Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets is a three-time NBA MVP and is the early-season favorite to add a fourth trophy to that collection. The Nuggets have thrived with him Jokic the helm, having multiple deep playoff runs and a championship. Thanks to Jokić’s consistency, they have been a threat every season. The Nuggets have become reliant on Jokić’s contributions. He has not let them down as he has shown improvement every season despite already proving himself to be the heralded best player. He is the engine behind the Nuggets’ scheme, offensively and defensively.
The Denver Nuggets are Too Reliant on Nikola Jokić
Spearheading an Efficient Offense
Starting the season, Jokić’s numbers for the Nuggets are off-the-charts. He is posting unprecedented numbers, especially for someone his stature. In his ten games on the season, he averages 11.7 assists per game, the highest all-time for a center. The second and third spots also belong to Jokić, which he set in the past two seasons. Along with his assists, he averages 29.7 points per game and 13.7 rebounds per game. He isn’t just averaging a triple-double, he’s averaging numbers that seem only plausible in a video game. Numbers aside, watching the Nuggets play shows how important Jokić is to the offense.
Jokić leads the NBA in touches per game with 115.8, nearly 20 more than second-place Jalen Johnson. The offense doesn’t just run through him, it revolves around him. Jokic is the most important piece in the Nuggets’ offense, and without him, they look lost. The Nuggets have now played three games without Jokić, who has missed time due to personal reasons. In those games, they have a record of 1-2. Their only win came against a short-handed Memphis Grizzlies team on Tuesday.
In the ten games Jokić has played, the Nuggets have an offensive rating of 118.5 and an effective field goal percentage of 54.7%. In the three games without him, their offensive rating has plummeted to 100.9 and their effective field goal percentage has dipped to 50.2%. His impact on the Nuggets’ offense is valuable and without him, they look like a lottery-bound franchise.
Nuggets Need Consistency From Others
The Nuggets lack offensive fluidity without Jokić. They also miss his production in the margins. Without a clear backup center, they have missed his rebounding abilities. Without him, they are averaging 43.3 rebounds per game while allowing their opponents to grab 52.0. In the ten games with Jokić, the Nuggets averaged 47.0 rebounds per game. They were only allowing their opponents to grab 42.8 rebounds per game. During his time missed, the Nuggets have been without a consistent rebounder, especially since Aaron Gordon is also sidelined with a calf injury, arguably their second-best rebounder.
Consistency from role players is important, especially for teams trying to compete for a championship. Outside of Jokić, the Nuggets have lacked consistency. With or without Jokić, the Nuggets need other players they know will bring it every game. This season, Christian Braun and Michael Porter Jr. have both shown improved consistency. Braun and Porter Jr. are in the top 25 for minutes per game because of their reliability. Porter Jr. in particular has shown an improvement in consistency. He went from scoring 15 or more points in 46 out of 81 games a season ago to now scoring 15 or more in 10 of the 13 games to start the year. That is a jump from 56.8% of games to 76.9% of games.
The Nuggets need more consistency from Jamal Murray. Murray signed a max contract extension this offseason. A season removed from posting career highs across the board, he is off to a sluggish start. He has shown flashes of superstardom in long stretches, including in the 2020 and 2023 playoffs. Typically, players showcase their best play during the regular season but are lackluster in playoff settings. For Murray, he has struggled to find consistent play during the regular season. The Nuggets need him to find a rhythm to live up to his contract, especially when Jokić misses time.
