NBA TODAY | Nikola Jokic is definity NBA MVP – Brian Windhorst on Nuggets def. Grizzlies 125-115

NBA TODAY | Nikola Jokic is definity NBA MVP – Brian Windhorst on Nuggets def. Grizzlies 125-115

Coming up on NBA Today, Jokic rewriting history and lighting it up. And even without KD, the Rockets, the Suns, they delivered plenty of ex teammate drama. We’re going to recap all of the Monday madness around the league. And Carl Anthony Towns and the Knicks, they’re surging. The Pistons rewriting their own history. The Raptors turning consistency into some momentum here. We’re going to reveal how these beasts of the East made some noise. Plus, a crucial two nights of group play. We’re going to tell you why tonight’s battle in Los Angeles, it means even more for the Lakers. All that and so much more. NBA Today starts right now. And since this is Thanksgiving week, friends, why don’t we begin our show with a three-time MVP feasting chana, Danny Green, Brian Winhorse, let’s head out to Memphis because the Joker Chana have gone wild. He was taking shots like this even before they changed the rules. Yeah. And he’s rewarded for it. That looks like a layup to him. Beautiful. He’s like got the perfect arc for those types of shots. There’s always a chance when he shoots it. He was very moved by making this. You can tell. It’s like that Mike Ring call. Kawhi Leonard goes crazy. Same with Nicola Joic there. Jamal Murray off to a good start here. Finds Nicola. He looks like you out there shooting DG. Uh, a little better than me. I like 46 and three. Well, you know what was like that? This dine. Don’t shave. Oh my god. I thought it was a turnover. Oh, you did when you like accident. Unreal. The Memphis Grizzlies bench had no idea what to think when they saw that. You know you when you have the opposition looking like this, you know what happens, Malikica? Your brain is in a blender in that moment. Like how? Yeah, that’s what we just saw here. Another insane pass from Joic. He has 17 points, 10 rebounds, 16 assists. The Nuggets get the win in this one. And for anyone keeping track, including the playoffs, Nicole Joic leads all players in total assists all the way back since 2020. The Joker is averaging an NBA best 11.1 assists per game this season. That’s on pace to set a career high for a second consecutive year. He’s also the leader in total points scored since 2020. He’s on pace to set a career-high in points per game for a second straight season. He’s making just over two threes a game on 43% shooting from downtown. And the Nugget superstar, he also leads all players in rebounds per game and in steals all since 2020. So yes, he is on pace to be the first player in NBA history to lead all players in points, in rebounds, in assists, in steals and blocks for a single decade. Bryant, I’m running out of ways to say this. Jokic is seem seemingly getting even better. I can just pay him a compliment by saying, you know, this is an important game. They’re missing two starters right now. Christian Brown and Aaron Gordon are out for an extended period. They’re playing a road game. And he dominated by taking nine shots. He took nine shots in a game that his team scored 125 points on the road. Like, I can’t really play a greater compliment than that. And if you watch this game, he controlled the entire tempo of the game. The entire time the Nuggets had the ball. It was another masterpiece. I feel like he’s just getting bored out there and figure out ways he can challenge himself. And each game you can see he’s trying to be more efficient. He’s like, I miss two shots. I’m making sure I don’t miss anymore. Um shooting half court heaves, but it’s unbelievable because last year he didn’t have this depth. He’s having better players around him. He’s able to be more efficient and able to have fun. They’re winning. And it’s kind of a travesty that he didn’t win MVP last year. I’m sure people think he doesn’t care. I don’t think he was happy about it. But the fact that he played unbelievable last year and didn’t win it, I don’t say his team is letting him down, but he’s making sure that he’s MVP this year. Well, none of us have words for what Jokic is doing on the floor. But I do have words for Jamal Murray, allar. I know it’s season nine for him, but this is a career year. He’s averaging 23 points per game, but I want you guys to look at the points and assists combined. 