Nikola Jokić Continues Highlight-Filled Week With Mind-Blowing Buzzer-Beater vs. Jazz

Everything he touches turns to gold.
Nikola Jokic jogs during the Nuggets' game against the Jazz.
Nikola Jokic jogs during the Nuggets' game against the Jazz. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

For years now, adjectives to describe Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic's play have been in short supply. Have cultural commentators bemoaning Jokic's relative lack of crossover appeal considered that we simply don't have the vocabulary for his excellence?

This week was one of those weeks where Jokic seemed to have less in common with his peers and more in common with, say, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. First, he nailed a note-perfect no-look pass to forward Aaron Gordon Wednesday in the Nuggets' 127–117 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Then, on Friday, he did this against the Utah Jazz at the halftime buzzer.

Are you kidding me?

Pulling up from about three-quarters of the way down the court—only a few feet off Denver's own three-point line—Jokic delivered a one-handed three-pointer that looked borderline casual. Even a Ball Arena crowd used to these superhuman feats seemed to pop.

If the wider world is still reluctant to embrace the fame-adverse future Hall of Famer, too bad. Basketball fans will gladly cling to their secret.


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Patrick Andres
PATRICK ANDRES

Patrick Andres is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in December 2022, having worked for The Blade, Athlon Sports, Fear the Sword and Diamond Digest. Andres has covered everything from zero-attendance Big Ten basketball to a seven-overtime college football game. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a double major in history .