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Nuggets Film Room: How Nikola Jokic is so efficient

By Tom West

DENVER, CO - MARCH 10: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets shoots the ball against the Boston Celtics on March 10, 2017 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - MARCH 10: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets shoots the ball against the Boston Celtics on March 10, 2017 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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For the third episode of Denver Nuggets Film Room, it’s time to look at Nikola Jokic and how he was able to be so ridiculously efficient last season.

Nikola Jokic is efficient. Incredibly efficient. In fact, Jokic was the only player in the NBA last season to average at least 16 points and shoot above 57 percent from the floor, as he made 16.7 on 57.8 percent shooting look easy. That’s impressive enough as it is, and that’s before focusing on how he was even better as a starter from December 15 onwards when the Denver Nuggets had the league’s best offense: 19.2 points on 58.7 percent shooting!

That combination of volume and efficiency was unmatched last season, which is especially impressive for a center who isn’t just catching loads of lobs and putting in second chance buckets around the rim. Jokic is no higher-usage DeAndre Jordan.

34.9 percent of Jokic’s field goal attempts came within three feet of the basket, per Basketball-Reference.com, which is the kind of frequency you want from a player in today’s NBA. And while mid-range shots shouldn’t be favored (especially if you’re Mike D’Antoni), Jokic is so good at them that they pay off for him and the Nuggets. He shot a brilliant 55.2 percent from between 16 feet and the arc, 53 percent between 10-16 feet, and a ridiculous 62.4 percent from his sweet spot of 3-10 feet, where he attempted 29.3 percent of his field goals.

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For some context among his peers at center, Jokic shot 62.7 percent overall on two-pointers last season. Rudy Gobert, the second-best roll man who doesn’t take any jumpers like Jokic, wasn’t even too far ahead at 66.6, per NBA.com.

There are a lot of numbers there, but they’re worth mentioning to indicate just how effective Jokic is from all spots inside the arc.

When looking beyond the numbers, Jokic is able to be so efficient because he can finish in so many different ways and doesn’t rely on a couple of shot types or spots on the floor.

A lot of Jokic’s baskets are a simple result of how good his hands are to catch and finish in traffic, often using soft push shots like this to drop the ball in around the 5-10 foot range. Jokic is good at finding quick openings to get his shots off when teammates drive and dish to set him up, or he can just gently finish over his defender:

This translates to some of his mid-range success, too. At 6’11” with a high release, Jokic’s jump shot isn’t easy to contest, which helped him shoot 62.9 percent in tight coverage (2-4 feet away from the defender) and 57 percent in very tight coverage (0-2 feet away), per NBA.com:

Jokic also made 65.6 percent of his hook shots last season. Despite not being the most chiseled player you’ll see, he has a big frame, solid strength and excellent foot work. When he puts that to good use, creates extra space with his off arm and finishes skyhook-esque shots like this, defenders are rarely able to deter the shot:

Jokic being able to use both hands only makes him that much tougher to stop when he’s backing down players and finishing right past them. When you look at his smooth finishes and touch with both hands, it’s not really surprising that Jokic ranked in the 94th percentile in post-ups last season, scoring more points per possession than any other big man:

Even without much foot speed to attack off the dribble, Jokic can use the threat of his jump shot against defenders. When they press him too closely, he can barrel his way down the lane and utilize good body adjustment and skilful layups to beat his man, rather than relying on sheer explosiveness:

Similarly, Jokic being so crafty and deceptive helps him pull off fun stuff like this (sure, he hardly dunks at the end, but still):

In short, there are tons of tricks in The Joker’s offensive bag, from his patience and soft touch to his use of both hands and crafty shot variation. It’s awfully tough to stop someone that can do so much both inside and out.

Next: Why Denver should pursue a trade for Kyrie

The defining characteristic of Jokic’s massive impact on the Nuggets has been his passing, but his scoring and efficiency has helped elevate him into elite status overall. And when he hones his three-point shot to hit them above a 32.4 percent rate to maintain plenty of spacing alongside Paul Millsap, he’ll be even harder for defense to handle.

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