Nikola Jokic Asserted His Dominance In Game 1 Against The Blazers

DENVER — The Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets looked the part of two evenly matched teams on Monday night in Game 1, but by the time the clock hit zero, Denver defended its home court with a 121-113 win. The biggest difference between the two teams in the opener was turnovers — the Blazers gave the ball away 18 times, which led to 23 points for the Nuggets.

The most encouraging sign for Denver, however, was that Nikola Jokic managed to match Damian Lillard stride-for-stride in the battle between the two top stars in this series. We knew what to expect from Lillard after he torched the Oklahoma City Thunder en route to a first round win, cementing that he is one of the elite point guards and scorers in the NBA. With Jokic, we knew he’d be good, because he always is, but the question was whether he would be assertive against a Blazers team that has no answers for him in the frontcourt.

On Monday, at least, Jokic was willing to dominate. This was best displayed during the third quarter, in which he had 15 points, five rebounds, and three assists to help Denver extend its three-point halftime lead to nine entering the fourth. Jokic was aggressive and made the Blazers pay any time they single covered him in the post or on the elbow. No matter who drew the matchup with Jokic, he was able to do essentially whatever he wanted in the second half, scoring 23 of his 37 points in the final two frames.

That performance is indicative of Jokic’s growth this season. He still has moments where his pass-first instincts lead him to catch the ball when wide open and survey the floor rather than look to attack or score, eliciting frustrated groans from the Nuggets faithful. Once it’s clear the advantage for Denver is with him dominating as a scorer, however, he’s a more willing attacker in seeking out his own shot. His passing ability is always there, but is an even greater weapon when he attacks first and, as the defense is forced to send help his way, he can open things up for the Nuggets shooters around him.

Before the game, Nuggets coach Mike Malone was asked about a change in Jokic’s approach this season, and noted he thinks his star center is finally comfortable in his role as the centerpiece of the team. Malone was most impressed by Jokic’s mental approach this season, and how that seems to be what’s unlocked more of his star potential this season.

“He had a play in the [Spurs] series where he blocked Derrick White, and he’s screaming. Love when I see that,” Malone said. “I think that’s a big part of his success when he plays with that type of emotion. That shows you just how locked in and engaged he is, and I think it’s just him embracing the moment. We’ve been working so hard for the last four years to get here, and now that you’re here you have such a great opportunity. And Nikola’s been phenomenal, not just from a stats standpoint, but from his approach, his energy, and his leadership, and we’re going to need that to continue throughout the series.”

In Game 1, that’s exactly what the Nuggets got from their star, particularly to start the second half. He was active on both ends and asserted himself offensively. Afterward, Malone lauded Jokic’s effort despite another 40-plus minute night, saying it shows he’s tougher than a lot of people think.

Jokic’s unconventional style and lack of athleticism when compared to the other elite stars of the NBA (an important distinction, because he’s still a very athletic human being in the grand scheme of things), coupled with his preternatural passing ability, leads to a certain perception of him within the world of star big men. Some would define his game as one of finesse, because he’s a technical wizard with his footwork and won’t rise up over opponents and throw down massive dunks. Because of that, there has been a lingering question about whether Jokic would hold up in physical postseason series, but through eight games, he’s proving those doubters wrong.

As Jamal Murray noted after Game 1, Jokic picks his spots to look for his own offense, but he’s stepped up when the Nuggets needed him to the most this postseason. Down 2-1 in Game 4 in San Antonio, Jokic had 29 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists. In Game 7, it was 21 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists. In Game 1, he took it to another level with his scoring, thanks to the matchup advantage he has down low against the Blazers without Jusuf Nurkic.

There are a myriad of factors that will determine the outcome of what appears to be a very evenly matched series, but if Denver is to win, Jokic has to be a star on the level of Lillard. That won’t mean a 30-plus point performance on a nightly basis, but he has to assert his will and force the Blazers to focus their efforts on him. He can beat Enes Kanter and Meyers Leonard with crafty footwork, or Harkless and Zach Collins with sheer power. He’s a more physically dominant force than he’s often perceived, and he has to make Portland pay when they stay at home on shooters, so that they do have to send help and allow him to use his point guard-like vision to find the open man.

Game 1 was a great start for Jokic, and the question going forward will be whether he can keep up this pace given the minutes load being placed on him. If he can, he’ll shed any “soft” labels he still has from detractors and prove, as Malone noted, that he’s a lot tougher than most thought.