On a night where the Wizards celebrated one of their greatest players and representatives of the organization, Phil Chenier, Nuggets center Nikola Jokic stole the show on the court with a dazzling display. The “Joker,” as he is affectionately called, put on a modern NBA big man clinic, finishing with 25 points, eight rebounds, and five assists on 10-21 shooting from the field, including 3-for-6 from 3-point range. In the process, Jokic further exposed one of the Wizards’ biggest weaknesses heading into the postseason: their inability to defend perimeter-playing big men.
This would not be the first time in recent weeks that a mobile big man has given the Wizards trouble—LaMarcus Aldridge and Karl-Anthony Towns both had their way with the Wizards in the not-so-distant past— and defending such players should definitely be a point of emphasis for the team going forward.