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Nikola Jokic is a 6'11' center who is a unicorn because he plays like a guard with his mesmerizing ball-handling capabilities, impeccable court vision and elite finishing. He is a three-time NBA All-Star and a two-time All-NBA team honoree, who also ranks in the top 10 for all-time triple-doubles in the league. Jokic won the MVP in the 2020-21 season for his exploits.
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He has single-handedly destroyed teams by using the pick-and-roll with deadly efficiency, passing out of the post and finding open shooters or going old school and using his size to create mismatches. There are a variety of ways that Jokic can be used in an offense where he can either run the offense as a primary ball-handler or be a scoring option for someone like Jamal Murray.
He is one of the few players that has the ability to do everything, he can shoot, set screens, rebound, pass and defend the rim, making him a deadly force on the court.
Jokic is expected to have yet another brilliant season after winning the MVP, and the Nuggets will need him to carry the load while leading the charge with his partner in crime Murray still recovering from a devastating ACL injury. This will give the Joker plenty of opportunities to pile on the numbers and break records.
Without further ado, here are the three franchise milestones that the Joker could achieve this season.
#1 Points
Nikola Jokic's elite offensive arsenal has helped him become a massive scoring threat who can drive into the lane and on dunk hapless defenders, step back and pop a three-pointer, stop on a dime and hit a pure mid-ranger or go old school and play with his back with the post bullying smaller defenders. The Joker can create opportunities for both himself and his teammates due to the gravity he possesses as a scoring threat.
Jokic's offensive capabilities have helped him average 18.5 points per game in his six-year tenure in the league while steadily increasing his scoring proficiency every season before averaging a remarkable 26.4 points in his MVP season. Considering this uptick in numbers and his form from last season, it will not be too far-fetched to presume that he can average 27 points and above this season as he carries most of the offensive load for his team.
Nikola Jokic currently sits in seventh place on Denver's all-time scorers list, 244 points behind Byron Beck, and if he manages to continue this uptick in numbers, Jokic can also cross Ralph Simpson to end the 2021-22 season as fifth on the list.
#2 Assists
Nikola Jokic's elite court vision and high basketball IQ helps him recognize defensive schemes and react accordingly, finding open looks for his teammates for easy buckets. The Joker is one of the most proficient stars in passing under duress as he ideally utilizes double teams and sometimes triple teams while kicking it out to his teammates just in time as the defense collapses.
His outlet passes are a thing of beauty as he plays the ideal quarterback, hitting his teammates in stride with perfection for easy layups or monsterous dunks. His ability to pass out of the post and in pick-and-roll situations gives the Nuggets plenty of options to choose from.
Jokic came into the league not being known as much as a facilitator, and as he grew into his role he became one of the most dominant passing big men that we have ever seen. He averaged 8.3 assists last season, with a career average of six assists. Judging by these numbers, it would be a safe bet that he would average at least seven or eight assists during the 2021-22 season.
Jokic currently sits in fifth position on the Nuggets' all-time assists leader list, 49 assists behind Ty Lawson. He will most likely cross both Lawson in fourth and Andre Miller in third if he manages to continue his good form while staying healthy.
#1 Rebounds
Jokic's unique size and basketball IQ helps him judge a player's movement and the timing of when to jump for a rebound, as he comes down with the ball more often than not. His ability to rebound acts as a catalyst that sparks a Nuggets counter, this was perfectly portrayed when he caught a rebound and threw an outlet to a teammate with the same hand for an easy layup.
His ability to rebound comes to the fore in crucial playoff matchups against teams with elite centers such as the L.A. Lakers and Utah Jazz, where crucial second-point opportunities are few and far between.
Jokic has always been an elite rebounder since his debut, averaging an astonishing 9.8 rebounds in his six-year tenure in the league. If he manages to keep up with his career averages, he is bound to retire as the franchise's all-time leading rebounder. For now, he sits in sixth place, with the chance to climb up to third if he manages to average more than ten rebounds a game which he has done in three out of the six seasons he has played.
