Nikola Jokic turned a routine rebound into a Hail Mary. Off a scrum under Denver’s rim, the Denver Nuggets star uncorked a full-court dime to Peyton Watson in stride, the kind of quarterback heave that would make Bo Nix grin. The clip rocketed around social feeds as Denver and the Portland Trail Blazers traded punches in their NBA Cup opener. 

The pass wasn’t a one-off either. Jokic kept testing Portland’s floor balance with long outlets, and one of them sprung Watson for a finish through contact. It’s the latest entry in Jokic’s growing archive of “did he even see that?” assists, a play that flips the court before defenses can load up.   

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The ending didn’t cooperate for Denver. Jerami Grant buried two free throws with 1.4 seconds left, and Portland escaped, 109–107. Jokic’s 13-footer at the horn rimmed off, sealing a comeback the Trail Blazers built with a 38–26 fourth quarter. ESPN’s box score shows Jamal Murray leading Denver with 22 points, while Jokic finished at 21 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists, one shy of a fifth straight triple-double to open the season. Deni Avdija paced Portland with 23. 

Denver controlled most of the night and still walked away empty. Turnovers (19) and late-game fouls cracked the door, then Shaedon Sharpe’s block and Grant’s free throws kicked it open. A lengthy first-quarter clock malfunction didn’t help the rhythm either. For the Nuggets, it’s a missed chance to cash in a double-digit fourth-quarter lead; for Portland, it’s a resilient Cup win that snaps Denver’s three-game streak. 

Jokic is Denver’s cheat code in transition, weaponizing rebounds like touchbacks and punishing any slow switch between offense and defense. The Nuggets can live with that process. Either way, quarterbacks aren’t the only ones throwing lasers on fall Fridays.