The boundary-pushing physicality with which teams defend Nikola Jokic isn’t going away anytime soon.
Conversations about it aren’t going away, either.
The Sacramento Kings were the latest opponent to test the referees in their coverage of Jokic, whose turnovers (seven) exceeded his assists (six) for only the third time this season on Wednesday. Playing on a bum ankle, Jokic grew visibly frustrated throughout the game as Sacramento fronted him with smaller defenders, taking a page from Lakers coach JJ Redick’s book. Kings center Jonas Valanciunas guarded Nuggets point guard Russell Westbrook, contributing to a scheme that was determined to take away every inch of space in the paint.
“It took a little while to get acclimated to them starting Jonas on Russ and just assigning a player to just mug Nikola all over the court,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said after Denver’s 116-110 win. “But I think as the game went along, we did a better and better job.”
The Nuggets took 30 free throws to Sacramento’s 14, but that discrepancy was largely a result of Jamal Murray’s 15 attempts — “a (freaking) anomaly in the season for me,” he said, laughing. “I don’t think I’ve ever shot over 10.”
Jokic shot only six, compounding the Nuggets’ collective frustration after he didn’t get to the foul line at all in a loss to Boston. The Celtics had similarly sold out to limit him at all costs.
Malone’s jab about the officiating leniency was not out of nowhere. Last week in Detroit, he deliberately took a technical foul 49 seconds into the first quarter and was prepared to sacrifice himself with an ejection after watching the Pistons inhibit Jokic’s “freedom of movement.” He said after that game that he was letting the referees know, “that is not the game plan moving forward to stop us or Nikola.”
The specific officiating topic that emerged from Denver’s win this week was the dynamic between Jokic and non-centers. Malone answered without answering when he was asked if he thinks smaller defenders are allowed to get away with more chippiness when they front the 6-foot-11 big.
“Next question,” Denver’s 10th-year coach said after a long pause, deciding he didn’t want to incur a fine from the league.
“I appreciate the question. … Because there’s so many things that I want to say. And if you guys want to start a GoFundMe, I will say what I want to say.”
Jokic was a bit more direct when presented with the same question in the locker room.
“Yes,” he said.
Jokic has avoided any ejections this season after being thrown out of games twice last year. Both occasions involved a build-up of annoyance at no-calls in road games. Malone praised Jokic on Wednesday for keeping his composure against the Kings.
“I think I’m doing great,” Jokic said. “It’s just sometimes, we get punished for a reaction, and I get frustrated because I get punished for a reaction. And they don’t look at what happened, why that (was) my reaction. But it’s good. It’s part of the game.”
The Nuggets pulled off a comeback against Sacramento despite losing Jokic’s minutes by seven points. It was the first game they’ve won in which Jokic was a minus-seven or worse since Dec. 8, 2022, when they needed a last-second 3-pointer from Jamal Murray to beat Portland 121-120. Denver is now 2-34 since the start of the 2022-23 season, including playoff games, when Jokic’s minutes are lost by that many points.
“I’m just saying, just because somebody’s stronger doesn’t mean that someone else can push him,” Jokic said of his conversations with the refs. “So just to have a balance (is important). Because if I push him on the perimeter, I’m going to get a foul. It’s going to be a foul. So just … consistency.”
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