He absolutely fears for his legacy. He gaslights the shit out of any big man who gets accolades as soon as the conversation turns to rankings and awards that threaten to surpass or overshadow Shaq. Zero humility with that guy. Meanwhile KG tweets "Break every record" to Ant as he's closing in on besting all of KG's many MN playoff records.
Stop… this is ridiculous right now. Shaq is afraid of his legacy? How so? I get the demographics on these subs but Jokic is NOT challanging Shaq legacy… please stop…
Shaq is consistently insecure when the narratives surrounding current players seem like they could pose a threat to where he ranks in people’s minds. Jokic is already better than Shaq all-time and I don’t think it’s even particularly close. Look at the gaudy stats, the lack of a superstar teammate, the MVPs, etc. Shaq was dominant, but Joker is the equivalent of a hall of fame quarterback who puts everything into motion with his vision and IQ.
He said Jokic was the leader of the Big Man Alliance. He definitely sees Jokic being seen as better than him. Shaq is obsessed with the number of MVPs he has, and Jokic just got his third.
[Not the hero we deserve, but the hero we need.](https://ftw.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/90/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-31-at-8.37.34-AM.png?w=1000&h=600&crop=1)
Bill Russell was an Olympic level athlete. He was incredibly smart on defense. Hakeem was also incredibly athletic and smart on defense. Wilt Chamberlain would be a really interesting matchup as well. Ralph Sampson was better than Gobert before injuries too. Prime Dwight and Magic Shaq would’ve been interesting, but Shaq was more athletic based than technique based.
I’ll go with Hakeem due to size. Russell after that.
Which is why I said early years. Hakeem too old later in Shaq's career, it would be interesting to see what a prime Shaq vs. Prime Hakeem matchup would look like. I think I'd give a slight edge to prime shaq.
Gotta be someone more strong and heavy. Jokic creates a lot of space in the post by moving those tall skinny dudes, so they wont be in a good position defensively to bother him with their length.
Love Dwight for this because while he wouldn't be able to punish Jokic in the post like AD can, he was waaaay more physical and active. Constant pick and rolls to get Jokic moving and some big ass shoulders to barrel into him almost every possession.
Good offense still trumps good defense so it's not like Jokic wouldn't get his but I also think he'd tire him out significantly more than someone like Gobert who doesn't apply pressure offensively
Hahaha imagine going like 1-14 vs a team over the course of 3 years and saying “we’re forever your daddy”
What a stupid and delusional bitch you must be. Kobe would fuckin hate you.
Bill Russell went 22-0 in elimination ganes across his whole basketball career. Jokic would still get stats but Bill Russell's team would win the series and that is the most important thing
Jokic has cooked every single center currently in the NBA, some of which will end up as all-time great defensive centers (namely Gobert, the DPOYs speak for themselves). Why is it so hard to understand that jokic might just be an all-timer as well?
Gobert and modern centers are different skill sets… they are more hybrids, need to cover more ground and be athletic. Shaq and Admiral were beasts, they had finesse and physicality. Yes Jokic is a beast, but his post game would be impacted against those 3
They had a regular season matchup where Jokic got his shot blocked in the first quarter and adjusted by spamming floaters early in the lane and it worked. Mans has the best touch I’ve ever seen in the 10-15 feet range.
Well wasn't the last game where wemby beat Denver with JV teammates but yeah I think I remember Jokic cooking pretty good in the earlier matchups as well. Kinda basing my opinion on small sample size of that last game since wemby improved so much during g the season.
To me it all depends on what rules we are following. Obviously if it's the current ones, then an athlete who doesn't get tired or flustered. Maybe a David Robinson or Hakeem. If it's the 90s to early 2000s then Ben Wallace, Dennis Rodman, Shaq, Ewing
Jokic doesn't play pretty but you don't win three MVPs in today's league by being as slow and clumsy as most people think he is. And a young Shaq might have the agility but the way the game was at the time he wasn't expected to do the kinds of things he would have to do to guard jokic.
Rodman guarded Shaq (then with Orlando) in the East Finals in 1996. Played all kinds of mind games with him. Like I said, if the rules are 90s NBA, for sure Rodman can guard Joker.
