NBA Powerless Rankings: Trying to stop Nikola Jokic passes

4. The Classic

These are the Jokic passes I remember most fondly from last year, the “touch skippy-dos,” as they’re called on box score. Everyone runs around a lot, Jokic does his characteristic really tall person standing, and then he just sorta drops the ball in a place only his teammate can get it.

It’s almost mean. It looks like it shouldn’t work, like it’s a trick play that will only be successful once or twice before the defense catches on that someone would be bold enough to try it. It’s a flea-flicker or Michael Chang’s underhand serve against Ivan Lendl. The wide open lanes Jokic’s teammates get make it seem like it only works because it shouldn’t.

But no. They keep happening. It’s not by subterfuge but by skill. The second time you watch the play above you almost get the sense that it was all over for the defense the second Jokic opts against the handoff and slams the ball above his head. He’s telegraphing the pass, staring at the destination the whole way. Yet still, this happens.

By the time Harris catches the ball, the only other people with a foot in the key are behind him. It’s hard to picture an easier possible basket outside of a stolen-ball breakaway. Half-court offenses aren’t supposed to get that efficient. Passes aren’t supposed to be that delicate. Nothing about this makes sense, but it happens over and over. I can’t tell if I’m angry or excited. It’s not fair.