Big Man, Big Problems: Can Undersized Thunder Contain Nikola Jokic?
Oklahoma City’s next task is something few teams have been able to do successfully.
Stop Nikola Jokic.
The 2020-21 Most Valuable Player is in the midst of another All-NBA caliber season. He leads the Nuggets in points, rebounds, assists and steals per game. Jokic’s 26.3 points per game is the sixth most in the NBA and the most of any center in the league.
OKC will have to attempt to slow down Jokic without a true NBA center and the normal big man starter being a rookie. The task is amplified by Jokic being held under 20 points just three times this season, two of them coming this month.
Jokic, standing at 6-foot-11 and 284 pounds, presents a unique challenge for any NBA team, especially the Thunder who’s only got one player as tall or taller than Jokic. Aleksej Pokusevski is taller than Jokic but is nearly 100-pounds lighter than he is.
Jokic’s style of play also presents unique challenges to whichever defender the Thunder throw at him. Jokic, unlike typical seven footers, can stretch the floor which forces defenders to guard him beyond the arc.
He is shooting 38.1% from 3-point range this season and is a career 35% shooter from deep.
It's been a center by committee rotation in OKC this season with Mike Muscala, Derrick Favors and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl handling the load. While Robinson-Earl plays the most minutes of the three, Muscala leads the group in scoring.
No matter who is on the court, Jokic is set to present a challenge unlike any the Thunder have faced this season, which could lead to a long night for OKC.
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