Sports

Nikola Jokic’s Passing Is Just Plain Fun to Watch

Published

3 years ago

April 23, 2022

Nikola Jokic’s Passing Is Just Plain Fun to Watch

DENVER — About halfway by way of the third quarter of a sport in early April, Nikola Jokic was pushing the ball up the courtroom after grabbing a defensive rebound for the Denver Nuggets.

Proper earlier than he reached the midcourt line, he lobbed a wonderfully positioned go over the heads of 4 San Antonio Spurs defenders and into the palms of his teammate beneath the basket, ahead Aaron Gordon, who pushed within the straightforward layup.

It was the form of go that few individuals within the N.B.A. — and maybe no different heart — may make, and it’s a key motive Jokic, the reigning most precious participant, is once more a prime candidate to win the award.

Jokic, a 27-year-old Serb, isn’t simply an distinctive passer for a middle, nonetheless. He’s among the finest passers within the N.B.A. and should find yourself being remembered as among the finest, ever.

All the things within the Denver offense runs by way of Jokic. He’s by no means the quickest or most athletic participant on the ground, however his passing skill is an equalizer. He can discover cutters, with or with out wanting, and he threw extra passes than anyone else in the course of the common season: 5,432, in line with the league’s monitoring stats, 615 greater than the subsequent participant. His 42.6 help share — a measure of what number of of his teammates’ pictures he helped create — was the fourth finest in the course of the common season. It was increased than that for gamers recognized for his or her passing, like Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball and the Lakers’ LeBron James.

Now, Jokic is dealing with Curry and his Warriors teammates within the first spherical of the Western Convention playoffs — and Curry is having a a lot simpler time racking up assists. Golden State has been in a position to restrict Jokic’s effectiveness by swarming him with defenders and chopping off passing lanes. And at instances, Jokic has been smothered by Draymond Inexperienced, who as soon as gained the Defensive Participant of the 12 months Award. Denver is trailing the sequence two video games to none.

However Jokic may rating at an elite degree. Due to Jokic’s deft contact across the rim and talent to create for others, Nuggets Coach Michael Malone made Jokic the point of interest of the Nuggets’ offense in 2016-17, Jokic’s second N.B.A. season. The 12 months earlier than, the Nuggets had been a bottom-tier offense. Since then, the Jokic-quarterbacked Nuggets have been among the many finest offensive groups each season.

“You may have a middle that’s not solely unselfish, however has a tremendously excessive I.Q. and takes nice pleasure in making each one in all his teammates higher,” Malone stated.

Whilst basketball has grow to be more and more positionless and finest fitted to the versatile, Jokic stands out for being a point-center — an enormous man who can run the offense from anyplace on the courtroom.

Here’s a have a look at a few of what he can do.

Late-Sport Conditions

Late in additional time towards the Los Angeles Clippers in January, Jokic was being double-teamed past the 3-point line. He rifled a crosscourt go into the chest of Gordon, who was standing within the reverse nook with two defenders close by. Gordon hit the game-winning jumper.

It made sense for the Clippers to load up on Jokic’s aspect of the courtroom, leaving Gordon open within the nook, as a result of it was affordable to imagine nobody may make that form of go. It required the energy to push the ball into the nook and the precision to ensure it didn’t fly out of bounds or get intercepted. However that is the place Jokic being a middle makes him completely different. His 6-foot-11 top gave him a bonus, permitting him to see over the outstretched arms of his defenders and spot the wide-open Gordon.

The Clippers hardly may have defended the Nuggets any higher, but Jokic discovered an angle to get the ball to his teammate. It was probably the most outstanding passes of the season.

“I believe it simply places the protection in an unimaginable scenario, particularly when you’ve guards that may rating and make the most of it,” stated Nuggets Normal Supervisor Calvin Sales space, who was a middle within the N.B.A. from 1999 to 2009.

Quick Breaks

Denver is among the slower groups within the league, however Jokic can run a quick break. Traditionally, each time a middle has grabbed a rebound, the ball is straight away thrown to a guard, who decides easy methods to provoke the offense. One motive shorter guards have been tasked with working breaks is they’re decrease to the bottom and fewer vulnerable to having their dribbling disrupted. Jokic is the embodiment of the fashionable N.B.A., the place increasingly facilities determine to convey the ball up themselves.

