Morant's new weapon and Jokic's moment of genius: the night of the stars
The Memphis star displays an improved shooting that "makes him unstoppable," the Denver phenom once again winning games with his wits: "While everyone else is playing checkers, he's playing chess."
Summary of the night
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10/22/2022
Saturday, October 22, 2022, 10:30
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Ja Morant is making a leap from year to year - literally, but judging by the start of the season, he might already be marked as an early MVP candidate.
Morant's extraordinary athletic ability is undisputed, but this past summer he seemed to add the final weapon the Arsenal lacked to be unstoppable: solid shooting from beyond the arc.
Morant scored 8 three-pointers in the first two games of the season, after averaging one and a half three-pointers per game last season.
Tonight he shot five times from beyond the arc, en route to 49 points that gave Memphis a 122:129 victory over Houston.
"I don't think there's anyone who can stop him as long as his shooting is such a threat," Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said, and Rockets coach Steven Silas agreed: "The fact that he's improved his shooting so much makes all the difference. If you have to respect his shooting From the outside, it might be impossible to stop him. His penetration is so good, the speed, the athleticism, the finishing in the paint. If he keeps it up, it's going to be scary."
It's already scary.
Jah (Photo: Reuters)
Morant was just 4 points short of breaking the career high, but he can already boast that he dominates the team scoring charts.
In fact, Morant posted the five best shooting performances in Memphis history, with a game of 46 points, two games of 47, one of 49 tonight, and another of 52. With the improved shooting, those numbers will be restored very quickly.
"I just worked hard this summer," says Morant about the improved percentages.
"I locked myself in the hall, and I threw as much as I could. I have to continue with it and not stop working hard, even if my shots are going in now."
Caught Golden State off guard.
Jokic (Photo: Reuters)
And while other players win with athleticism, bursting power and shooting, Nikola Jokic continues to win with brains.
Tonight he made sure to secure Denver's 123:128 victory over Golden State in San Francisco, with an assist that it is doubtful if another player would have dared to give, or even thought of giving.
It happened with 14 seconds left, after Bones Highland fumbled and allowed Jordan Paul to score to cut the Nuggets' lead to just one point.
Jokic took the ball, and even before the Warriors players could regroup on defense, he sent a long pass from the outside line to Bruce Brown, who scored a layup and took the wind out of the sails of Steph Curry and his friends.
"After eight years of working with him, nothing surprises me anymore," Denver coach Michael Malone said of Jokic's performance, who finished with a triple-double of 26 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, and was directly responsible for 50 of the Nuggets' points. .
"I've been through so many big games with him, so many moments in which he made amazing moves, correct moves that change the game...his basketball IQ is in the sky. While everyone else is playing checkers, he's playing chess."
Jokic reached 77 triple doubles in his career, just one less than the center who holds the triple double record of all time, the legendary Wilt Chamberlain.
Now Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell Pop who excelled thanks to him tonight also benefit from his unique delivery ability.
"If you asked them about Jokic before they joined the team, they would tell you that they appreciate him. But when you play with him, you understand the difference, you understand how much he makes life easy for others," says Malone.
"When he's on the field, you have to be ready to pass at any given moment, in any situation."
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NBA
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Nikola Jokic
J. Morant
