In this episode of the Locked On Nuggets podcast, I explain why I think Nikola Jokic is without question a better player than Kristaps Porzingis right now. A few months ago, most smart basketball fans felt the conversation could go either way but after Jokic finally got the keys to the offense, most smart basketball minds see just how much of an impact Jokic can have on a game. The Nuggets have the #1 ORTG in the NBA since December 15th, when Jokic was placed back in the starting lineup and the offense started playing through him. He makes every single player on the Nuggets roster better and everyone on the team loves playing alongside him.
While most basketball fans now concede that Jokic has the upper hand right now, most would still argue that Porzingis will, at some point in the future, overtake Jokic as the more impactful player. I’m not convinced this is true although I admit that there is certainly a decent chance that he does. Jokic has surpassed everyone’s wildest expectations and everytime it appears he’s reached a pinnacle, he does something new that amazes us.
Lastly, I make a case that the traditional held belief that defense is more important than offense for the center position is actually not necessarily true and that it stems from the fact that so few 7-footers are skilled enough to be a true offensive threat. Should be a fun lead-in to a great matchup between Joker and the Unicorn at Madison Square Garden on Friday night.
Don’t forget to subscribe to the Locked On Nuggets podcast on iTunes. These 15-30 minute podcasts drop daily here on Denver Stiffs and can be downloaded via ITunes, Stitcher, and wherever you get your podcasts.
