February 12th Update
Nikola Jokic continues to dazzle, and his Monday masterpiece against the Trail Blazers was no exception: 40 points on 15-of-22 shooting, plus eight assists, three steals, and a perfect 8-of-8 at the line. That outing lifted the Nuggets to their seventh straight win and kept them firmly in the Western Conference’s upper tier. Jokic’s season line of 29.8 points, 12.5 boards, and 10.3 assists speaks for itself, but it was revealing to see him post “only” seven rebounds last time out—well below his typical production.
However, his playmaking seldom takes a back seat. Look for him to bounce back in that department, and that leads to our first pick: Over 9.5 assists. With Portland’s defense stretched thin, another double-digit dime effort seems likely. Secondly, after erupting for 40 points, he’s an excellent bet to top 28.5 points again. Jokic’s commanding presence should propel him to another big scoring night in Denver.
