all highlighted in this clip. He breaks down how it is nearly impossible to guard when one of those guys is involved. Especially Jokic.
"If the big has it going and he's shooting it well, i.e., you know, it could be Joel. It could be Porzingis. It could be Joker where, he might be shooting it well, then the guard can get out and give a hard [expletive] hedge and the guard that's guarding the ball goes one removed. So he goes underneath his player, in between his player and the offensive player. If that doesn't work then you have to switch and then fire. And with Joker that's what makes their team insane to guard. Because when you switch and you fire he can make every single pass."
It's kind of entertaining to hear LeBron James marvel at these talented bigs the way that most players must marvel at him. Even LeBron clearly feels frustrated by guys who are so big and so skilled at the same time and Jokic just does it on another level because of his passing.
There are still a few weeks remaining in the regular season, but if the playoffs started today the Los Angeles Lakers would be in the Play-In Tournament. And their reward for getting to the playoffs would be a first round matchup against Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. LeBron could soon grow tired of discussing how to stop this exact play.
Stephen Douglas is a writer at The Big Lead.
