Before the season started, no one expected the resurgence of the Denver Nuggets. At some point during the summer, the team has been busy looking for trading partners in order to improve its roster. However, the Mile High City squad is currently vying for a spot in the post season.
Denver is greatly benefitting from the sensational plays of its 6'10" behemoth Nikola Jokic. The Serbian forward/center is having the best season of his career so far. What makes the 22-year-old a joy to watch is his imprint on every facet of the game. In addition to his scoring and rebounding prowess, the Nuggets are also riding extremely well on Jokic's exceptional passing and ball-handling skills.
After a rather chaotic jump into the season, Coach Michael Malone has made a significant adjustment last December when he inserted Nikola Jokic into the starting lineup. The strategy has reaped immediate rewards.
Prior to Malone's adjustment, the Denver Nuggets are 18th in the NBA in terms of points per possession. During the next 31 games where Jokic manned the middle, the team has jumped to second in that same category. What has been further highlighted is the 22-year old's passing ability as the squad became second in the league in assist ratio with a 64.4 percent rating.
It should also be noted that the Nuggets have enjoyed a fairly high shooting percentage of 39.6 from three-point land when Nikola Jokic started. Before December, only the Spurs, the Warriors and the Wizards have thrived shooting on the wings and at top of the key. By the time the sensational Serbian has cracked Malone's first unit, the Nuggets have joined the fray.
When Denver was still experimenting on a big lineup that featured Jokic and now Trail Blazer Yusuf Nurkic, the team has incurred a 54 percent shooting percentage. By the time the 6'10" center hooked up the starting unit, the scoring rate has soared to 60.3 percent.
According to teammate Juancho Hernangomez, Jokic has provided them enough space to launch their shots. With the burly Serbian in the thick of things, the Denver Nuggets will only improve onwards.
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