Was there a game last night? I forget. Either way, good news: Denver’s best players for its future contenders are still young and fascinating to watch. Every year Zach Lowe at ESPN makes his list of Marc Gasol All-Stars: players who might not be All-Stars at the moment but still make his list of favorites.
This year he has two Denver players on the list: Nikola Jokic (listed as captain) and Gary Harris. Both Nuggets have really solidified their status as quality players this year and should be Nuggets for years to come, working their two-man game to perfection. It might take Harris a few more years to break through as an All-Star, but Jokic is well on his way (assuming he can get his body right in the offseason and pick up his defensive habits a bit). From the article:
Corral him early, and Jokic will set up shop at the elbow, cutters whirring around him. That moment holds the magic of infinite possibility. Jokic raises the ball over his head, and squeezes it through a backdoor passing lane so narrow, you barely even see it on slow-motion replay. If Jokic's man reaches high for the ball, Jokic will dip his arm like a sidearm reliever, and almost bowl a bounce pass.
Press him hard, and Jokic might even turn his back to the rim, clear some space with his cevapi-fed ass, and toss a blind over-the-head fastball…
I can only hope that Denver adds some more players to this list in coming years once Jokic is no longer eligible. Harris and Jokic are parts of the future that are still here now. At least we can enjoy that at the moment.
