The Denver Nuggets put on an impressive defensive performance in Friday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Denver held Memphis to just 97 points and 36.9% shooting in a game they won by a final score of 113-97. Plus, Grizzlies superstar point guard Ja Morant struggled and shot 8-f0r-20 from the field.
So after the game, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone praised Nikola Jokic's defensive effort and dissed critics of his defense, per a tweet from HoopsHype:
“I thought Nikola was great tonight… Ja Morant in pick and rolls is almost unguardable and I felt Nikola was outstanding defensively. If you watch that game [vs Grizzlies] and you say he’s a negative defender or a poor defender, I’d like you to pee in a cup, OK?”
Jokic, 28, is in his seventh year in the NBA, all as a member of the Nuggets franchise. He's averaging 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 10.0 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game across 56 appearances this season (all starts).
The Serbian native is shooting the ball from behind the three-point arc with great accuracy in the 2022-23 campaign, at least by his standards — Jokic's current 39.8% three-point percentage is the highest of his pro career.
Jokic may never be an elite defender like the Marcus Smarts and Giannis Antetokounmpos of the world, but he certainly is a better defender than a lot of folks give him credit for. While Jokic lacks athleticism and leaping ability, he makes up for it with smarts and positioning. And some solid defensive showings in the playoffs this spring will only help boost his defensive reputation.
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