After more than four months of a hiatus, the NBA returned with a bang. However, the Denver Nuggets stole the headlines when they arrived with the highest lineup in NBA history. Seven foot Nikola Jokic started out as a point guard, becoming the tallest person to do so. However, Hall of Fame members Tracy McGrady and Scottie Pippen had a disagreement over this tactic.
The couple made an appearance on ESPN’s The Jump, with McGrady starting the discussion. He liked the Nuggets’ tactic of playing him as the point guard. “Seven foot tall Nikola Jokic, who is a very skillful great man in our league who can pass, (is) a great facilitator, has a great feeling for the game, good luck matching his point guard against that guy” .
Jokic is known for his passing abilities. After Wilt Chamberlain, he is second in centers with the most assists per game in a season. Chamberlain had 8.6 assists per game in 1967-68 and Jokic had 7.3 assists per game last season.
Scottie Pippen says this Nuggets lineup won’t last
“Come on TMac you have to be kidding me” Pippen said, rejecting McGrady’s comments. “This really is nothing. Jokic has been playing the base position almost his entire career for the Nuggets. We’ve seen this guy on top of the floor, he’s very comfortable. “
Later, Pippen spoke about the players missing the Nuggets, which has forced them to continue with this lineup. “They are playing with the cards they have been dealt with. This is a small ball game, don’t expect it to last. ”
Pippen’s statements are true, as in the modern game, spacing is one of the key skills when looking for big men. The era of traditional big men is slowing down, and having a three-ball in the arsenal has become a necessity. Players have started to remodel their game to stay relevant and Brook Lopez is the best example.
In his first seasons in the NBA, López averaged 0.1 attempts from three points. In the four years after that, he’s now averaging 5.2 attempts while shooting 34%, earning himself the nickname Splash Mountain.
While López changed his game, many others have not yet. So the teams, the Houston Rockets being the best example, have decided to go small while trying to build a team that relies heavily on outside shooting. So now big men have to develop this skill. There will always be teams looking for a traditional center, but who could become a minority. Therefore, in the coming years, it will be “Learn to shoot or get the boot!”
Source: statmuse.com, YouTube, Basketball Reference