“I’ve simply performed like that since I’ve recognized basketball,” Jokic stated. “Passing is one thing I actually love to do.”

However Jokic isn’t simply any heart. Throughout a sport towards the Sacramento Kings in January, 4 defenders’ eyes had been on him on the break, which allowed ahead JaMychal Inexperienced to sneak behind the protection. Jokic’s head went a technique, suggesting to the protection that he was going to throw a go to the wing, however he as an alternative threw a no-look go to Inexperienced beneath the basket. Jokic needed to thread the go between these 4 defenders completely to hit Inexperienced in stride with out getting the go deflected.

“Folks have to grasp that he’ll mainly inform you what to do to get a simple basket,” stated Vlatko Cancar, a third-year ahead for the Nuggets. “That’s how superior his passing is. He’ll learn the protection, like, three steps forward of you.”

He added, “I don’t assume I’ve ever seen an enormous man that may learn the sport as some extent guard.”

There have been different tall gamers with glorious passing skill, resembling Arvydas Sabonis, the 7-foot-3 Lithuanian heart who entered the N.B.A. in his 30s; the 6-foot-9 Celtics ahead Larry Hen; and Jokic’s up to date, Giannis Antetokounmpo, the 6-foot-11 Milwaukee Bucks ahead. However nobody who performs solely at heart has proven Jokic’s passing prowess.

Submit-Up Theatrics

An enormous advantage of Jokic’s passing skill as a middle is the Nuggets can provoke offense from anyplace on the ground at any level within the sport. Jokic can begin a set on the transfer into the submit or he can convey the ball up into the frontcourt. Or he can merely do a standard set, submit up and look over his defender for one of the best go. Guards usually arrange the offense exterior the paint, which makes it simpler for set defenses to foretell what is going to occur. It’s uncommon {that a} level guard posts up, whereas Jokic is simply as harmful inside and outdoors the paint.

In a sport towards Detroit in January, he caught the ball mid-post and threw a go over his shoulder and behind his head to a cutter for a simple basket. Jokic’s top made it simpler for him to get the go into the center than it could have been for many different gamers.

Being such a talented passer opens up the remainder of Jokic’s sport, too. It’s rather more troublesome to double-team him as a result of he can simply discover open teammates for straightforward factors.

“Did I educate him to try this? No, I didn’t,” stated Dejan Milojevic, who coached Jokic in Serbia, and is now an assistant coach for Golden State.

Milojevic continued: “Once we speak about easy methods to educate an enormous man to go, yeah, you possibly can educate him the fundamentals of passing and the best way that he can go. When, to whom and at what second and which means, you possibly can speak about it. However quite a lot of it is a pure reward that he has.”

Sports

Danielle Collins thanks booing Australian Open crowd for ‘big fat pay check’ after beating home hope

Published

23 minutes ago

January 17, 2025

Press Room

Danielle Collins thanks booing Australian Open crowd for ‘big fat pay check’ after beating home hope

Danielle Collins thanked a hostile Australian Open crowd for helping to fund her next vacation after beating its last home hope in the women’s draw.

Collins beat Destanee Aiava 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-2 to set up a third-round meeting with U.S. compatriot Madison Keys.

As the crowd booed her while she took the mic for her post-match interview, she told them that she was thinking of that “big fat pay check” on her way to victory.

“Coco and I love a good five-star vacation,” the No. 10 seed said in reference to CoCo Vandeweghe. “So part of that check is going to go towards that. So thanks for coming out here and supporting us tonight.”

At the end of the first set, Collins blew kisses to the crowd as she sat, before repeating the trick at the end of the match.

“Thanks guys, love ya,” she said on her way off court.

Little bit of prime “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan about Danielle Collins post match!#AO2025 pic.twitter.com/nyusDgt3PP
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 16, 2025

Later in her post-match press conference, she added: “One of the greatest things about being a professional athlete is the people that don’t like you and the people that hate you, they actually pay your bills. It’s kind of a cool concept.

“Every person that’s bought a ticket to come out here and heckle me, it’s all going towards the Danielle Collins Fund. Bring it on. I love it.”

Collins, 31, who Coco Gauff said “is always going to be Danielle,” in a recent news conference, is not the first player to give something back to the partisan crowd — Jack Draper celebrated a five-set victory over Thanasi Kokkinakis by cupping his ear to the Australians.

