DENVER—Of all the wonderfully unique players in the NBA — the high-flying dunkers, silky-smooth shooters, seemingly effortless ballhandlers who do what they want even when everyone expects it — Nikola Jokic stands out.
He’s not in the least bit fast.
He plays on the ground when so many operate in mid-air above the rim.
He works at his pace, always dictating how possessions and games unfold — the way he wants them to.
He is an anachronism and a sight to behold.
“He doesn’t jump very high or anything, but he’s a big body and he’s strong and he just kind of plays at his own pace, and he’s comfortable at his own pace,” Raptors centre Jakob Poeltl said of Jokic hours before Toronto played the Nuggets here Monday night.