371 points, 108 assists through 17 games throughout his career. This is the most combined. So he’s being truly productive right now. When you combine Jokic and Murray, they are the highest assist duo combined for 17.4 assists, four more than any other duo and the second highest scoring duo. So when we talk about the best in basketball, pick and rolls, it’s there in Denver or wherever they take that amazing circus on the road because sometimes you look at Joic those passes and it’s like he’s the ring leader of the NBA offensively. I checked in with the Denver Nuggets this morning and there’s just a trust that Jokic has always had. But when you see Jamal Murray, who’s gotten historically off to slow starts these last couple of years, raising his level. Pton Watson has been really, really good with Christian Brown and AG both out for extended periods of time here. You said he’s making sure that he’s going to be the MVP. The odds still have SDA and him kind of battling it out one and two. I think that’s going to be the story all season long here, Brian, but there’s not enough good things to say about D. I mean, the Thunder are on pace for 77 wins. It’s it’s gone from 73 to 77. I mean, SGA is like scoring 30 and three quarters every night. So, it’s very difficult to have this conversation right now. It would be great for the league with so many stars who are banged up. If these two guys are able to stay healthy and have this battle down the stretch of the Do you see a world where you can get a co-VP situation? No, because there’s too many voters. I don’t think it could ever line up MVP. We’re too early for that. There’s still too much season to be played. How about we show you another monster performance from one big man to another here because we had the Battle of the Burrows in Brooklyn last night. Well, since this is the New York battle, why don’t we call him the big bodega? He held it down here for the New York Knicks. Danny battling the apple tacking inside getting that one to go here. And then a minute later, Kolic finds Towns again. I like I love to see this. I’m sure Big Perk will be happy to see Carlton Towns in the post more. You can’t hear him. Big Perk all the way a couple. He said he doesn’t want tiptoes. He’s want some spouts. That’s some grown man basketball is what Perk will be saying. The Nets Brian really didn’t have an answer for Carl Anthony Towns continuing to attack here. He’s just bigger than all their guys. Noah Clowny had a great game in this one, but Carl was just dominant and sort of canceled him out. And then here, one more time, Carl Anthony Towns gets it at the top. Best shooting big in the game. Selfproclaimed best shooting big man in the league. Male Bridges kicking it back out. Towns, he finishes with 37 points, 12 rebounds. They get the win. Here’s Cat after his big night. I still feel youthful as hell. So I feel, you know, when I get to the rim, I I think I could always jump still super high and stuff. Um, but experience has taught me just, you know, how to get to my spots with less work, you know, uh, not having to be so flashy, you know, especially growing up in the mixtape era. Just, you know, keeping it simple, keeping the game as simple as possible. You know, one, two, dribble, get to the paint, make a right-hand layup, make a left hand layup. Sometimes you take what I call talent shots. you know, you’re a step left floater, but you know, just keeping the game as simple as possible. So, we mentioned he had 37. That’s his second most points in a game this season. He also had 12 rebounds to lead the Knicks here. It was Town’s eighth game with 35 and 10 for the Knicks. That breaks a tie with Bernard King for the eighth most of those games in team history. But Jane, what specifically did you see from him last night that allowed him to be so dominant? You know what I saw? I saw a game plan get destroyed. Because if you dive into this matchup, the Brooklyn Nets, they actually blitz the most in the NBA. 18.3% of the time that’s blitz, that’s traps. That’s sending two at the ball handler, which typically is Jaylen Brunson. But when you have a guy that is the self-proclaimed best shooting big man, Cat, he will make you pay. So, let’s dive into the tape. I love this right here. Here’s the pick and roll. They combine for 51 points per game. Two people are with Brunson leaves Cat wide open. But this is the key here. He does not settle. If you close out like this and you’re you’re seeing 66 versus a seven-footer, he will attack the basket. He doesn’t settle for these tough mid-range shots. Instead, each time he tries to get at least two feet in the paint. Now, we got options again in transition. You see this pick and roll right here. It’s typically going to bring two once again to these guys to Jaylen Brunson. But he has vision. He knows this guy has his back. Nice little behind the back dime. Now, the close out is not there. Look how much space he has. He is typically a 39% three-point shooter. This year, career low 34. It doesn’t matter. You got to guard him regardless. So yeah, game plans don’t track those two. Left big bodega to uh do what? Eat. That it’s a track for them. Yes. Coming up here on NBA today. Hey, Detroit basketball. Sorry, Detroit basketball. Got a voice back. Sound a little different. She does have her voice back. Uh Jamie Bickerstaff is stopping by.

NBA TODAY | Nikola Jokic is definity NBA MVP – Brian Windhorst on Nuggets def. Grizzlies 125-115