Nuggets vs. Heat: Nikola Jokic makes NBA Finals history, continues to rewrite definition of bucket-getter

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With nine minutes to play in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, the Miami Heat, who’d been playing catchup since the opening tip and trailed by 21 points at the start of the fourth, had managed to trim Denver’s lead to 10 with an 11-0 run over a quick three-minute burst. 

It was the first time in the second half that Miami felt like it might be able to grind its way back into the fight. Another stop and bucket to cut the lead to single digits would’ve been honest cause for Denver concern. It was, however, never going to get that far. 

See, the Nuggets have this guy named Nikola Jokic. Perhaps you’ve heard of him. Michael Malone doesn’t believe enough people talk enough about the two-time MVP, and he’s probably right. So for the few of you out there who still aren’t completely hip to Jokic’s unique brand of dominance, understand that he is, much like a typical superstar, a certified bucket getter. The difference is, he’s often not the one actually getting the bucket. 

With Miami on its run and Jokic charged with ending it, Jamal Murray runs pick and roll with Jokic. Miami jumps out at Murray, who demanded such attention with a 26-point night, leaving Jokic free on the short roll, where he caught the pass, calmly faced the basket, and found a cutting Jeff Green for an uncontested layup. 

Later in the fourth, with a little over two minutes to play, Miami had now cut the lead to nine with one last desperate charge. Again, Denver needed a bucket. They go to Jokic in the soft spot of Miami’s zone. He jabs hard downhill, forcing two Miami defenders to cover a cutting Aaron Gordon on the baseline as his gravity simultaneously sucks Gabe Vincent down off Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. 

In one little step, Jokic consumes the attention of three Heat bodies, so when he casually passes it back out to KCP, Vincent now has to scramble back to close out, making him easy prey for KCP to drive right past for a clean two-dribble pull-up. Bucket. 

This is such a fresh approach to the classic superstar hunting the dagger shot. Jokic hunts dagger dimes. He…

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Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nuggets-vs-heat-nikola-jokic-makes-nba-finals-history-continues-to-rewrite-definition-of-bucket-getter/

Author : Brad Botkin

Publish date : 2023-06-02 05:12:18

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