Unassuming, unique Jokic is NBA’s unquestioned best

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It’s once again that special time on the column calendar where, despite this region’s alleged* disdain for the NBA, I implore you to take a look at the league’s showcase finals series.

*I say alleged because a cursory check of television ratings will show that the NBA Finals do just fine in these parts, and typically do better than the Stanley Cup Final, unless of course the Penguins are playing. The notion that “Pittsburgh doesn’t like the NBA” tends to come from a vocal minority of tastemakers who would have you believe that basketball is a four-letter word in the 412. But I digress.

This year’s reason for tuning in – and if he keeps playing like he has these playoffs, you won’t have many more chances to catch him – is Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. I could have said Miami’s do-it-all forward Jimmy Butler, who would be something approaching a folk hero if there was a pro team here and he was its best player, but all his toughness and competitiveness looks futile when stacked up against the most fearsome force in today’s NBA.

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, right, jogs on the court during the second half of Game 1 of basketball’s NBA Finals against the Miami Heat, Thursday, June 1, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

That would be Jokic, of course, and I’ll state the obvious for you if you’ve seen him and are incredulous: No, he doesn’t look the part.

Compared to his peers, Jokic is an average athlete, at best, and may or may not have biceps, triceps and calves. Physiologically he has to, but they’ve never been seen. In a league that features some of the greatest athletes to ever walk the earth, Jokic looks underwhelming, to say the least.

Oh, did I mention that he plays a pretty earthbound game, and will never be seen throwing down a highlight-reel dunk, either? There’s that, too.

So, not the most compelling sales pitch, right? Bear with me, though. There are two simple reasons why Jokic is must-see-TV: First, he’s dominant, the best player in the league, and a man who probably should have three-peated as MVP. Second, he dominates in a way rarely seen. Casual fans…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/mueller-unassuming-unique-jokic-nbas-183836746.html?src=rss

Author : Beaver County Times

Publish date : 2023-06-04 18:38:36

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