BJ Armstrong says Nikola Jokic is the next player to change the game according to Sky Sports. Steph Curry made the three-pointer a necessity in the NBA. Big men in the past were the dominant species in the NBA. Point guards then were able to dominate with their ability shoot on the outside.
The stretch four was then a mainstay in the NBA. Fate cannot be contained. The big man is back. Nikola Jokic is leading the pack. Jokic has the ability to shoot the three, pass, rebound, dribble and post up. At 7’0. The big man has been able to watch the point guard and develop.
Here’s what BJ Armstrong said about Jokic’s development:
“Every now and then, the NBA takes a shift,” Armstrong said. “Stephen Curry created the last shift because he extended shooting range which created spacing, what we call ‘pace and space’. Curry is unique because he shoots the three with such accuracy. Now, in Jokic, you have a player who could potentially redefine his position, because he can stretch the game from the five (center) position. He is the first five-man you can actually run your offense through. He is a ‘point-five’.
Steph Curry was the 2010’s generational talent. Nikola Jokic is the talent of the 2020’s. The Denver Nuggets came back from two 3-1 deficits. Jokic was up against machines in Rudy Gobert and Kawhi Leonard and was still able to come out on top.
Now he faces LeBron James. The perfect basketball player. He has all the abilities Jokic has, but he is faster. Jokic is taller and he will have to use that advantage to win the series. The Denver Nuggets have the greatest big man ever on their hands and this playoff run in the bubble could change the landscape of the NBA.