Jokic follows his own. In a season marked by many outstanding individual performances, it seems that the Serbian center and Joel Embid They are the two men who dominate the NBA and the world right now. The Nuggets franchise player is averaging more than 26 points this season, almost 14 rebounds (a career high) and about 8 assists. Against the Pistons and in Detroit, more of the same: 28 points, 21 rebounds and 9 assists and a +14 with him on court, in which he spent almost 34 minutes. Formidable numbers for a team absolutely dependent on him, with a real need to make the ball reach him practically in every attack and that continues to regret that injury to Jamal Murray just when Aaron Gordon arrived at an entity that renewed Michael Porter Jr. Precisely at the moment in which the project was going to be round, the injuries made an appearance.
Murray will return (we’ll see how) and the tandem will be what it was, freeing Jokic from certain responsibilities (and fatigue) and giving a new perspective to a team that cannot survive in the playoffs, objectively, as it stands now. They will give a show and a lot of war, but the shortcomings are obvious despite the thunderous level of their leader, for which it is worth watching all the Nuggets games. The current MVP of the season protects the area, acts as a pivot and base at the same time, raises the ball, shoots triples and is the spiritual and moral leader of a group that only works if it is at its best. A problem in the long term and to fight for higher heights, but a blessing for those who want to enjoy one solo exhibition after another..
The Nuggets never sentenced the game in Detroit, against the penultimate team in the competition (11-36 at the moment), another sign that they are right. But they took it out with more skill and skill than conviction, going ahead all the time and asking for the time at the end. They stayed at 13 ignominious points in the last quarter, which began leading by 12 points (85-97), before the maximum overwhelm: 96-99 with less than 6 minutes to go, 102-106 with 1:31 and 105- 108 with the game already theoretically sentenced and two free throws made by Monte Morris to certify the victory and allow the Colorado team to remain sixth in the Western Conference (25-21) and with some distance from that play in nobody wants to play.
In the Nuggets there were more things: 16 points from Aaron Gordon, with 5 rebounds, 5 assists and good things on both ends of the floor; 20 from Jeff Green, 10 from Austin Rivers, 12 from Monte Morris (horrible shooting, 3 of 14) and little from the bench, with just 4 points and 7 rebounds from DeMarcus Cousins and 4 points and 2 assists from a Facundo Campazzo that still hasn’t started. Of course, the best news of the game, for any NBA fan in general and for the Pistons in particular, was the great performance of Cade Cunningham, who had his best game since he came to the NBA: 34 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 19 points in the second half and 9 of his team’s 20 in the final period. After many wicks, we see the first big explosion of the last number 1 in the draft and star, until not long ago, of Oklahoma State. A performance that, even with 4 turnovers, he rounded off with 2 steals and 4 blocks, in addition to a good 14 of 26 in field goals and 6 of 9 from the triple, but without going to the personal due to the inactivity, among other things, of the indolent visiting defense. Regardless of that, great match for the rookie, who points out ways. Something we already knew, of course. And that we have confirmed.