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With One Absurd Pass, Nikola Jokić Reminds Everyone the Nuggets Are Still Contenders

A largely criticized offseason still can’t take away from the fact that Denver boasts the best basketball player in the world.
Tom Dierberger|
Jokić scored three points and tallied seven assists in the Nuggets’ preseason opener on Sunday.
Jokić scored three points and tallied seven assists in the Nuggets’ preseason opener on Sunday. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Denver Nuggets

The offseason chatter surrounding the Nuggets has been largely negative.

Denver, the only NBA team operating in the second apron this season, had to cut ties with a few key pieces (namely Peyton Watson) just to make their financial situation a bit more palatable. The team, on paper, is worse than last year’s squad that couldn’t get out of the first round of the postseason. That’s not good enough. Surely, this version of the Nuggets will be worse and won’t have much to say once the postseason arrives in the spring. Right?

Wrong. As he reminded everyone Sunday afternoon, Nikola Jokić is still Nikola Jokić. And that will continue to be a problem for the other 29 teams.

In the Nuggets’ preseason opener, Jokić pulled off a pass you have to see to believe. Midway through the first quarter of an exhibition against the Jazz at CU Events Center in Bolder, Colo., Jokić was dribbling next to Utah’s bench when he noticed, out of the corner of his eye, Cameron Johnson standing alone on the other side of the floor.

Jokić, without looking, fired a behind-the-back pass nearly 50 feet through the air over to the other corner to Johnson, who swished the triple. Nuggets fans in the arena, including Colorado’s student section, audibly gasped. It was one of the best passes of Jokić’s career.

No other basketball player in the world can make that pass with that level of velocity and accuracy. It arrived in Johnson’s hands before Svi Mykhailiuk, the nearest Jazz defender, could get a hand in his face. It’s worth a look in multiple angles:

“He’s one of one who can make that pass,” Denver coach David Adelman said after the game. 

The Nuggets have plenty to clean up this season with a few new faces in the building. Denver’s defense was an issue last season, particularly in transition. Adelman has spoken in training camp about the team’s schematic tweaks to fix those problems. 

This year, newly signed DeMar DeRozan will come off the bench. He’s still a bucket at age 37. But the players who have been here also need to step up. Christian Braun hasn’t lived up to his $125 million contract extension. Johnson is still trying to prove the Nuggets swapping Michael Porter Jr. for him was the right decision. Jamal Murray needs another All-Star caliber campaign. 

Jokić, who bluntly stated last week he plans to stick around Denver and sign a contract extension next summer, still believes in this roster.

“I was here when we basically were a so-so team and we won a championship, and we still have capability and have an opportunity to compete on a high level, and to win a championship,” Jokić said at media day.

The Nuggets might not have the Spurs’ young talent or the Thunder’s deep roster. But they have Jokić. That’s enough for another ho-hum 50-win season and a real chance for a postseason run.

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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger leads Sports Illustrated’s NBA coverage as the Deputy News Director. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at Fox Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor’s in communication from St. John’s University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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