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Nikola Jokic Facing Double-Teams in Increasingly Outrageous Situations

Stephen Douglas

Nikola Jokic faces one of many double-teams from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Nikola Jokic faces one of many double-teams from the Minnesota Timberwolves. / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
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Nikola Jokic had a historic statline in the Denver Nuggets' double-overtime loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday that left his opponents in awe. Jokic played 52 minutes and scored 61 points to go along with 10 rebounds, 10 assists and two steals.

There was one highlight from the game that really demonstrated just how great Jokic has been recently and it's not even really a highlight. In fact, it's a failed full-court heave at the end of the second quarter that shows you just how much fear the Nuggets big man strikes in the hearts of his opponents.

After a Julius Randle turnover the Nuggets were inbounding the ball from the opposite baseline with just one second remaining in the half. Jokic had to fight through a double-team from Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert to get the ball and throw up a prayer from beyond half-court.

Think about that. The center was double-teamed with a second left on the clock on the other side of the floor because he's not only been taking full-court shots, but making them. Jokic is literally a threat to score from anywhere on the court.

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Stephen Douglas
STEPHEN DOUGLAS

Stephen Douglas is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in media since 2008 and now casts a wide net with coverage across all sports. Douglas spent more than a decade with The Big Lead and previously wrote for Uproxx and The Sporting News. He has three children, two degrees and one now unverified Twitter account.

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