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“He’s Like Larry Bird in a 7 Foot Frame”: Michael Jordan’s Teammate Gives Rising NBA Star a Huge Compliment
Nikola Jokic is again at the forefront of the MVP race in the 2021-22 NBA season. He has led the Denver Nuggets to the playoffs without the presence of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr nearly all season long. His play is considered one of the best in the league and fans have been very impressed by his performances with the Nuggets.
Former player and Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has now compared the Serbian to NBA legend Larry Bird. Kerr has given very high praise as Bird is one of the best ever to play the game. He said to the press, “He’s like (Larry) Bird in a 7-foot frame”.
Steve Kerr on Nikola Jokic:
“He’s like (Larry) Bird in a 7-foot frame.”
(via @957thegame) pic.twitter.com/mgvD0yOug8
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 14, 2022
This praise is extra special because one of Kerr’s favorite players is Larry Bird. He once recounted an incident where he was greeted by Bird on the court. Kerr mentions that he was amazed that the legend knew his name.
Nikola Jokic and Bird: How do they match?
Larry Bird was an excellent passer. He had a knack for anticipating the moves of the team, which made him a great defender. Similarly, Nikola Jokic has also shown great on-court IQ. His passing as a big man is unparalleled in the history of the NBA.
Jokic is very similar to Bird in his pace on the court as well. Bird and Jokic never use their pace, but use their intelligence to break down the defenses of the opponents.
Both also have almost similar three-point percentages. Bird’s is 0.376, while Jokic has a percentage of 0.388. It’s even more amazing that while Bird was a forward, Jokic plays the no. 5 spot on the team.
Jokic is a one-of-a-kind player in terms of what a big man center can offer. His passing out of the post surpasses even that of greats like Shaquille O’Neal. Jokic’s passing with floor spacing and the floaters he scores in the paint make him all the more unique.
Nikola Jokic and the MVP Race
Due to his exceptional performances, Jokic has already won the MVP award once in 2021, when he led the Nuggets to the conference semifinals.
He had 26.4 PPG, 8.3 APG, and 10.8 RPG. This season, too, he has 27.1 PPG, 13.8 RPG, and 7.9 APG. He has a Performance Index Rating of 32.94, which is the highest in the NBA. This has led to him becoming the favorite in the NBA MVP race.
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Will Jokic win the NBA MVP? Is he just unique in the history of the NBA? Discussions on this are welcome.
The post “He’s Like Larry Bird in a 7 Foot Frame”: Michael Jordan’s Teammate Gives Rising NBA Star a Huge Compliment appeared first on EssentiallySports.