Collins, a finalist in Melbourne in 2022, is unwilling to cede ground to hostility from fans and players, real or imagined.

At the Paris Olympics, Collins had a tense exchange with then world No. 1 Iga Swiatek after retiring from their Olympic quarterfinal with an injury. “I just told her not to be insincere about my injury. I don’t need the fakeness,” Collins said afterwards, drawing a befuddled reaction from Swiatek.

Collins blew kisses to the crowd in Melbourne (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

Collins, who postponed her retirement from tennis after learning that her endometriosis would cause complications with her plan to start a family, has been open about how difficult that journey has been.

“You feel like you’re chasing your tail sometimes with the news that you get from your doctors because it can feel like Groundhog Day,” she told The Athletic in November.

“Other times you feel like, ‘Wow, I’ve done treatment, I’ve had surgery. And yet this thing continues to be an issue.’ And you think, ‘How is it like this?’ But that’s the thing with endometriosis, it’s not this like a tangible thing that you can just fix and that it can just go away. It doesn’t really go away.”

GO DEEPER

‘I’ve settled into my skin’: Danielle Collins is ready to play on

(Top photo: William West/AFP via Getty Images)

Sports

Fever reveal plans for $78 million training center after Caitlin Clark's historic season

Published

54 minutes ago

January 17, 2025

Press Room

Fever reveal plans for million training center after Caitlin Clark's historic season

The Caitlin Clark effect has paid off in a big way for the Indiana Fever and women’s basketball.

Pacers Sports & Entertainment unveiled its $78 million plan to build a “world-class” performance center in downtown Indianapolis exclusively for its WNBA team, which is expected to open before the start of the 2027 season.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) talks to Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) during the first half of Game 2 of the first round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena Sept. 25, 2024. (Paul Rutherford/Imagn Images)

“We are excited to partner with Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett to identify the perfect location for the Indiana Fever Sports Performance Center,” PS&E Owner Herb Simon said in a statement. “The city of Indianapolis continues to be a tremendous partner as we elevate our team, players and community.”

The 108,000-square-foot practice center will be connected to the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where both the Fever and the Indiana Pacers play, and construction is expected to begin in August 2025.

According to a press release from the team, the design of the center will be geared toward “the specific needs of female athletes competing at the highest level, including performance and conditioning, recovery and rehabilitation, mental health and wellness and lifestyle support.”

“This elite training center is a reflection of our organization’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that our players have the highest level of resources to be successful,” Indiana Fever president of basketball and business operations Kelly Krauskopf said in a statement provided by the team.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) shoots as the Dallas Wings’ Jacy Sheldon (4) and Natasha Howard, right, defend in the first half of a WNBA game Sept. 1, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

EX-NOTRE DAME COACH OPENS UP ON CAITLIN CLARK BACKING OUT OF COMMITMENT: ‘I MAY STILL BE COACHING IF SHE CAME’

“As we look to the future, the focus of creating a first-class player experience designed exclusively for women athletes will set us apart.”

The new center will have two regulation courts, a full-service kitchen and areas dedicated to yoga and Pilates. In addition, the team said other features incorporated into the design include “a hair and nail salon, child care space and podcast and content production studio to support player lifestyles.”

The Fever have their own standalone training center at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, which was last renovated in 2020.

Clark’s historic rookie season generated record numbers for the WNBA, both in viewership and attendance. For the first time in league history, the league announced full-time charter flights for all its teams in May, which were projected to cost around $25 million per year for the next two seasons.

Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever reacts after a 3-pointer during the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse Aug. 16, 2024, in Indianapolis. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

Las Vegas, Seattle and Phoenix have all opened new training centers in the last few years, and Chicago has one under construction.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Sports

Rams' Jared Verse primed for playoffs in City of Brotherly Love: 'I hate Eagles fans'

Published

1 hour ago

January 16, 2025

Press Room

Rams' Jared Verse primed for playoffs in City of Brotherly Love: 'I hate Eagles fans'

Jared Verse spent three years of high school in Pennsylvania.

So the Rams rookie edge rusher knows all about the Philadelphia Eagles, his team’s opponent Sunday in an NFC divisional-round playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field.

Was Verse an Eagles fan?

“I hate Eagles fans,” Verse told The Times on Thursday. “They’re so annoying. I hate Eagles fans.”

