Because of Nikola Jokic's typically otherworldly production, his recent shooting struggles may have gone unnoticed. However, it has become quite concerning, and it's tough to shake the feeling that it could stem from a nagging wrist injury that may have affected him for years now.
Tim MacMahon of ESPN echoed the issue on the "Brian Windhorst and The Hoop Collective" show, saying about the Nuggets, "But the injury that's not even on the report [that] they're really concerned about is Joker's wrist — not the knee that kept him out a month. He's been dealing with this wrist thing for years, off and on. It's kind of like a day-to-day type of thing."
By looking at how the Serbian phenom has moved on the floor, one might think that he is as healthy as ever. The fact that he is leading the league in rebounds and assists — and that he is the only player averaging a triple-double this season — could also have fans thinking exactly that way. Unfortunately, his efficiency has significantly dipped in the past weeks.
Joker in uncharted waters?
In February, Jokic made just 46.6 percent of his field-goal attempts and 31.1 percent of his 3-point tries in 11 games. Those shooting splits are well below the standards he has set for himself since his superstar turn.
Perhaps I'm just overreacting, as he seems to have returned to form this March. In Denver's loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, he went 15-26 from the field, good for 57.7 percent, to snap a two-game streak of shooting below 40.0 percent. Then, against the Utah Jazz, Jokic connected on more than half of his field-goal attempts again, shooting 6-11.
There is still a bit of a snag, though. The big guy has yet to recover from his mini-slump from long range. He has converted just 25.9 percent of his 3-point attempts in his previous four games and didn’t even bother letting one fly in Utah.
Joker not at 100 percent health?
These could all be nitpicking, of course. Despite Jokic’s apparent shooting struggles, he is still shooting a robust 57.0 percent from the field and 40.1 percent from three for the season.
But what if his wrist has indeed been bothering him? There have been reports that he has had to deal with it occasionally in the past six years. On his part, Jokic downplayed the concern when asked about it back in February.
Given that the three-time MVP defines the Nuggets’ floor and ceiling, the team is obviously largely affected when he is not at full strength, especially given that its depth has been lacking. Fans can only wish that the reports have just been overblown and that he can continue to be productive and can level up his efficiency during the final weeks of the regular season and in the postseason.