By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
After a 14-8 start in the season, the Denver Nuggets are fifth in the Western Conference. Not what you might expect from a team that finished second in the West in the last regular season and was expected to make even more significant progress this year.
And on the center of all this awkward situation are the questions about Nikola Jokic’s performance.
“I think he’s going through a tough stretch, I really do, and I think this is the first time where I’ve seen him go through this,” Nuggets coach Mike Malone said, according to ESPN. “I think sometimes I’m a little overly defensive of him because not a lot of guys can average [16 points], 10 [rebounds] and six [assists] … and everybody is saying, ‘What the hell is wrong with Nikola?'”
Jokic himself pretty much echoed the same sentiment.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I’m averaging 16, 10 and six. I think that’s pretty good, to be honest.”
However, those numbers are lower compared to last season and the Serb big man understands that he must turn things around.
“I showed myself I can play at a completely [higher] level, especially in the playoffs,” Jokic said. “But I think I need to get back to that level.”