Nikola Jokić was caught off guard by the plan JJ Redick and the Los Angeles Lakers executed against the Denver Nuggets.
As the final quarter of the 2024-2024 regular season continues, teams across the league battle for a spot in the postseason. The recent matchup between the Lakers and Nuggets was eagerly anticipated by the NBA community. After all, the Nuggets have found great success against the Lakers over the past few seasons and have even eliminated them from the playoffs twice.
While the Lakers finally getting a win against the Nuggets might not sound like a big deal, the manner in which they did so was unexpected, especially with regard to how they guarded Jokić.
Los Angeles Lakers Defense Locks Down Nikola Jokić
Given that Jokić is a two-time MVP, Finals MVP, and considered by many to be one of the best players in the world, the Lakers focused all their defensive efforts on him throughout the game. They ensured he struggled to even get the ball, as he finished the night just 2-for-7 from the field.
The Lakers limited Jokic to a season-low 7 SHOTS 🤯
Tough watch for “the Lakers aren’t contenders without a center” crowd 😭 pic.twitter.com/HQWMkJXsij
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) February 23, 2025
Containing Jokić’s scoring abilities helped the Lakers cruise to victory. Fans who watched the game had differing points of view over its results. Some pointed out that this was a sign of changing times and supported the Lakers. Others noticed that the Lakers were hacking Jokić throughout but were simply not being penalized via foul calls.
Nikola Jokić finished the night with 12 points despite making just two shots and no 3-pointers. Most of his scoring came from the free-throw line as the Lakers kept fouling him. While this might not be a sustainable strategy, the fact remains that Los Angeles was able to keep him out of rhythm and win this game on the road.
The Los Angeles Lakers have drastically changed over the past season. Luka Dončić and JJ Redick were not on the team when they lost to the Nuggets in the playoffs. Therefore, it would be unfair to compare this Lakers team to the one coached by Darvin Ham.
Fans are left wondering if this win by the Lakers and the breakout performance by Dončić are proof that the Lakers are finally better than the Nuggets. As always, the NBA Playoffs will be the ultimate indicator.
