Nikola Jokic continues to bloat the stat sheet, now becoming proficient in the quadruple-double: scoring, rebounding, passing and yelling.
What’s going on with the NBA’s best player? I got pushback when I suggested the Nuggets owed him an apology for the roster construction in early November and again last week when I endorsed a trade for Chicago’s Zach LaVine.
One thing is clear: It is becoming increasingly impossible to ignore Jokic’s frustration with his teammates, with the losses, with the wild inconsistency of the 16-12 start.
Jokic showed his emotions on multiple occasions during a deflating 110-100 Christmas Day loss to the Phoenix Suns. The NBA attempted to straight-arm the NFL for relevance with terrific early games, including a Steph Curry-LeBron James classic. Then the Nuggets decided to disappear defensively midway through the fourth quarter of their nightcap.
What could have been a fourth straight win instead became another reason to question the makeup of this team after the Suns pulled away with an 11-0 run. Three themes continue to linger 35% of the way through this season: a simmering Jokic, a disappointing Jamal Murray and an unserious bench.
First, there is Jokic. He is playing the best basketball of his career, adding DNA accuracy from the 3-point line to his repertoire. He ranks second in points (30.7), and third in rebounds (12.4) and assists (9.4). He is not immune to criticism, as he had defensive issues and lapses through the first two months. But he is not the problem. It is everything around him.
And he has verbalized this more than at any other point in his career.
Even if you hit the eggnog too hard Wednesday, how could you miss the following sequence? At 8:40 left in the third quarter, Jokic threw both arms in the air in exasperation after a loose ball turned into a Bradley Beal 3-pointer.
Soon after, Michael Porter Jr. made a poor kickout pass to Jokic that Beal tipped away. As Jokic began to chase Beal down the court for an inevitable layup, he stretched his arms out and screamed in disgust. Put it this way: He did not appear upset with himself.
It is becoming part of a pattern, no longer an isolated incident. Everyone from coach Michael Malone to general manager Calvin Booth and president Josh Kroenke better take notice. The greatest player in the world is losing his patience. Any other modern NBA superstar would have gotten his coach fired or a teammate cut by now. Jokic has forever been a selfless teammate, but this season is testing his limits.
Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets grabs a rebound over Moses Moody (4) of the Golden State Warriors during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets’ 119-115 win at Ball Arena in Denver on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Remember, he raised eyebrows on Dec. 3 when asked what he has learned about his team: “That we can surprise in a good way, bad way, everybody. Literally everybody.” Five days later, he suggested that players should be paid less for their performance after he scored 56 points and the Nuggets lost to the should-be-relegated Washington Wizards.
“In my country, where I’m coming from, after this kind of stretch, you’re gonna get a paycheck that is a little bit less than you are worth,” Jokic said. “Maybe that’s what we need to do.”
Are you listening coach, Booth, boss? What is it going to take before changes are made? With Aaron Gordon (calf) facing another absence, it is hard to see things getting easier as the schedule becomes tougher with 21 games in 37 days.
How much more can Jokic take before spewing lava? That’s a question to be answered sooner rather than later, it appears.
What’s wrong with Murray? That could take longer — everyone on his side continues to preach how he is a slow starter — and the Nuggets no longer have the luxury of time. When Denver decided not to incur luxury tax penalties and trust younger players, it came with an understanding: Murray has to play big. Not just in the playoffs, but every game.
Even with improvement lately, the signs remain ominous. Murray is logging a career high in minutes (36.4), while his field goal attempts (15.8) and 3-point percentage (.349) rank their lowest since 2019-20.
Wednesday’s loss symbolized his season. He made a couple of breathtaking baskets, but lacked assertiveness — he took 10 shots in 39 minutes, and only two 3s — and is a defensive liability. Maybe the lack of nightly explosiveness traces to injuries — his foot, his ankle — and if that’s the case, I will be the first to acknowledge this context. But right now, he’s not good enough for his max contract. And if this is who he is, the Nuggets have invested $207 million in someone closer to the Bulls’ Coby White than an All-Star.
You can tiptoe around it and gloss over the stats if it makes you feel better. But let’s not pretend this is not a thing and won’t remain so until Murray shows offensive aggressiveness and consistency.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, center, is guarded by Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (11) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. The Nuggets won 130-129. (AP Photo/Randall Benton)
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As for the bench, it is a problem. Peyton Watson and Julian Strawther have yet to turn the corner. And the best reserve is making a case for a promotion. Russell Westbrook is better than Christian Braun right now, as the former Kansas star has fallen into a shooting slump, going 3 for 22 from behind the arc over his last 10 games.
So, sure, you can wait to see what kind of season this will be, and cross your fingers leading up to the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
But as you hold your breath, ask yourself, how much longer will Jokic hold back?
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