Nikola Jokic will get his. He at all times will get his.
The three-time MVP is as near inevitable as we have now in right now’s NBA. Nevertheless, the Los Angeles Clippers are uniquely positioned to not solely gradual Jokic but in addition virtually fully stall the Denver Nuggets of their playoff matchup. Ranked fifth in defensive effectivity per Basketball Reference, the Clippers have a bevy of high-level defenders.
Schematically, they guard the preeminent NBA offensive set, the excessive pick-and-roll, otherwise than most groups. Nearly all of defenses desire to ice a display.
As an alternative, head coach Tyronn Lue normally has his group his group ship the ball handler center, into what this author calls a stack/drop alignment, the place each the screeners man and the weakside wing defender stack on the nail, forcing the ball handler to assault two defenders, which normally permits the screened defender to get well both over the display or following the screeners dive motion. The wing defender is usually hedging, prepared to assist on the drive, however enjoying splitline protection to assist forestall an open wing three.
The intention of that is to create a collection of poor choices for the motive force. He can assault the large with an additional physique shading in the direction of him; he can kick to the weakside wing (the place groups normally station their weaker shooters) or he can pull up for a mid-range jumper/floater, the precise shot that many groups look to keep away from.
No protection within the trendy, offensively elite NBA can take all the pieces away; protection stays a enjoyable sport of ‘choose your poison.’ The Clippers desire to play the mathematics, taking away pictures on the hoop and pulling up threes, in addition to fast kick-outs to elite shooters.
Like every protection, this methodology has its weaknesses. Gamers with elite pull-up video games (assume Tyler Herro) or floaters (Ty Jerome, for instance) can benefit from the precise shot the Clippers are ceding. They’re susceptible to groups who can play 5 reliable shooters, giving them high-level shooters on each wings, in addition to creating pick-and-pop alignment that eliminates the recovering defender.
This protection is, although, very best for enjoying the Nuggets.
With less-than-deadeye shooters in Aaron Gordon, Russell Westbrook, Peyton Watson and Julian Strawther all part of their anticipated playoff rotation, and the Michael Porter/Jamal Murray mixture notoriously inconsistent, LA will be capable to drop, stack and hedge to their coronary heart’s content material on most events.
If the Clippers do resolve to interact the oft-used ‘let Jokic get his’ protection, they will lean on doubtless All-NBA protection first group member Ivica Zubac to at the very least make the Joker battle for his buckets.
With intelligent and elastic defenders in Kris Dunn, Kawhi Leonard, Derrick Jones and Ben Simmons on board, the Clippers can conceal their lesser defenders (James Harden and Bogdan Bogdanovic) on the Nuggets’ least threatening shooters, who’re normally stationed within the nook.
This creates a gap for Denver, although. One in all their least threatening shooters — Gordon and Westbrook — will doubtless be marked by Harden. Each (Gordon particularly) are glorious cutters who thrive as targets for Jokic. Harden’s virtually legendarily inattentive off-ball protection ought to be a sore level for Denver to press upon.
Denver has the Level Jokic lever, in the event that they select to make use of it. Operating Jokic because the ball provider in a pick-and-roll requires Zubac to play at display stage, compromising LA’s most popular stack-and-drop alignment. Would that drive the Clippers to play a smaller, switch-everything lineup? Does that enable Jokic to dominate his man?
In the end, the Clippers’ protection appears tailored to tackle these Nuggets. However, the Joker, as at all times, can by no means be counted out.
Sport 1 is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.
