Michael Malone was struggling to find an explanation in the film, but he did feel confident enough to issue a guarantee.
To hell with the percentages. This is Nikola Jokic. In the second half of the season, Malone told The Denver Post last Sunday, “I know Nikola’s going to be a guy that is ultra-efficient in every spot on the floor.”
The Nuggets coach had no reason to be convinced of that based on the start of 2023-24. In Jokic’s first 31 games, he shot 54.1% from the field — compared to his 63.2% clip last season — and 32.