When you’re the reigning MVP, little things are often big things. With Nikola Jokic, even a marginal change can have major implications.
That’s what made last Saturday’s intrasquad scrimmage, which came several days before Denver’s season tipped off in Phoenix, so noteworthy.
The starting unit had gotten blasted by the reserves. The turnovers were as rampant as the defensive breakdowns, and the communication, according to coach Michael Malone, was non-existent.
Enter Jokic, whose deep bag of basketball tricks doesn’t generally involve calling out his teammates.
Jokic’s message, as relayed by Malone: “Guys, we are bad.