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Pace and space is the current paradigm that the NBA is implementing. Steve Kerr's implementation of utilizing the perimeter over the inside game has led to other team's to reconfigure how they draft and sign players personnel-wise. Since Kerr's inception as the Golden State Warriors coach for the 2014-15 NBA season, team's have begun to draft and sign big men who can make plays on the perimeter while being a force inside. But when you have talents such as Anthony Davis and Nikola Jokic, who can do both, it's imperative you keep them as the centerpieces of your team.
Both big men serve as one of the more unique players in the NBA. Anthony Davis two-way ability has made him a magnet for trade talk and the pending 2019 free agency period. Jokic's versatility on offense has helped the Serbia import become a one-of-a-kind player.
Both players are the central figures of their teams, the New Orleans Pelicans and the Denver Nuggets respectively. But Davis is usually credited as the more dominant big man. On paper, this rings true. However, stats may not tell the entire story.
The Nuggets currently sit second in the Western Conference with a 37-17 record. The Pelicans are sitting in the 13th spot with a 24-31 record. Because of the trade rumors, Davis status with the Pelicans is up and the air, and he has likely to have played his last game for them a few weeks ago. With the success of the Nuggets due to Jokic's play, what exactly does Jokic bring to a team that Davis can not?
For starters, Nikola Jokic is the first of its kind: a player with the frame of a center (7'0) but the skills of a point guard. Jokic game relies heavily on the inside-outside attack, but a heavy reliance on the passing game. His ability to see the floor has made him one of the NBA's first point-centers.
As of right now, Jokic and the Nuggets are faring far much better than Davis and the Pelicans. Jokic is currently 20.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.7 assists. No player over 6'10 has averaged more assists outside of Wilt Chamberlain. This isn't to say Davis is a mediocre passer or couldn't duplicate Jokic production on some nights. Davis averages 4.4 assists, which is still superb for his size (6'10.) But where passing is an element of Davis game, passing is Jokic game.
This has led to floor spacing dictated by Jokic, leading to open shots by his teammates. Because of Jokic background playing international basketball, Jokic still implements a post game with craft footwork to his arsenal. This, with his passing skills, has allowed the Nuggets to creative freedom to pace and space the game.
Jokic allows the Nuggets to operate from the inside out, pick and roll and with set plays, with Jokic as the director of the flow of the offense. The Pelicans run their offense through Davis. The Nuggets run theirs similarly with Jokic, but Jokic does more damage via scoring and assists.
Second and lastly, what Jokic offers currently is more basketball culture friendly. Outside of his own shot creation and assisting others, Jokic has shown he's a more capable outside shooter. Last season, he connected on 111 three-pointers while shooting 39.6%. In his brief career, Jokic has connected on 34.9% of his three-point attempts while making a grand total of 241 in four seasons.
Davis has most recently incorporated the three-point shot but has only made 31.2% and 173 makes in seven seasons. Davis, of course, utilizes the pain and mid-range jumpers for his points which has proven effective. But in this era of basketball, Jokic game is friendlier. He can still create down low but can shoot from the outside. And he still will give a healthy number assists to teammates. Simply put, Jokic is an unlikely building block for the modern NBA.
Anthony Davis will still be regarded as a better basketball player, and rightfully so. He's a walking 30 point, 10 rebound machine and would be a cornerstone for any franchise. But there just some aspects of Jokic's game that Davis is invaluable for, as Nikola Jokic style of play fits in more with the style of basketball today. Nevertheless, no team would pass on the opportunity to have either player on their roster.
