The Master of Time-Wasting
Nikola Jokic has been on a historical run in the past few years. With three MVP awards and a championship ring to his name, his on-court talent is undeniable. Jokic's skill set includes incredible passing, rebounding, touch around the basketball, shooting, and basketball IQ, making him one of the most versatile and dominant players in the league.
But one of Jokic's most impactful—and never talked about—strategies is his masterful ability to waste time. No, we're not talking about the time he spends with his horses back in Serbia. This time-wasting isn't just an incidental part of his on-court game; it's a calculated and intelligent approach to securing victories. When the Nuggets hold a fourth-quarter lead, Jokic shifts into a different mode, utilizing every trick in the book to keep the clock running.
This aspect of his play, often unnoticed in traditional metrics, might be one of the smartest and most valuable contributions he makes to his team's success. Let's talk about it.
“Nikola Jokic isn’t just the best player in the NBA. He’s also the biggest time-waster.”
Rather than quickly passing or retrieving the ball after a score, Jokic strategically lets it bounce around, fumbles with it, or even kicks it away. This seemingly clumsy behaviour is actually a shrewd exploitation of NBA rules that allow the clock to continue running until an opposing player retrieves the ball for an inbound pass. By delaying these actions, Jokic effectively bleeds valuable seconds off the game clock, making it harder for opponents to mount a comeback.
In a pivotal Game 4 against the Timberwolves, where the Nuggets needed a win, Jokic's time-wasting tactics alone consumed over 7% (51 seconds) of the fourth quarter, aiding Denver in securing a vital victory. This approach, often termed "bleeding the clock," has become a strategic tool for many NBA teams, but Jokic has elevated it to an art form.
Here’s a clip from game 5 of the Wolves-Nuggets series:
In a hilarious moment, after Karl-Anthony Towns scored, Jokic let the ball bounce off his foot and roll into the crowd, taking a leisurely 6 seconds to fetch it back. As he casually strolled to inbound, he eyed the ref counting down, clearly milking every second of the allowed 5. With this comedic timing, Jokic managed to casually burn a solid 10 seconds off the clock, much to the frustration of his opponents.
Jokic passing to a sprinting teammate 60ft away: I got you brother! 😡
Jokic letting the ball roll into the stands: I’ll get it! 😃
Jokic passing to the ref standing 15ft away: Whoops, my bad! 😇
Jokic moving slower than a snail to retrieve the ball: Don’t worry about it! 😉
It's true, Nikola Jokic's approach to exploiting game rules is more about bending them to his advantage than outright cheating. He's mastered the art of stretching those precious seconds in critical moments, which is both smart and strategic. In sports, as we've seen in the NFL's response to similar tactics, rule adjustments often follow when such strategies become prevalent. Perhaps a tweak like automatically stopping the clock after a set time post-basket could level the playing field. Until then, Jokic will keep pushing the boundaries, using every tool at his disposal to secure those crucial wins for his team.
