Budweiser Nugget of the Month

Eric Spyropoulos

Nikola Jokić has increased his level of production in each passing month of the 2019-20 season. Following a slow start (by his standards) in the fall, the Serbian big man has played at an MVP level over the first two months of 2020, most recently putting together one of the most impressive months by any player in the league in February.

Denver’s two-time All-Star averaged 25.5 points, 10 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game across 10 February games. Even more impressive is Jokić’s efficiency in those games, as he shot 64.2 percent from the field, 34.8 percent from beyond the arc and 87.8 percent from the charity stripe.

As a result, his 70.6 true shooting percentage marks the highest he has posted in a month during the season and is a significant improvement on his already-elite 61.1 true shooting percentage over the course of the entire season.

Jokić’s play was a leading force in Denver’s 6-4 February, which included an improbable win over the Utah Jazz on the second night of a back-to-back on the road with only seven players in the rotation. In that 98-95 victory, Jokić dropped 31 points, grabbed 21 rebounds and dished out 10 assists in 40 minutes of play, which included a key go-ahead “Sombor Shuffle” fadeaway with under a minute remaining.

"Yeah, he’s a First Team All-NBA center for a reason,” Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said following one of Jokić’s dominant performances. “He wins games, he hits game-winning shots, and he makes the right play."

Although it was in a tough overtime loss in Detroit, Jokić also had a 39-point triple-double against the Pistons, which ranks near the top of the list of the Serbian’s most dominant performances this season.

If his performance in Denver’s first game in March is any indication (23 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists in a convincing win over the Toronto Raptors), it looks like Jokić will only continue to dominate over the remaining 20+ games of the 2019-20 regular season.

Check out some of Jokić's best plays from the month:

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February 2020 Budweiser Nugget of the Month: Nikola Jokić

January has been a tough month for the Denver Nuggets, who have had to navigate several injuries to key rotation players. Gary Harris, Jamal Murray, Paul Millsap and Mason Plumlee have all missed significant time this month due to injury. And yet, the Nuggets have gone 9-5 as a result of timely contributions from the second unit and MVP-caliber play from Nikola Jokić.

Without further ado, let’s dive into the nominees for January’s Nugget of the Month:

As usual, the Serbian big man continued to lead the way for Denver in January, increasing his contributions when the team needed him most. In 33.8 minutes per game this month, Jokić averaged 23.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game on 52 percent shooting from the field, including 36.4 percent from downtown.

Denver’s All-Star big man has been more aggressive in hunting his shot, whether that is from the post or on jump shots from the perimeter. With the Nuggets down two starters and their backup center for a good portion of the month, the team has relied more on Jokić and he has certainly delivered.

With Millsap out for the majority of January, Grant has been thrown into a larger role in the starting lineup.  The 25-year-old forward has played nearly 30 minutes per game this month and has averaged 13.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. Grant’s versatility has unlocked more small-ball lineups with him at center, while his shooting has ticked up in this recent stretch.

Grant has shot nearly 39 percent from beyond the arc in January on over three attempts per game, while he has continued to showcase his athleticism with highlight-worthy dunks and blocks.

There has been one constant throughout the Nuggets’ season so far, and it has been the play of Barton III. Denver’s veteran forward has been tasked with shouldering a bigger load on the offensive end with all of the injuries and he hasn’t disappointed.

Barton III has played 34 minutes per game in January and has posted averages of 15 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. Additionally, Barton III has contributed 1.2 steals per game and has shot nearly 35 percent on 5.5 3-point attempts per game, his highest number of attempts per game in any month this year.

As mentioned earlier, Denver’s second-unit has been key to surviving this stretch of injuries, and no player has produced more eye-popping plays and numbers than Porter Jr. Receiving consistent playing time for the first time this season, Porter Jr. has showcased his scoring and rebounding abilities in January with averages of 12.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.

With some of Denver’s best shooters out with injuries, Porter Jr.’s 48.8 percent 3-point shooting this month has been a welcome sign for the Nuggets’ offense. The 21-year-old forward is a double-double threat every time he steps on to the floor for meaningful playing time, which has been exactly what Denver has needed this month.

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Budweiser Nugget of the Month: January 2020 nominees

After a relatively slow start to the 2019-20 season, Nikola Jokić bounced back in a major way throughout the month of December, leading the Nuggets to a 10-6 record in the month.

Although Denver was winning games over the first month or so of the season, Jokić was still playing his way into form. Once the calendar flipped to December, the Nuggets’ Serbian All-Star took off, as he averaged 20.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game in 16 games this month.

Jokić was coming off a 2018-19 season in which he made his first All-Star appearance and was named to the All-NBA First Team, a prestigious honor. After playing in the FIBA World Cup over the summer, Jokić has gradually found a rhythm over the course of the 2019-20 campaign.

After some losses early in the month, Jokić’s teammates emphasized how good the team can be when he is at his best, highlighting the dominant impact he can have on every single game.