Verse repeated the phrase multiple times. And the front-runner for NFL rookie defensive player of the year did so with passion evident in his pass rushing.

“When I see that green and white I hate it. I actually get upset. Like I actually genuinely get hot.”

— Rams linebacker Jared Verse, on how he hates the Philadelphia Eagles

Verse noted that when the Rams played the Eagles in November at SoFi Stadium, Eagles fans in attendance gave him an earful of obscenities that he could make out despite wearing headphones.

“I didn’t even do nothing to ‘em,” he said, “It was my first time playing. Oh, I hate Eagles fans.”

The Eagles’ uniform colors also are apparently triggering.

“When I see that green and white I hate it,” he said. “I actually get upset. Like I actually genuinely get hot.”

Verse, however, added he would be disciplined Sunday, stay on his assignments and contribute to a Rams defense that must control running back Saquon Barkley if coach Sean McVay’s team is to avenge its 37-20 defeat to the Eagles and advance to the NFC championship game.

In November, Barkley amassed 302 total yards against the Rams, including 255 yards rushing, and scored on runs of 72 and 70 yards. The Rams were out of position to make tackles and also missed Barkley multiple times.

Verse acknowledged his role in the debacle. Several times, he said, opportunities to limit Barkley to a short gain went awry and resulted in long runs because he tried to do too much.

“I just didn’t take advantage of them,” he said. “I left my feet.”

In the seven games since, Verse said he has improved in that regard.

In last Monday’s 27-9 wild-card victory over the Minnesota Vikings, the 6-foot-4, 260-pound Verse showed how fleet he was on his feet.

The Rams’ Jared Verse dives into the end zone for a score after returning a fumble 57 yards against the Vikings during their NFC wild-card playoff game.

(Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

The former high school sprinter scooped a fumble by quarterback Sam Darnold and dashed 57 yards for a touchdown. NFL’s Next Gen Stats clocked Verse at 19.88 mph

“I’ve been trying to show coach McVay that I can play wide receiver or running back — whatever he needs me to do,” Verse said.

Verse, the 19th player chosen in the 2024 draft, said whenever he recovered a fumble in college an opposing player tackled him before he could run.

Against the Vikings, Verse had a clear path to the end zone.

“I was like, if I got five yards, then nobody is catching me, I’m like gone,” he said. “So once I got my five in, like it’s over with. So I was just trying to see how fast I could get.”

Verse is one of the top players for a young Rams defensive front that is excelling in the post-Aaron Donald era. Against the Vikings, the Rams tied an NFL postseason record with nine sacks.

Verse has 4½ sacks and was among the league leaders this season in quarterback pressures.

On Sunday, he once again goes up against an Eagles line that features two-time All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson and left tackle Jordan Mailata.

In the first game between the teams, Verse created a viral moment when he ran over the 6-8, 366-pound Mailata.

“I remember when I got flat-backed,” Mailata told Philadelphia reporters this week. “It was a good rush by him.

“The guy plays with a high motor. I think he plays well, he plays hard. He’s got some great moves. … To be fair, I got a couple on him too. Good on good.”

Verse continues to bull rush and remains exceptionally quick at the snap, Johnson said.

“He plays hard, really has come along in the run game too,” Johnson told Philadelphia reporters. “He’s just one of those players that’s obviously really talented. The more experience he gets, the better he’s going to become.”

Verse, the only Rams player selected to the Pro Bowl Games, is expected to be among the postseason award finalists in New Orleans during Super Bowl week.

But he aims to be playing in the big game.

“I’ve never been focused on the results of anything,” he said when asked about awards talk. “If I do what I’m supposed to do, everything else will come with it.

“This year, I might be in the conversation of winning that prestigious award — and I’m happy to be in that conversation.

“Next year, it’s trying to be in a bigger conversation. But that comes with work.”

Progress toward that goal continues Sunday when Verse plays against the Eagles — and in front of their fans — in their home stadium.

“I’m going to go crazy,” he said, adding that he would play within his role. “It’s going to be something.”

Etc.

The Rams designated inside linebacker Troy Reeder and defensive lineman Larrell Murchison to return to practice from injured reserve. … Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (thigh) and defensive lineman Bobby Brown III (shoulder) did not practice and tight end Tyler Higbee (chest) was limited. McVay said he expected that all would play Sunday.