Damian Lillard shares very high praise for Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic might not have won his third consecutive MVP award, finishing behind Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, who won his first after winning his second straight scoring title. But one player who holds the Denver Nuggets superstar in very high regard, regardless of this year’s MVP winner, is Portland Trail Blazers star guard Damian Lillard.
In a recent Instagram Live video, Lillard believes Jokic, who will be playing in his first-ever NBA Finals Thursday against either the Miami Heat or Boston Celtics, might be the best player in the sport.
“[Nikola Jokic] might be the best player in the league,” Lillard said. “The best player doesn’t always win MVP. I thought (Joel) Embiid should’ve won MVP this year … He’s one of those players that can get an organic triple-double. Joker plays the game the same every game; he can score 45, he can get 25 rebounds, sometimes he might have 18 assists and then he might do it all of it in the same game: 45 (points), 22 (rebounds), 14 (assists).
“He don’t miss shots. Watching him play and playing against him is like, ‘Blood don’t ever miss.'”
Damian Lillard on Nikola Jokić: "Joker might be the best player in the league… Smart as hell, he can shoot, he pass, he play team ball, he care about winning, he humble, he stay true, i like how Joker do his thing." pic.twitter.com/DoYv4N5cLl
— THE JOKER(S) (@SerbsInSports) May 28, 2023
There’s definitely merit to Damian Lillard’s claims.
The two-time MVP averaged 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 9.8 assists and 1.3 steals this season, shooting 63.2 percent from the floor and 38.3 percent from 3-point range. He’s been the NBA’s best player throughout the 2022-23 NBA playoffs, averaging a league-most 10.3 assists, along to go with 29.9 points and 13.3 rebounds on 53.8/47.4/78.4 shooting splits.
Against LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers, Jokic tallied 27.8 points, 14.5 rebounds, 11.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks on 50.6 percent shooting, including 47.1 percent from 3-point range (on 4.3 3-point attempts). Those are absurd numbers against one of the NBA’s best defenses.
He has eight triple-doubles in 15 playoff games after recording 29 in 69 regular season games. helping will the Nuggets to their first-ever NBA Finals appearance.
While Jamal Murray and Denver’s supporting cast also have a substantial say, Jokic is the biggest reason — figuratively and literally — why the Nuggets own the NBA’s highest NET Rating (by nearly four points per 100 possessions) this postseason; they also have the best offense (by over two points per 100), best rebounding and turnover rate while placing in the top-3 in both effective field goal and true-shooting percentage.
“(Jokic is) smart as hell. He can shoot, he pass, he plays team ball, he cares about winning, he humble, he stay true,” Lillard said. “I like how Joker do his thing.”
Game recognizes game!
Lillard, while honest, tends to recognize the talents in different players’ games instead of bringing them down — which, ahem, the media should do more often! Though if the seven-time All-NBA guard shouts you out, you’re likely doing something right regardless.
Nikola Jokic would certainly be in the discussion with Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Phoenix Suns wing Kevin Durant, among plenty of others (such as Embiid). The national media fodder and #ringzculture™ will likely run with either of the latter two as opposed to Jokic, though he will have an opportunity to earn a title of his own in June.
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