“Listen, man, we gotta play through him,” teammate Will Barton III said after the Nuggets fell to the Lakers on Dec. 4. “Every year that’s going to work best for us. We’re a good team when he’s not scoring, but we’re a great team when he’s being dominant down there. We have championship potential when he’s cooking.”

A key area of growth for the Serbian big man in December was his 3-point shooting. Going from 23.6 percent in November to 39.3 percent in December from beyond the arc made Jokić a more diverse scorer and also provided more floor-spacing for his teammates to attack the basket. Overall, Jokić’s efficiency from all areas of the court made big leaps in December, as he finished with a 62.9 true shooting percentage, a significant increase over the 51.0 percent he posted in November.

The impressive numbers and impact only continued as the month went along and the Nuggets hope that this level of play is exactly what they will be able to count on through the remainder of the season as the team looks to improve on the 54 wins it secured in 2018-19.

For the first time in this 2019-20 season, Jokić is your Nugget of the month. If his recent play is any indication, it certainly won’t be the last time.

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December Budweiser Nugget of the Month: Nikola Jokić

The Denver Nuggets have jumped out to an impressive 13-4 start this season, fueled by a 10-2 record in the month of November. The team has used a top-ranked defense to fuel their success, while it has been a balanced attack on the offensive end. Here are the nominees for Budweiser Nugget of the Month for November.

Jokić continues to be the driving force of Denver’s offense. With averages of 15.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game, the Serbian big man has been a difficult matchup for most opponents this season.

Jokić leads the team in the majority of offensive advanced metrics and Denver’s offense has been 7.9 points per 100 possessions better with their All-star big man on the floor this season. Despite some struggles from beyond the arc, Jokić’s ability to score from all areas of the floor combined with his elite playmaking abilities continue to cause nightmares for opposing defenses.

The talk coming into the 2019-20 season was that Millsap was going to play a little less during the regular season as Jerami Grant joined the frontcourt. And while that has been true (Millsap is averaging 26.1 minutes per game), one could make the case that the four-time All-Star has been Denver’s most productive player this season.

Millsap leads the team 3-point percentage (48.8 percent) and in the majority of advanced metrics, including true shooting percentage, Win Shares and Win Shares per 48 minutes. Furthermore, Millsap’s +23.6 net rating is tops on the team through the first 17 games of the season. Despite a slight reduction in playing time, Millsap has been even more productive this season.

Denver’s leading scorer has come up clutch throughout the early stages of the 2019-20 season. In his fourth season, Murray is averaging career highs in scoring (18.5 points per game), steals (1.6 per game), rebounds (4.6 per game) and assists (4.9 per game). The 22-year-old’s +17.7 net rating ranks third on the team, while he has also played the most minutes of anyone on the Nuggets this season.

Murray’s 37 points in clutch situations (defined as the score being within five points with less than five minutes remaining) rank seventh in the league and has helped Denver get off to an 8-3 start in such situations.

After an injury-riddled 2018-19 season, Barton III has impressed out of the gates this year. Denver’s veteran forward is contributing across the board and on both ends of the floor with averages of 15.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.

Barton III has also connected on 42.6 percent of his 3-point attempts and owns the second-best net rating (+21.8) on the team. Denver’s defense is 13.1 points per 100 possessions better when Barton III has been on the floor this season. A healthy Barton III makes Denver a more dynamic team on both ends of the floor, which is exactly what has played out to begin the 2019-20 season.

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Budweiser Nugget of the Month: November Nominees

Nikola Jokić continued his strong, All-Star caliber play for the Denver Nuggets in March. The 24-year-old posted 19.1 points, 11.4 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game while leading Denver to a 9-6 record. Jokić shot 54.9 percent from the field in the month, which marks the highest field goal percentage he has recorded in a single month this season.

Jokić continues to lead the team in points, rebounds, assists and steals per game. Jokić also posted just 2.3 turnovers per game during the past month, his lowest turnover rate in a month this season. Jokić was active on the boards in March, as he grabbed at least 13 rebounds in a game on seven different occasions.

As a result, it’s not a surprise that Jokić once again received Budweiser Nugget Of The Month honors, besting Jamal Murray, Paul Millsap and Will Barton.

The All-Star big man had several memorable moments throughout March, highlighted by his game-winning shot to defeat the Dallas Mavericks, a win that propelled the Nuggets to a six-game winning. Jokić thrived during the clutch in March, as he shot 80 percent from the field and the led Denver in plus-minus at +14 during clutch minutes.

“Something good happens when he (Jokić) touches it,” Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said. “He's going to score, he's going to find the open man, he's going to draw a foul or a double team, and good things will happen."

Jokić was key in Denver’s playoff-clinching victory over the Boston Celtics on Mar. 18th, as he scored 21 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and dished out seven assists in 36 minutes of action.

The Serbian big man continues to be a model of consistency for the Nuggets. Jokić has averaged at least 19 points, 10 rebounds and six assists per game in each of the past four months, a key reason the Nuggets have continued to be in the running for the top seed in the Western Conference.

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March Budweiser Nugget of the Month Winner: Nikola Jokić

Jokić continues to lead the team in points, rebounds, assists and steals per game. The All-Star big man had several memorable moments throughout March, highlighted by his game-winning shot to defeat the Dallas Mavericks, a win that propelled the Nuggets to a six-game winning streak.

