Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets’ model of consistency, is Denver’s best hope vs. Golden State

Two hours earlier than each recreation, with out fail for the previous seven years, yow will discover Nikola Jokic working his elbow jumper or perfecting his comfortable baseline contact.

Ever since he arrived on the NBA scene for the 2015-16 season, Jokic’s pre-game capturing routine hasn’t modified. He assumes his capturing time as area employees shuffle across the court docket and teammates slowly filter into the locker room.

It’s nearly all the time quiet, bereft of the commotion from autograph seekers, and Jokic can work in peace. Every now and then, Felipe Eichenberger, Denver’s power coach and considered one of Jokic’s greatest mates, will queue up a playlist that includes Balkan hits. Apart from that, it’s enterprise as normal.

What’s uncommon about Jokic’s capturing window is that it’s a time slot sometimes reserved for fringe rotation gamers or guys signed on two-way contracts. However as a result of it was the capturing window Jokic was assigned when he received to Denver as an unheralded prospect, and since he’s discovered success with it, the reigning MVP by no means discovered a motive to alter.

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Seven seasons later, because the Nuggets put together for his or her fourth straight postseason and Jokic stampedes in the direction of a second consecutive MVP award, the rationale Sixth-seeded Denver has an inexpensive probability at upsetting No. 3 Golden State is due to the Nuggets’ transcendent middle.

When the Nuggets knocked off Portland a 12 months in the past within the first spherical, not less than Jokic had Michael Porter Jr. with him. On this sequence, it’s unclear who Jokic’s main sidekick shall be. Unlikely to have the assistance of both Jamal Murray or Porter within the first spherical, Denver’s playoff destiny, as soon as once more, rests on the rosy, well-conditioned shoulders of Jokic.

“That’s the final man I’m nervous about,” stated veteran DeMarcus Cousins, Jokic’s backup. “He’s most likely probably the most constant superstars I’ve ever been round. The way in which that man prepares and works, I do know for a reality he’ll be prepared.”

That reliability is what provides Nuggets coach Michael Malone confidence.

Malone’s largest query mark heading into Saturday’s Sport 1 has nothing to do with Jokic, who’s certain to face an array of defensive puzzles from Warriors huge males Draymond Inexperienced and Kevon Looney. In 4 video games in opposition to the Warriors this season, Jokic averaged 28 factors, 15.8 rebounds and eight.8 assists, asserting and imposing himself in opposition to Golden State’s smaller frontline.

As an alternative, Malone wonders which gamers will present up alongside him in San Francisco.

“We all know we’ve an ideal participant that we play by means of and is the hub of every part that we do,” Malone stated. “I suppose the largest query I’ve is, I’m curious to see what different guys step up as a result of he’s gonna require and obtain a lot consideration.

“Monte Morris in our 4 head-to-head matchups performed nice in opposition to them,” Malone added. “We’ve received to make it possible for we’re getting everybody else pulling in the proper course to assist him after they put two or three defenders round him, nevertheless it’s very comforting understanding that you’ve got a back-to-back MVP, who’s in a position to go on the market and carry a crew each single evening.”

Jokic’s work ethic, to not point out his adherence to routine, has turn into legendary round Ball Enviornment.

Sport days start with a very good breakfast — his favourite meal of the day — sometimes adopted by a morning walk-through. Regardless, Jokic all the time arrives on the area by late afternoon. After a stretch, Jokic goes into his 15-minute capturing routine earlier than heading again to the locker room to decompress earlier than tip-off.

His historic season — the primary 2,000-point, 1,000-rebound, 500-assist marketing campaign in NBA historical past — speaks for itself.

Jokic’s postgame routine, coinciding with the Nuggets’ playoff streak, hasn’t modified in 4 years, in keeping with Eichenberger. The one variable will depend on Jokic’s workload on a given evening. An time beyond regulation recreation received’t yield the identical full-body postgame exercise as one wherein the Nuggets win by 20.

“We’re not getting him stronger with that carry, however we’re conserving him sturdy,” Eichenberger stated.

On some nights, Jokic will inform Eichenberger he doesn’t have it. On these nights, there’s some compromise with the exercise however by no means a failure to indicate up.

“It’s not like I’m gonna give him the time without work,” Eichenberger stated.

There’s a strict routine of chilly tub, extra icing, a peanut butter protein shake and a particular stretching routine earlier than Jokic dutifully speaks to the media postgame. There’s extra upkeep and extra lifting on off-days, however these have turn into extra “environment friendly,” Eichenberger stated, so Jokic has extra time to spend along with his new child daughter.

His routine has not solely turn into a mannequin for youthful gamers like Bones Hyland, it’s additionally made him probably the most reliable playoff performers within the league.

Of Jokic’s seven prior playoff sequence, the “worst” one got here in opposition to the Lakers within the “Bubble” when the 2 groups met within the Convention Finals. Los Angeles’ dimension gave Jokic hassle, although he nonetheless averaged 21.8 factors on 54% capturing, with 7.2 rebounds and 5 assists per recreation. The Warriors don’t have almost the majority of that Lakers crew, which means there could also be no extra worthwhile territory this sequence than contained in the paint.

What they do have is Inexperienced, who, when wholesome, is the roving anchor of the No. 2 protection within the league. Jokic stated he expects to see a wholesome dose of each Inexperienced and Looney, the Warriors’ middle who drew the project in all 4 matchups this season.

“Perhaps they’re gonna swap,” Jokic stated of what he anticipated from Golden State. After which, owing to his preparation, he settled on a extra all-encompassing reply.

“… I anticipate every part,” he stated.