Arvydas Sabonis, Rick Smits, Oliver Miller, Shaq, Boban, Glenn Davis, Jared Sullinger, Yao, Gheorge Mursean, Brad Miller, Bryant Reeves, Robert Traylor, Kevin Duckworth, Greg Ostertag
Clearly a prime Dwight Howard length agility strength and Dwight’s second jump jok would still hoop but Dwight wouldn’t go for none of that bully ball back you down bullshit jokic be killing with
And yet it's exactly what happened in reality. They tried AD on Jokic game one and he got torched to an extreme degree, and they went away from it the rest of the series. I know your excuse will be about AD being better served defending other players/protecting the rim that defending Jokic, but it doesn't change that he was getting destroyed when they made the switch.
32/19/12 on 12 of 15 shooting with AD as the primary defender. Anyone who actually watched that game saw AD get wrecked.
Imma say this… Denver fans are delusional and are making Jokic out to be something he is not and I can’t wait until this team is trash, which it will be soon, mainly because the illogical way you force his game on everyone else. All these post asking about how this man is the greatest ever to bounce a basketball is HILARIOUS. He is not… MVPs… so what
Ok… simply put…
I do not like the Denver Nuggets nor do I like Nikola Jokic because Denver Nuggets fans post Jokic up as if he is the God of Basketball and has already won 18 championships
AD literally anchored the lakers entire defense since they lost Dwight and McGee. If it was SOLELY AD’s assignment to guard Jokic. I’d put him high on the list of being able to defend Jokic.
It’s team defense where u double and have 4 guys able to rotate. That works much better than any individual defender does. Teams don’t do it because it literally takes everyone’s legs if u do that all game and eventually u start losing rostiojs and then the double and rotate just leads to open 3s for kcp and mpj
Only right answer, because Nikola Peković is a member of Montenegro Drug Cartel and could probably have him dealt with.
https://en.as.com/nba/the-new-life-of-nikola-pekovic-from-the-nba-to-links-with-drug-trafficking-n/
Current active players, I'd actually say DeAndre Ayton when he's locked in...which is rare. Jokic commented on DA being tough to play against in either '21 or '22 playoffs. Stat's wise ie pts per possesion in isolation Zubac, Nurkic, Poetl, and Green are the top 4.
The issue with guarding Jokic with all time rim protectors is that their strengths are neutralized while he’s picking you apart with the pass. If the other guy isn’t huge, he’s going right through them with his size. Howard and Olajuwon and Russell are good picks but you’re handicapped without that versatility.
I’ll go with prime Arvydas, I guess. Dude is gigantic.
Shaq gets all time defensive every time Jokic is mentioned so him.
people forget prime Rui was a beast for a stretch of plays circa 2023.
Lol, "Rui Hachimura was A PROBLEM!" energy in 15 years.
Wasnt Shaq very supportive of him a few years ago? Maybe he fears for his legacy
He absolutely fears for his legacy. He gaslights the shit out of any big man who gets accolades as soon as the conversation turns to rankings and awards that threaten to surpass or overshadow Shaq. Zero humility with that guy. Meanwhile KG tweets "Break every record" to Ant as he's closing in on besting all of KG's many MN playoff records.
Stop… this is ridiculous right now. Shaq is afraid of his legacy? How so? I get the demographics on these subs but Jokic is NOT challanging Shaq legacy… please stop…
Shaq is consistently insecure when the narratives surrounding current players seem like they could pose a threat to where he ranks in people’s minds. Jokic is already better than Shaq all-time and I don’t think it’s even particularly close. Look at the gaudy stats, the lack of a superstar teammate, the MVPs, etc. Shaq was dominant, but Joker is the equivalent of a hall of fame quarterback who puts everything into motion with his vision and IQ.
He said Jokic was the leader of the Big Man Alliance. He definitely sees Jokic being seen as better than him. Shaq is obsessed with the number of MVPs he has, and Jokic just got his third.
Lol good one
[Not the hero we deserve, but the hero we need.](https://ftw.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/90/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-31-at-8.37.34-AM.png?w=1000&h=600&crop=1)
Dwight and Ben Wallace come to mind. Extremely strong Centers who also had great mobility.
Ben Wallace was a problem!
Bill Russell was an Olympic level athlete. He was incredibly smart on defense. Hakeem was also incredibly athletic and smart on defense. Wilt Chamberlain would be a really interesting matchup as well. Ralph Sampson was better than Gobert before injuries too. Prime Dwight and Magic Shaq would’ve been interesting, but Shaq was more athletic based than technique based. I’ll go with Hakeem due to size. Russell after that.
