"The Clippers game-planned to limit his playmaking opportunities, opting for one-on-one defense with huge lummoxes Ivica Zubac and Brook Lopez, and largely staying home on shooters. Jokic accepted the invitation and immediately mashed his counterparts to a slimy goo. He scored 25 points on 11 shots in the first quarter, and then scored 19 on perfect shooting in the third quarter, to push the Nuggets out to a commanding lead."
"When it was Zubac, Jokic pushed him around down in the paint; when it was Lopez, Jokic bombed from the perimeter. Against both men he forced contact, dragged them into swirling actions at the elbow, and even outraced them in the open floor. It's all stuff you've seen Jokic do one million times, but it's still very fun sometimes to watch Jokic skip the elaborate table-setting and get straight down to the meal. Defend me straight up, will you? We'll just see about that!"
Nikola Jokic scored 55 points on 23 shots, adding 12 rebounds and six assists while overpowering the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers attempted to limit Jokic's playmaking by sticking to one-on-one defense with Ivica Zubac and Brook Lopez and largely staying home on shooters. Jokic punished that approach by attacking both inside and out, scoring 25 points on 11 shots in the first quarter and 19 perfect points in the third. He forced contact, created movement at the elbow, and opened passing lanes for teammates. The performance demoralized defenders and built a decisive Nuggets lead that left Jokic resting the final minutes.
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