It's been evident from Nikola Jokic's reaction to recent plays. He had a look in his eyes after Lu Dort hit him with a cheap shot that no person, let alone an NBA player, would ever want to see. Tim MacMahon says the three-time MVP award winner looks frustrated, and rightfully so.
The Nuggets are just 5-8 in the 13 games he's played since returning to the lineup. But that wasn't the only thing on Tim MacMahon's mind, and he had some cautionary advice for the Nuggets, too.
MacMahon went on "NBA Today" to voice his opinion about the Joker's reaction to the physical play he's been facing recently, like the one involving Dort in OKC. "He’s frustrated with physical play against him, and honestly, I think he’s frustrated with his own play," MacMahon said, referring to the drop in production from what we're used to seeing out of the Joker.
MacMahon pointed to the Joker's wrist
Jokic's recent numbers do look more human than his normal, other-worldly kind that we've seen improve each year. "The wrist, whether he admits it or not, is bothering him," MacMahon said. And looking at the Joker's numbers over the last 13 games, he's probably right.
Jokic's only shooting 48% from the floor over that time, versus the career 56% we're accustomed to, and he's shooting just 30% from three against a 41% average last season.
And during the Jazz game, we saw Jokic with a bag of ice on his wrist while the trainer was stretching it out when Jokic was on the bench receiving some rest. That's not exactly a confidence-inspiring sight, and MacMahon even mentioned that Jokic was wearing a brace during the All-Star break.
MacMahon had caution about Aaron Gordon's return
It's no secret that the Nuggets are in desperate need of Aaron Gordon's presence on the floor. His defense has been sorely missed, and the Nuggets have been terrible in the clutch without Gordon, too. But MacMahon urged caution. "They’ve really got to be careful with Gordon."
Yes, the Nuggets do need to be careful with Gordon, who's missed time twice this season with a hamstring injury. They need him on the court in the playoffs. But unfortunately, due to their terrible clutch play, they may not have that luxury.
The Nuggets are currently ranked fifth and looking up at home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. If they want to avoid going out on the road the entire time, they'll need every bit of Gordon they can get down the stretch.