March was a strong month for Paul Millsap, who provided consistent contributions on both ends of the floor. For the month, Millsap averaged 13.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 39 percent from three.

Millsap scored a season-high 33 points against the Mavericks and then followed that performance up by hitting a tough layup with just seconds remaining to give Denver a strong win over the Indiana Pacers.

Jamal Murray ended March on a hot streak, scoring 23 points per game on 55.7 percent shooting over the final four games of the month. Overall, Murray scored 18.3 points per game during March as he provided several key performances to propel Denver to victory.

During a grind-it-out game against the Detroit Pistons, Murray scored 33 points, including two clutch baskets in the final minute that sealed the win for the Nuggets. Murray followed up that performance with one of his most complete performances of the season, scoring 27 points while dishing out nine assists, all while not committing a single turnover. His strong performance led Denver to a season-sweep of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Will Barton provided some timely scoring for the Nuggets in March. Barton finished the month with a scoring average of 11.7 points per game, which undersells the impact he had in some of Denver’s most significant victories.

In the playoff-clinching win over the Boston Celtics, Barton scored 20 points on 9-of-17 shooting from the field. That games was part of a strong scoring streak from Barton, as he scored in double-figures for seven-consecutive contests.

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Budweiser Nugget of the Month: March Nominees

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More than any other four-week stretch of his career, the 7-foot Serbian solidified his position as one of the NBA’s elite players. On Feb. 17th, he played in his first all-star game, competing in the skills challenge for the second time before suiting up as a reserve for Team Giannis.

Throughout the month, the fourth-year pro justified his selection by putting up video game numbers.

In February, Jokić averaged 22.5 points, 12.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists, all team-highs, to help his team to a 7-5 record while moving into second-place in the rough and tumble Western Conference. Jokić  also shot 47.6 percent from the field, including 34.4 percent from 3-point range. He recorded a three triple-doubles, upping his season total to 12 to rank second behind only Oklahoma City point guard Russell Westbrook in that category.

With 10 assists in a 36-point performance in a 121-112 victory against the Thunder, Jokić joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only other player, 7-foot or taller, in NBA history to have 20 games with 10 or more assists in single season. He’s tied with rookie Trae Young for sixth in the NBA in assists and he’s fourth behind only Anthony Davis, James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo in player efficiency rating showing his true impact.

Along with the accolades and acclaim that comes with winning, Jokić is also earning the respect of some of the all-time greats.

Here is what Hall-of-Famer Shaquille O’Neal had to say about him, during a recent TNT broadcast:

“I think I’m going to have to elevate his status to ‘great’ big man,” Shaq said. “Not because he has great lift or is a great scorer, but I didn’t become a great big man until I had patience. I love this guy; he doesn’t go really fast. He has patience. He’s going to run his play and he’s very very patient.

“The true definition of a great player is those that get others involved and those that make others play better … I have to elevate him to a great big man in today’s standards.”

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Center Nikola Jokić Named February Budweiser Nugget of the Month

The Denver Nuggets center Jokić averaged 25.1 points on 52. 5 percent shooting from the field, to go along with 11.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game. He also put up six triple-doubles, breaking a franchise record, previously held by legendary guard Fat Lever while leading his team a to 12-4 record to maintain the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.

To top it off, he earned his first all-star nod, being tapped as a reserve in the annual exhibition set for Feb. 17 in Charlotte, Thursday afternoon. So, there’s no surprise fans voted the 7-foot Serbian as the Budweiser Nugget of the Month for the second-straight time, besting starting point guard Jamal Murray and reserve shooting guard Malik Beasley for the honor.

“He made the right play time and time again, whether it’s scoring or finding or finding a teammate.” said Nuggets coach Michael Malone of Jokić after the team’s Jan. 26 win against the Philadelphia 76ers - a game in which the 7-foot Serbian recorded 32 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists. “He’s proven, once again, why he’s an All-NBA, All-Star type player, and thank goodness he’s wearing a Nuggets’ uniform.”

When he wasn’t dropping triple-doubles, Jokić was still putting up historic stat lines.

He tallied 39 points, 12 rebound and six assists in a 123-110 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Jan. 5. Placing him in the company of Michael Jordan as the only two players with those stats in 34 minutes or less. Eight days later, in a 116-113 win at home against the Portland Trailblazers, Jokić came up one point shy of his tying a career-high with 40 points, in addition to 10 rebound and eight assists. The performance made him just the fifth center, joining a group that includes David Robinson, Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon and DeMarcus Cousins, to compile those figures in a game since 1985.

Jokić also established himself as the team’s closer. Coming up with late buckets in victories against the Miami Heat, Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans, showcasing why he’s one of the best clutch performers in the NBA.

“He’s taking it upon himself to win the games. And he should.” Nuggets forward Paul Millsap said Wednesday. “He’s that good of a player.”

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January Budweiser Nugget of the Month Winner: Nikola Jokić

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