It was one of those nights for Nikola Jokic. It’s hard to put into words, but he’s just special. Sometimes you tilt your head and ask yourself out loud, “Did I just see that?” Yes. Yes, you did.
If you are ever so lucky as to watch him play in person, I’m begging you: arrive early to the venue and watch Jokic during his pregame routine. The three-time MVP is clinical. While his teammates were casually running standard shooting drills, Jokić would take his shot, run all the way to mid-court, make sure to step over half-court, and hop back in line. Every. Time.
Not only that, but he doesn’t miss a high five or a dap with his teammates. And if he misses a shot? He simply stays there until he makes it. He literally does all the little things. It’s his discipline and obsessive precision that astounds me. So go, arrive early, and behold greatness, all before tip-off.
Nikola Jokic’s near-perfect night
As the NBA world knows, Denver walked into Los Angeles and beat the Clippers 130-116, with Jokic dropping a supernatural 55 points on 18-of-23 shooting (the first player in history to score 55 points on 23 or fewer shot attempts), 5-of-6 from three-point range, and 14-of-16 from the free-throw line, along with 12 rebounds and six assists in roughly 34 minutes. His plus-minus? +28. Oh yeah, and Jokic is also currently tied for the highest total plus-minus rating in the NBA this season at +129.
You could call it a near-perfect night. The first quarter alone was a revelation. The Joker scored 25 of Denver’s 39 points. It was a slow start for Denver, but as the game went on, whatever the Clippers tried, nothing seemed to deter the flow.
I almost feel guilty because there were moments when I didn’t even realize what was happening right in front of me. At times, the game seemed ordinary until you checked the scoreboard and saw the extraordinary.
The Nuggets were playing for the second night in a row on the road, and if I’m honest, I was thinking that this was a game they might drop. They didn’t. With injuries to Christian Braun and Cam Johnson early in the game, and with the Clippers’ coach Tyronn Lue deploying packages aimed at limiting Jokic’s options, Denver needed their fulcrum. And he delivered.
If you’re going to put one man on Jokic… fine. He’ll just score. If you hedge too much? He’ll pass. He’ll rebound. He’ll make the right play every time. It’s stunning. He just executes. He becomes exactly what his team needs him to be, night in and night out.
He’s got that “3D” impact. No, I’m not talking about a triple-double this time—I’m talking about dominance, durability, and decision-making. After analyzing this game and watching it back, this is genuinely one of the very best games I’ve ever witnessed him play.
Denver’s GOAT?
I don’t know if it’s blasphemous for me to even wonder this, but has the Joker become the greatest athlete in Colorado sports history? I’m asking the hardest question of all: Has Nikola Jokic surpassed John Elway as Denver’s darling? MVPs: Jokic-3, Elway-1. Championship MVPs: Jokic-1, Elway-1. Championships: Jokic-1, Elway-2 (as a player), 1 (as an executive). Can we even start having that debate? Are we taking Joker’s preeminence for granted?
If you are lucky enough to watch this man in person, don’t take your eyes off him—not from pregame until the final whistle. You don’t want to miss a moment. You’re watching something truly special. You’re witnessing something you’ll want to tell your kids and grandkids about.
In the end, yeah, 55 points is crazy. But more important than that, greatness is greatness! It can’t be quantified. It can’t be expressed. You just know it when you feel it. And if you’ve felt it… cherish it!
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