Joke’s On You: Nikola Jokic and the New-ish Denver Nuggets
The last NBA season was interesting for Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.
They won 50 games in a tough Western Conference. They eliminated the Clippers in the first round of the playoffs, but got knocked out by the eventual champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Nikola Jokic had a big role in all of that–number 2 in MVP voting, another All-Star appearance, and another All-NBA first team mention. He was still at the center of the Nuggets offense–averaging 30 points and 10 assists per game the entire season. Virtually, it was another MVP season from the Joker. He is frequently teased that he is happier when he is with his horses at home. But nobody can argue with his stats. He was also the impetus for Russell Westbrook’s mini-resurgence.
The Nuggets had some interesting offseason moves–letting go of inconsistent Michael Porter Jr. and Dario Saric; but getting back two-way guard Bruce Brown, who was a key cog in their championship run. They also got 3-point threat Cam Johnson and vet Tim Hardaway Jr. Jonas Valanciunas also joined via a Kings trade, and he would definitely help the team’s spacing and rim protection. They look good–the Jokic-Murray-Gordon core is still intact, and there are rising stars in Christian Braun and Julian Strawther. If things click, they could outperform themselves this year.
For Daily Fantasy Players: HOT! Jokic just drops 30-10 every night, and it would be a travesty to not pick him and make him the team captain. The NBA still has not figured him out, and he creates a lot of problems as a primary playmaker and facilitator. The combination of basketball IQ, heft, and skill makes are so potent against most teams.
For Traditional Fantasy Players: HOT! Have you seen his recent explosion in the Europe games? This guy is not slowing down, and despite the memes of him chugging beer while in derbies, his consistency cannot be dismissed. He is in his 10th year in the league, but his play is not characterized by athleticism anyway (which is the first thing to go as the years pass for players)–he still has his razor sharp basketball instincts and his size.