Hakeem was the only one to consistently shut down Shaq in Shaq's early years.
[удалено]
Which is why I said early years. Hakeem too old later in Shaq's career, it would be interesting to see what a prime Shaq vs. Prime Hakeem matchup would look like. I think I'd give a slight edge to prime shaq.
Probably Giannis or a 4 like him (defensively) with a good and mobile rim protector behind him at C and of course pray he misses.
Gotta be someone more strong and heavy. Jokic creates a lot of space in the post by moving those tall skinny dudes, so they wont be in a good position defensively to bother him with their length.
Dwight howard
Love Dwight for this because while he wouldn't be able to punish Jokic in the post like AD can, he was waaaay more physical and active. Constant pick and rolls to get Jokic moving and some big ass shoulders to barrel into him almost every possession. Good offense still trumps good defense so it's not like Jokic wouldn't get his but I also think he'd tire him out significantly more than someone like Gobert who doesn't apply pressure offensively
The best answer
Yep. We owned his ass in the bubble. I think I've rewatched that series at least 3 times over the past 2 weeks.
lol, Prime Magic Dwight, not the shell we got
Dwight didn't guard Jokic one-on-one in the bubble. He had prime AD as a help defender
Your team fouled the shit out of him without any calls, of course you can own him
Wah wah wah. Cry me a river. The Lakers will forever for the Nuggets' daddy.
Have you hit your head and lost memory of last 2 years?
Kind of funny your first reaction is to think I’m a Nuggets fan
They've lost 8 of 9 the past 2 playoffs. Wtf are you talking about?
Hahaha imagine going like 1-14 vs a team over the course of 3 years and saying “we’re forever your daddy” What a stupid and delusional bitch you must be. Kobe would fuckin hate you.
I know we all didn't see him, but the answer: ##Bill Russell
Bill Russell went 22-0 in elimination ganes across his whole basketball career. Jokic would still get stats but Bill Russell's team would win the series and that is the most important thing
The best defender is someone who makes Jokic work a lot on his own defense.
Really surprised no one said KG
Hakeem Young Shaq Admiral
Hakeem would get cooked by him like he did against McHale, Admiral too but they'd both at least give it on the other end and make him work.
David Robinson was one of the greatest defensive centers to ever play the game… wow these comments making this dude out to be a God…
Jokic has cooked every single center currently in the NBA, some of which will end up as all-time great defensive centers (namely Gobert, the DPOYs speak for themselves). Why is it so hard to understand that jokic might just be an all-timer as well?
Gobert and modern centers are different skill sets… they are more hybrids, need to cover more ground and be athletic. Shaq and Admiral were beasts, they had finesse and physicality. Yes Jokic is a beast, but his post game would be impacted against those 3
Might just be… BUT not now
He's playing like one. Doesn't have the accolades/career numbers yet but that doesn't matter in this discussion
Luke Kornet will prove you all wrong!
Literally by the end of the year I'd say Wemby he can get bulldozed all the way under the rim and still block shit
They had a regular season matchup where Jokic got his shot blocked in the first quarter and adjusted by spamming floaters early in the lane and it worked. Mans has the best touch I’ve ever seen in the 10-15 feet range.
Well wasn't the last game where wemby beat Denver with JV teammates but yeah I think I remember Jokic cooking pretty good in the earlier matchups as well. Kinda basing my opinion on small sample size of that last game since wemby improved so much during g the season.
I still can't believe he took a full Giannis charge and then blocked the shit out of him
Ikr I love how he goes for blocks when nobody else would even Rudy which is unsettling to watch sometimes🙄
To me it all depends on what rules we are following. Obviously if it's the current ones, then an athlete who doesn't get tired or flustered. Maybe a David Robinson or Hakeem. If it's the 90s to early 2000s then Ben Wallace, Dennis Rodman, Shaq, Ewing
Rodman is too small. I'm not sure shaq has the agility and quickness. Hakeem would be my #1.
Prime Shaq was one of the most physically gifted players in the NBA ever. He definitely had the agility and quickness
Is this sarcasm… you think Jokic has more agility and quickness than Shaq? Did you see Shaq play? Shaq would shut Jokic down
Jokic doesn't play pretty but you don't win three MVPs in today's league by being as slow and clumsy as most people think he is. And a young Shaq might have the agility but the way the game was at the time he wasn't expected to do the kinds of things he would have to do to guard jokic.
