Cam Johnson is still getting acclimated to his new role since being traded to the Nuggets, but one thing that is still taking some time is getting used to being around the brilliance of Nikola Jokic. After Denver’s Sunday night loss to the Kings on the second night of a back-to-back, Johnson took a moment to marvel at witnessing the greatness up close and personal.
“It's incredible. It’s like a guilty feeling, the performances he puts together, and not being able to come out with a win. He puts his all into it. Plays hard. Plays a lot of minutes. … You wanna win those games.”
This came after Joker put up 44 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists in the losing effort. It’s quite an adjustment for Cam, coming from the Nets, who have perennially been one of the worst teams in the league, with Johnson being one of the featured players.
Now he’s on a title-contending Nuggets team, playing alongside the best player in the world, and one of the best basketball players of all time. Clearly, Cam is feeling the pressure, and perhaps it helps explain his slow start to the season.
Johnson still adjusting to life with the Nuggets
Johnson has struggled shooting the ball, but he’s learning to fit in with this team. Other than making shots, he is finding ways to make an impact. His defense has been very strong, and he’s learning to be in the right spots.
Once he finds his rhythm and comfort zone, he should thrive playing off of Jokic and Jamal Murray, and his shot diet should be healthier than ever. But the Nuggets also need to make a more concerted effort to get him involved.
It’s easy to lean on your stars, and more often than not, Jokic can drag this team over the finish line by himself. But to truly reach their potential, and to have a chance to give the Thunder a run for their money come playoff time, Denver is going to need all hands on deck, and they’re going to need to be firing on all cylinders.
That means getting Johnson and the other new additions up to speed and making sure everyone is contributing. The fact that Cam already realizes what’s at stake and understands how precious these performances from Jokic are is a great sign.
Now, if the rest of the players can just pick up the slack so they aren’t left feeling guilty, the Nuggets should be piling up a lot more wins than losses this season.