The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Denver Nuggets in a 149-135 shootout on Monday m. The 149 points the Cavaliers scored are the most the Nuggets have given up in a game this season. They have allowed their opponents to score above 125 points in five of their last ten games. Although their defensive issues don’t fall on a single player, it’s up to their best player to lead the way. Despite the video game numbers on offense, Nikola Jokić has been pitiful on defense to start the season.
Nikola Jokić Must Play Better Defense
Lead by Example
Jokić is a three-time MVP winner for a reason. He is an offensive powerhouse, leading the Nuggets to finish with a top-10 offensive rating every season since 2016-17. His offensive prowess has propelled the Nuggets into annual contention, but his defense takes them to the next level. Surrounding Jokić with great defenders allowed the Nuggets to capture their first-ever franchise championship in 2022-23. The defensive improvement of Jokić also allowed them to win that season. He made an effort every play leading to his teammates following suit.
This season, Jokić has taken strides offensively, which has him in the early lead for MVP. Despite his offensive improvement, his defense has been bad, and the rest of the team has followed that trend. Part of the problem with the Nuggets is their inconsistent effort in games, leading to a vast difference in points allowed per game. The effort trickles down from Jokić, who has shown defeated body language throughout the season. His effort has not been where it was in past seasons. It has led to the rest of the roster showing similar body language on defense, leading to open shots for their opponents.
Jokić has never excelled at defense but has been effective enough to make deep playoff runs. Over the last few seasons, he has had great numbers for defensive rebound percentage, steal percentage, and block percentage. However, his defensive rebound percentage dropped from 29.6% to 26.4% from last season, and his block percentage dropped from 2.1% to 1.5%. The Nuggets’ opponents have averaged 11.8 offensive rebounds per game compared to 10.9 a season ago, granting them an extra possession. Although it might sound significant, it can be the difference in some games.
Consistency and Reliability
In the NBA, good defense often leads to good offense. A steal or a block can swing momentum in a game and start runs for teams. Stringing together a few stops in a row can completely alter a game. On Friday, the Cavaliers were trailing the Nuggets 53-50 in the second quarter. They went on a 21-2 run to completely flip the game around. It was a run led by their defense. They had two blocks and a steal in the run, leading to more momentum for the Cavaliers.
Although Jokić isn’t known for his rim protection, clogging the lane better would allow the Nuggets to play closer to their assignment and let up fewer open shots. The Nuggets allow their opponents to shoot the ninth-most wide-open shots this season. Allowing over 19 wide-open threes to your opponents is a recipe for disaster. Clogging the lane and denying cuts to the rim prevents open kick-outs.
If Jokić puts more effort into denying cuts and protecting the paint, it will free up the Nuggets on defense. The Nuggets have been a team that has to outshoot their opponent to win games, which is unreliable in the postseason. Their leader and best player showing an increased effort on defense will trickle down the roster. He must be better defensively for the Nuggets to have a shot at a deep playoff run.
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