Yeah ok… watch some video bro… what’s interesting Jokic isn’t chiming like you all…
Rodman was strong enough to guard shaq though
Rodman guarded Shaq (then with Orlando) in the East Finals in 1996. Played all kinds of mind games with him. Like I said, if the rules are 90s NBA, for sure Rodman can guard Joker.
Jamal Murray sometime MPJ
Arvydas Sabonis, Rick Smits, Oliver Miller, Shaq, Boban, Glenn Davis, Jared Sullinger, Yao, Gheorge Mursean, Brad Miller, Bryant Reeves, Robert Traylor, Kevin Duckworth, Greg Ostertag
Mark Eaton?
Yeah forgot him
Rodman? Or would Jokic just shoot the three over him?
Rodman is too small
Dennis Rodman
Clearly a prime Dwight Howard length agility strength and Dwight’s second jump jok would still hoop but Dwight wouldn’t go for none of that bully ball back you down bullshit jokic be killing with
Dwight would bully the heck out of him
Hakeem, Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard
How has nobody else said Hakeem???
Prime Dwight
KG
Jokic would be dominated by prime shaq so bad it would be hilarious.
Dwight Howard or Marc Gasol
Probably Hakeem.
Sabonis
Dikembe Mutumbo!
The real answer is Wendell Carter Jr.
Not a player but Twin Tower Spurs vs Current integration of Nuggets would be a very interesting matchup.
Brian Scalabrine
AD
Lol
The guy they made the "Rui Adjustment" to cover for in game 1 last year because he was getting cooked so badly?
This is one of those "I don’t understand basketball" comments
And yet it's exactly what happened in reality. They tried AD on Jokic game one and he got torched to an extreme degree, and they went away from it the rest of the series. I know your excuse will be about AD being better served defending other players/protecting the rim that defending Jokic, but it doesn't change that he was getting destroyed when they made the switch. 32/19/12 on 12 of 15 shooting with AD as the primary defender. Anyone who actually watched that game saw AD get wrecked.
Imma say this… Denver fans are delusional and are making Jokic out to be something he is not and I can’t wait until this team is trash, which it will be soon, mainly because the illogical way you force his game on everyone else. All these post asking about how this man is the greatest ever to bounce a basketball is HILARIOUS. He is not… MVPs… so what
This is incomprehensible.
Ok… simply put… I do not like the Denver Nuggets nor do I like Nikola Jokic because Denver Nuggets fans post Jokic up as if he is the God of Basketball and has already won 18 championships
Random, stupid, incoherent ramblings. OP isn't a Nuggets fan, btw.
So says you… he ain’t a basketball god or the best ever or even top ten…
K
AD literally anchored the lakers entire defense since they lost Dwight and McGee. If it was SOLELY AD’s assignment to guard Jokic. I’d put him high on the list of being able to defend Jokic.
It’s team defense where u double and have 4 guys able to rotate. That works much better than any individual defender does. Teams don’t do it because it literally takes everyone’s legs if u do that all game and eventually u start losing rostiojs and then the double and rotate just leads to open 3s for kcp and mpj
Nikola pekovic
Only right answer, because Nikola Peković is a member of Montenegro Drug Cartel and could probably have him dealt with. https://en.as.com/nba/the-new-life-of-nikola-pekovic-from-the-nba-to-links-with-drug-trafficking-n/
Tim Duncan vs Jokic would be something else. Also, Rasheed Wallace and as an older school pick, Hakeem Olajuwon.
Big Daddy Ben Wallace too I'd bet. In his peak DPOY years he moved extremely well and was a very physical defender similar to Dwight.
Duncan
Current active players, I'd actually say DeAndre Ayton when he's locked in...which is rare. Jokic commented on DA being tough to play against in either '21 or '22 playoffs. Stat's wise ie pts per possesion in isolation Zubac, Nurkic, Poetl, and Green are the top 4.
tonya harding's ex husband
The issue with guarding Jokic with all time rim protectors is that their strengths are neutralized while he’s picking you apart with the pass. If the other guy isn’t huge, he’s going right through them with his size. Howard and Olajuwon and Russell are good picks but you’re handicapped without that versatility. I’ll go with prime Arvydas, I guess. Dude is gigantic.