By Antonis Stroggylakis/ info@eurohoops.net
Nikola Jokic gave a pretty candid response when he was asked about the patience he displays before making his decisions when he’s having the ball.
“I’m patient because I cannot really run fast. That’s my only option,” Jokic said in a zoom call after the Nuggets‘ win over the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 2 of the West semifinals. “I kind of need to put everybody playing in my rhythm, my pace.”
Jokic definitely operated at his favorite tempo against the Clippers to manipulate the defense and often school everyone that stood in front of him. The Serbian big man dropped 24 out of his 26 points in the first half with some of his typical equal measures brutish and graceful action at the low post, while draining 4-5 triples to punish the Clippers when he was left unguarded on the perimeter.
He wasn’t much of a facilitator this time, finishing with four assists. Some of his passes carried plenty of that characteristic “Joker Flair” including this full-court quarterback-style dish.
Jokic rebound & outlet in one motion! ?
?: @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/xVzfN8XHDN
— NBA (@NBA) September 6, 2020
“When I’m playing the offense when I have the ball I just look for defensive mistakes, how they are going to make mistakes,” Jokic added on his thought process while directing traffic in the offense. “Going a little bit slower because the game is fast gives my teammates chances to make back cuts or lobe, get open. Just playing in my comfort zone.”
Over the previous week, Jokic was seen hanging out in the Orlando campus with a couple of other NBA players that hail from various countries of former Yugoslavia. A true basketball motherland.
Goran Dragic uploaded a picture that included him, Jokic, Boban Marjanovic, Luka Doncic, Nikola Vucevic and Vlatko Cancar hanging out. Jusuf Nurkic also shared a photo with an even bigger company that also featured Mario Hezonja and Ivica Zubac.
Balkan ? pic.twitter.com/pjzyUqzaLO
— Goran Dragić (@Goran_Dragic) August 27, 2020
Some of Balkan boy’s ?
?? ?? ?? ?? ??
? by Terry Stotts pic.twitter.com/5gAer9KApN— Jusuf Nurkić (@bosnianbeast27) August 28, 2020
“I really like it. And the [other] guys enjoy it,” Jokic said. “We were having fun. Just to speak with a lot of people who speak your language. Just kind of share your opinions, share the experience you have. Talk about whatever. I really like it.”
The Balkan delegation in the bubble became considerably smaller after the first round of the playoffs. Luka Doncic Boban Marjanovic, Nikola Vucevic, Jusuf Nurkic, Mario Hezonja left Orlando after their teams’ elimination, something that left the gathering with only four members.
“Most of them are home right now. It’s me, Vlatko (Cancar), Ivica and Goran left,” Jokic mentioned. “He and Zubac already faced each other twice in the playoffs, a matchup that will be repeated at least three more times this season.
“When the game is on we are playing against each other,” Jokic said. “Off the court, we are friends and we can go for dinner, lunch, breakfast, whatever. But we both want to win and help our teams win.