The fun Nets can with a superhuman Jokic

Life smiles for the Nets. The departures of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, one to Dallas and the other to Phoenix, has given a new face to the franchise both in sports and in the face of public opinion. They are a truly fun team on the track and, at the same time, an entity that has stopped making headlines due to scandals related to things that happen off the track. Well trained by Jaque Vaughn, the roles are defined and the game, previously monopolized by two absolutely generational stars, has become colorful, charismatic and collaborative. And they win: there are already five victories in the last six games and against important rivals, at home and away and with excellent feelings that allow them, with a record of 39-29, to continue at the top of the Eastern Conference, specifically in fifth place and with three victories ahead of the seventh, the first that forces to play the play-in.

Against the Nuggets, the Nets achieved an extraordinary victory, cemented by teamwork and avoiding being overcome at the end. And imposing himself on the umpteenth exhibition of that being from another planet called Nikola Jokic, who added the 27th triple-double of the season and continues to increase the statistics in his private account: 35 points, 20 rebounds and 11 assists, masterful performance for an MVP race that continues to lead no matter how hard Joel Embiid insists on claiming the award as his own. Jokic missed the triple that would have given his team the victory (120-122 was the final result), but he kept his team afloat, he fought with everyone who got ahead and received the ball again in practically every possession of the Nuggets. That they are still leaders of the West (46-22) with a sufficient advantage over the Kings, secondbut they enter a small crisis by adding their third consecutive defeat after the surprising results against Bulls and, above all, Spurs.

The Nets came to command 15 points thanks to a brutal third quarter (37-18) and they speculated a lot at the end, but they deservedly took the victory. There were 15 points, 6 rebounds and 16 assists from Spencer Dinwiddie, extraordinary in distribution; 25 from Mikal Bridges, who missed a free kick to give his team a three lead and thus ensure a virtual extra time, something that no one remembers anymore. 20+6+5 from Nic Claxton, 15 from Dorian Finney-Smith (with 5 of 7 in triples), 14 from Cameron Johnson, 12 from Seth Curry, 11+6+4 from Royce O’Neal… Everyone contributed, they alleviated the loss in the fight on the rebound (61 to 35) distributing 32 assistsThey were dangerous at all times and secured the ball very well, with only 8 turnovers to 15 for the locals, who couldn’t win in Colorado.

In the Nuggets, the dependence on Jokic is well known and the lack of alternatives can become a clear and resounding problem in the playoffs. Michael Porter went to 23 points (9 of 12 in shots from the field). But next was Jamal Murray with 16 (and only 1 assist), Aaron Gordon added 13… From Jokic’s 11 assists we went to Porter’s 4 as the next best dealer, too bad for not making a system predictable that actually is. It will be Mike Malone’s turn to find solutions for the final phase and to reach a Finals that would be the first in the history of the Nuggets, an entity that tries to emerge relying on Jokic, perhaps too much and with great zeal, but that has a chance. And that is much more than what most have in an NBA that does not wait for anyone.. Nor Nikola Jokic. As superhuman as it may seem.