Nikola Jokic might be the hardest problem to solve in the NBA today.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham admitted as much ahead of Game 2 of their first-round series against the Denver Nuggets, saying that he's as confounded as anyone when it comes to shutting down the two-time MVP.
“It’s like [expletive], I don’t know what to do," Ham said on Monday. "You just gotta go out there and try to be as disciplined as possible, aggressive and consistent. And have a next-play mentality, man. Can't get disappointed, can't get discouraged.
"Kid is a generational-type player. Just gotta keep swinging, keep bobbing and weaving and swinging."
Jokic and Denver's dominance over the Lakers is well-documented. After the big man helped the Nuggets sweep L.A. in the playoffs last season, they followed it up with a 3-0 season sweep.
In the three regular-season games against the Lakers this year, Jokic averaged 29.3 points, 12.0 rebounds and 9.0 assists while shooting 55.2 per cent from the field and 37.5 per cent from 3-point land.
Then, in Game 1 on Saturday, the superstar big man dropped 32 points with 12 rebounds and seven assists.
"He's become extremely efficient. When he's manning their offence, he knows how to kill you in a variety of ways," Ham said. "Just gotta put constant pressure on him, and that doesn't seem to bother him either. Taller than everybody, wingspan, skillset."
