Anthony Edwards, wrapped in a towel, entered the Minnesota Timberwolves` locker room in confusion.
Despite the Timberwolves` recent comeback victory over the Denver Nuggets, Edwards was perplexed after their November 1st game. The All-Star guard jokingly questioned Minnesota assistant coach Micah Nori, a former Denver staff member who previously worked with Nikola Jokic during Jokic`s initial NBA seasons.
`I`m sorry,` Edwards said to reporters, interrupting the interview with Rudy Gobert. `I was just asking Micah how that guy knew the play we were going to run?`
`We`ve got a spy on the bench, man,` Gobert responded.
During the fourth quarter, after a timeout, Jokic observed Edwards and Gobert positioning themselves just above the elbows. He then signaled to his teammates precisely the play the Timberwolves intended to execute.
`Jokic knew our play, but we didn`t say anything,` Gobert stated, recalling his and Edwards` bewildered exchange before they stared at Jokic in amazement. `He knew it better than us.`
Later, in the visitor`s locker room, Jokic simply shrugged when questioned. He mentioned the frequent matchups between the Nuggets and Timberwolves the previous season, including regular-season games and a seven-game playoff series.
The three-time MVP`s high basketball IQ is widely recognized. He is a top player, averaging impressive statistics. However, his unconventional defensive strategies, such as seemingly memorizing opponent plays, often astound players, coaches, and fans. Despite his perceived athletic limitations, the 6-foot-11 center has become a standout in defensive analytics.
That night in Minnesota`s locker room, Jokic`s cleverness was the main topic of discussion for the Wolves.
`Rudy and I looked at each other, wondering, `How did he know?“ Edwards exclaimed, clearly frustrated. `That guy is cheating.`
`Yeah,` Gobert added, addressing the media again. `We need to investigate.`
After being drafted in the second round in 2014, Jokic underwent athletic testing at P3 Applied Sports Science lab. The results for the then 20-year-old were underwhelming.
Most notably, Jokic`s standing vertical jump measured only 17 inches, the lowest ever recorded by the lab among over 1,000 NBA players tested. This raised concerns, especially for a center expected to protect the rim.
Additionally, among rotation players averaging 2 miles of movement per game, Jokic ranks near the bottom in terms of `fast` running frequency, doing so only 2.9% of the time, according to Second Spectrum data. This marks the sixth time in seven seasons he has ranked in the NBA`s bottom ten for speed.
In the 2019-20 season, before his first MVP award, Jokic was the slowest player in the league.
`I am patient because I cannot run fast, it`s my only option,` Jokic said about his pace.
Despite his lack of speed and leaping ability, Jokic has achieved something remarkable. He is consistently a top performer in advanced defensive metrics, often surpassing players like Rudy Gobert, a four-time Defensive Player of the Year, and Draymond Green, a future Hall of Fame defender.
Defensive box plus-minus, a metric evaluating a player`s defensive impact based on box score stats and value per 100 possessions, has consistently identified Jokic as the NBA`s most valuable defender for years. He has ranked first in this metric for the past three seasons and is close to doing so again.
How is this possible, given his apparent physical limitations? What do analytics reveal about Jokic`s defense that traditional observations might miss?
Those close to Jokic emphasize his exceptional memory and anticipation of opponents` plays and tendencies.
`Often on out-of-bounds plays, he physically guides you into position. He does this every game, subtly, but he does,` said wing player Christian Braun. `He`ll tell you what`s coming, what their play call is. He watches the opposing coach to hear their calls. He anticipates and knows how best to defend it.`
Nuggets forward Peyton Watson added, `I haven`t seen him be wrong when calling out a play. He`s intellectually on another level in the game. We`re waiting for the day he`s wrong.`
According to Nuggets assistant coach Popeye Jones, Jokic`s defensive memory is extensive. `If a team tries the same out-of-bounds play the following year, he`ll still remember it,` Jones stated.
However, anticipating plays is not Jokic`s only defensive strength. Despite his lack of speed, he`s become one of the NBA`s most actively disruptive defenders.
Jokic`s offensive talent is well-documented, with three MVP awards in the last four years. Over time, he has shown aptitude for various sports.
After winning Finals MVP in 2023, Jokic became a horse-racing champion in Serbia. He has displayed quarterback skills with long, accurate passes and recently made a half-court buzzer-beater. He frequently makes water-polo-style passes after rebounds.
Early in his career, the Nuggets used drop coverage defensively, with Jokic in the paint for rim protection. More recently, he plays higher in pick-and-rolls, disrupting ball handlers and forcing difficult passes.
Wing players have limited time to pass to a rolling screener. Defenders have even less time to intercept.
But Jokic, on pace to lead NBA centers in deflections for a sixth season, uses this short time to disrupt passes.
`We position him higher on screens, and when teams try to pass to the big man behind us, Nikola has an uncanny ability to break up those passes,` said Denver coach Michael Malone. `With hands, feet, whatever he needs.`
Jokic frequently uses his feet.
Players across the NBA have noticed this. Draymond Green, when asked about Jokic`s defense, already anticipated the topic.
`Is this about his many kick-ball violations?` Green asked jokingly.
Indeed, Jokic leads the NBA in kicked-ball violations since 2020, with 127 between regular season and playoffs. In 2022-23, he had 56 kicked balls, more than any team. Nikola Vucevic, the next closest player, has 66 total since 2020.
Beyond the volume, Jokic has seemingly found a defensive `cheat code`. By timing plays perfectly, he can stop the opposing offense, forcing a reset.
For example, in Game 4 of the 2023 NBA Finals, Jokic kicked a backdoor pass. The announcer noted it stopped a likely layup, marking Jokic`s fourth kick of the game. He has had up to five kicks in a game and once had three kicks in six minutes.
Green, who has had nine passes affected by Jokic`s kicks since 2020, explained the tactic`s value. `We try to avoid facing a set defense,` Green said. `If you have a 2-on-1, he kicks the ball, stops play, and they reset their defense.`
Green recalled a time when Jokic seemed indifferent to defense. But the Nuggets knew he needed to improve defensively to contend for championships.
`He knew to win at a high level, he couldn`t be a liability. Now he`s a strength on defense and anchors their defense,` Green stated. `He willed himself to become a better defender.`
Experience and improved fitness contributed to Jokic`s defensive growth. But he also started using his intellect and memory to compensate for any lack of speed or athleticism.
`A player`s mind isn`t limited to one side of the court, and he`s an elite thinker,` said Thunder coach Mark Daigneault. `His instincts apply to every aspect of his game.`
