There isn’t much to be said about Nikola Jokic that hasn’t already been said, but somehow, he’s still finding ways to expand on his brilliance. This season has presented a very unique experience for Jokic and the Nuggets; an extended period with the three-time MVP sidelined.
The Joker missed 16 straight games with a bone bruise in his knee, the longest absence of his career, before finally returning on Friday night. But something unusual happened during his time off: the Nuggets held their own.
In fact, they did more than that; they thrived, going 10-6 against some stiff competition. A key part of that success was the play of Peyton Watson, who broke out during the stretch, emerging as a primary scorer and initiator on offense, averaging over 20 points per game and becoming a true number two option next to Jamal Murray.
Watson has had a nice year overall, and he’s shown some signs, but this outburst came almost out of nowhere and helped keep Denver in the mix for a top-four seed in a loaded Western Conference.
Jokic empowering Watson to succeed
And here’s where Jokic comes in. Since returning, the best player in the world has completely leaned into what the team has been doing without him and adapting in a purely additive way. Why would he want to overshadow Watson with his own return?
Instead, he is empowering Watson and staying out of his way to the benefit of the team. Jokic has no ego whatsoever; he only wants to win, and that’s what truly separates him as the best player in the world right now. He knows that Watson’s emergence can only help the Nuggets, and having another budding star will benefit the team now and in the future.
The Joker has seen how far he can get this team on his own (or close to it) in the last couple of seasons, and he has seen that it’s not quite good enough. Watching this team win without him must have almost brought a tear to his eye, and surely, he was processing what was happening out there, and formulating a plan to immerse himself within it.
So far, we’ve seen that plan put into action as P-Wat has scored 21 and 29 points in the two games since Jokic’s return, hitting 20-34 shots and 7-12 threes. If he can keep putting up those kinds of scoring numbers with Jokic and Jamal Murray doing their thing as well, if this team can just get and stay healthy, they are going to be unbeatable. And it all comes back to Jokic being the best basketball player alive.