Nikola Jokic’s latest comments offered a pretty clear window into what can make life miserable for him in the postseason: bodies, strength and a paint packed tight enough to take away his favorite answers.
In a candid interview with the Jao Mile Podcast, Jokic talked about a range of subjects, including his new shoe and the defenders he considers toughest to deal with. The conversation was conducted in Serbian, so the exact wording is a little tricky to pin down, but the names and the point behind them came through loud and clear. The centers who give him the most trouble tend to bring the same thing to the table - more physicality.
That matters for the Nuggets because Jokic’s three-point shot changes the whole equation. When that shot is falling, defenders can’t cheat off him, the floor opens up, and Denver gets more room for the kind of passing and finishing that makes its offense so dangerous. When it isn’t, opponents can crowd the lane, lean on him inside and make every touch harder.
Jokic specifically said Jusuf Nurkic and Ivica Zubac “guard me well,” and explained that he can’t move them in the paint because of their bulk. He also said the Oklahoma City Thunder are tough as a team, and he singled out Rudy Gobert’s defense during this year’s playoffs. The Thunder have long made things difficult for Jokic with physical coverage, including Alex Caruso fronting him to try to deny the entry pass.
Gobert’s impact against Denver was amplified by Jokic’s perimeter struggles. Jokic shot just 7-for-36, a brutal 19.4% from three, and that let Minnesota keep the center of the floor clogged.
In Games 3 and 4, he was pushed into the interior and shot only 31.3% and 42.1% from two before he finally used his basketball IQ to figure out how to attack Gobert and the Timberwolves. By then, the damage was done.
That’s been the recurring theme for Denver fans: when Jokic looks frustrated, it usually starts with him getting bumped around inside. The three-point shot is what prevents defenses from collapsing into his space and drifting off just enough to make his job harder.
Without it, the paint gets crowded, cutters get crowded out, and the Nuggets’ offense can lose its flow. That’s exactly what happened in the first round, when the attack at times looked nothing like the league’s top-ranked regular-season offense.
Jokic did eventually solve the puzzle against Minnesota. He shot 72.7% and 71.4% from two in Games 5 and 6, showing once again how quickly he can adjust once he sees the coverage clearly. Still, the approach Chris Finch used - leaning into physicality - clearly worked.
Jokic also mentioned reigning Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama on his list, though he said he has never really had trouble with Wemby. In Jokic’s view, Wembanyama simply isn’t physically imposing enough to disrupt him the way some other bigs can.
For Denver, the message is simple. Jokic’s ability to stretch the floor is one of the offense’s biggest weapons. If that shot isn’t dropping, the lane tightens, the contact gets heavier, and the whole Nuggets attack becomes easier to crowd.
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