Nikola Jokic has ‘bypassed’ Tim Duncan as ‘Mr. Fundamental,’ claims ex-Nuggets coach

It’s a testament to how great Nikola Jokic is that what George Karl said doesn’t sound blasphemous at all. The Nuggets star has every trick in the book and every counterstrategy to every coverage, and it all boils down to a deep understanding of the game that only a few players in NBA history, such as Tim Duncan, had.

Nikola Jokic and Tim Duncan — superstars who do everything to win

It may not seem obvious at first glance, but Nikola Jokic and Tim Duncan share a lot of similarities. Both are big men who allows their teams to build their offense around the post and around pick-and-rolls. The Nuggets star is the more versatile scorer, since his range extends beyond the three-point line. He is also, hands-down, the best big-man passer the world has ever seen. But Duncan is the far superior defender, as he was worthy of winning the Defensive Player of the Year in his heyday.

Nonetheless, the main similarity Jokic and Duncan share, according to George Karl, is the fact that the two don’t hog the spotlight. They are stone-cold killers who do what is necessary to win, but they carry themselves as if they’re just another member of their team.

“What I love about him is that he makes people better and he cares about how other people play; he goes out of his way to make other guys feel a part of the team. He has tremendous humility, he’s a low maintenance teammate,” Karl said of Jokic.

Tim Duncan was never the most marketable star in the NBA, but at his prime, he was in the running for the distinction of best player in the association. Nikola Jokic is very similar in that regard; his apparent nonchalance towards basketball grabbed headlines following the 2023 NBA Finals, and it seemed as if he would much rather tend to his horses in his farm back in Serbia than play basketball for a living.

But, like Duncan, Jokic appears to be on track to win multiple rings. The Nuggets, however, won’t find their repeat bid to be a cakewalk. The Minnesota Timberwolves stand in their way in what’s shaping up to be the best matchup of the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs.

Nuggets vs. Timberwolves, a heavyweight clash

The Nuggets were on record saying that the Timberwolves posed the biggest threat to them during their run to the championship in 2023. That was lofty praise, as the Phoenix Suns had some moments against the Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers kept the Western Conference Finals very competitive.

Now, the Timberwolves are looking forward to avenging their playoff exit last year. This time, they’ll be having the services of Jaden McDaniels, who ended up missing the playoffs due to the broken hand he sustained out of frustration, and this would make the Timberwolves’ defense an even tougher nut to crack.

The Timberwolves may be the team best suited to deal with Nikola Jokic; Rudy Gobert is as stout of a defender as it can get at the center spot, while their defensive rotations are so in sync that they could conceivably send two at the Nuggets star and still contest the shot Jokic creates.

But until further notice, Nikola Jokic is the most unstoppable player in the league. His outstanding basketball IQ allows him to be one step ahead of his opponents at all times, and the threat of his passing only accentuates his scoring acumen.

“I’ve always been amazed by his ability to pass the basketball. I’ve told people 5 years ago that he was a top 5 passer in the NBA. He has the feel for the game like a point guard; he loves to pass the ball more than to shoot the ball and he makes other guys better, and I laugh all the time when he makes a very difficult game look easy,” Karl added.

The Nuggets are in for a fight, but Nikola Jokic’s presence gives them the upper hand.