Nikola Jokić paced himself in Game 1 and won. That should scare the entire NBA playoffs field

Atlantic76ersCelticsKnicksNetsRaptorsCentralBucksBullsCavaliersPacersPistonsSoutheastHawksHeatHornetsMagicWizardsSouthwestGrizzliesMavericksPelicansRocketsSpursNorthwestJazzNuggetsThunderTimberwolvesTrail BlazersPacificClippersKingsLakersSunsWarriorsScores & ScheduleStandingsThe Bounce NewsletterNBA DraftPodcastsFantasyNBA OddsNBA PicksFirst-Round PredictionsHollinger's Playoff PreviewThe Bucks' Season From HellPlayer Poll: Who Will Win Title?NBA Postseason Nikola Jokić still notched a triple-double but didn't need to impose his will like we've so often seen. Garrett Ellwood / NBAE via Getty Images Share articleDENVER — On one possession late, as the Denver Nuggets fastened shut their Game 1 win over Minnesota on Saturday, Nikola Jokić received the ball in the post with only Anthony Edwards behind him. That’s a guaranteed bucket. Two dribbles from Jokić and Edwards would’ve been under the basket like a picnic blanket. But Jokić chose mercy and spared the Timberwolves’ star. Denver’s three-time MVP saw the mismatch, surveying the court over his right shoulder as he does. But instead of attacking Edwards, Jokić swung a pass to Nuggets forward Cam Johnson — Johnson slashed to the rim for a score. The possession symbolized Joker’s night. He levied his impact with presence more than imposition. He remained patient. He picked his spots, applying pressure when needed — such as a 3-point play once the Timberwolves cut the host’s lead to two points with just over six minutes remaining. But, in the end, the depth of Denver claimed one of the 16 wins on the Nuggets’ wish list. Jamaal Murray’s free throws and some sturdy perimeter defense proved enough to take Game 1 from Minnesota, 116-105, in their first-round Western Conference series. Jokić chipped in, of course: 25 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. That such numbers qualify as a decent game illustrates his brilliance. No, this wasn’t that kind of performance, even with the triple-double. Jokić spent more energy chirping at the refs than he did dominating. He struggled in the first half before progressing to the mean. But this was far from his best. And it was fine. Enough to win Game 1 without Jokić switching to desperation mode already. A confidence earned from the Nuggets cultivating their depth during an injury-plagued season. To be sure, Denver’s 13th straight win fell well short of their “A” game as a collective. Murray’s 30 points included 7-for-22 shooting and missing all eight attempts from behind the arc. Aaron Gordon — who entered this postseason having made 39.2 percent of his last 500 3-pointers — went 1-for-5 from deep. Both are capable of explosions. Nuggets coach David Adelman went nine deep in Game 1, with seven players getting most of the minutes. But over the course of the odyssey that is the NBA playoffs, he could dust off Julian Strawther and Jalen Pickett at any point. And Peyton Watson, the fourth-year wing who had a career year as a fill-in starter and key reserve, will return from the hamstring injury that kept him out of Game 1. This shapes up to be a problem for the West and the reason any championship talk that doesn’t include Denver comes from a flawed algorithm. The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, Victor Wembanyama and San Antonio, the bullies in Detroit, the ever-explosive Boston Celtics — all credible championship contenders. But Jokić, with a complete squad, well-versed in the volatility of minutes and opportunity, should be terrifying. What makes him even more dangerous is this wrinkle: the wins Denver banks when he doesn’t have to torch the opponent with historic production. When the Nuggets can win and he is just, you know, there. Molding the game instead of owning it. Slicing the opponent instead of gouging. Conservation. The new postseason luxury for Jokić. He didn’t even turn up after Minnesota wing Jaden McDaniels shoved him in the back. Somewhere, Markieff Morris flinched a little. Credit for part of Jokić’s sub-surrealness in Game 1 goes to Minnesota center Rudy Gobert. He executed a near-perfect game plan in his 17-point, 10-rebound performance. Gobert played big inside, forcing Jokić to contend with the Frenchman’s length. Gobert navigated the Timberwolves’ pick-and-roll defense impressively, dropping enough to be in Murray’s vision but still nimbly staying connected to Jokić. For the most part, Gobert conceded the open 3 to Jokić, who made just two of his seven attempts. That’s the correct poison to choose. Gobert, flexing his athleticism, moved his feet and absorbed the blow to his chest when Jokić drove. In one first-quarter sequence, Jokić tried to drive on Gobert twice. Both times, Gobert knocked the ball away. So, the third time, Jokić turned to foul-baiting and turned it over. And Gobert complemented his defense with his viability on offense. He went 8-for-9 from the field, forcing only an ill-conceived midrange jumper. Gobert’s verticality kept Jokić engaged near the rim. “It’s all Rudy,” McDaniels said. “Rudy did a good job the whole game just guarding and taking the challenge. That’s what we need every time we play against Jokić, just Rudy coming to compete. That’s the best game we’ve had from Rudy this year. “He keep doing that,” McDaniels also said, “we’re going to win.” But they didn’t. That’s one winnable game they didn’t capture. Gobert played great, limiting Jokić to merely good, and Denver still won. Therein lies Minnesota’s problem. Because the otherworldly Jokić is still coming. Gobert knows this. He’s dealt with this mountain before. He knows the best strategy is to provoke Jokić to expend energy on both ends and hope it takes a toll. “It’s really a mental game,” Gobert said. “As a kid, I dreamed to be in this position, to be facing the best players in the world. … You just prepare as much as you can, and then once you’re on the battlefield, it’s just about being present. For me, it’s giving maximum effort and letting the game take care of itself.” Jokić’s greatest enemy is attrition. He is built for the longest of hauls. He’s proven that. But the less he’s required to go supernova, the more remains in his reserves. That matters, even for him. The last two postseasons, after winning the 2023 championship, Denver played in four series. Three of them went seven games. All three of them felt like soul-draining epics. Last year, after surviving the L.A. Clippers, the Nuggets got manhandled in Game 7 against Oklahoma City. A spent Jokić looked powerless to stop the Thunder. So the long play for Denver is winning his C-games. The time is perhaps coming when he has to muscle through on every possession. When the fourth quarter requires a rescue mission. A championship journey measures endurance as much as excellence. And the path before Denver has the makings of one of the most treacherous ever. Minnesota, thanks to its style of play and the heroics of Edwards, is one of the toughest postseason outs. Edwards’ lingering knee issues could make that less true this year. But no one would be surprised if this series extends out to seven games. Then, San Antonio could be waiting. Then the defending champs. Then whoever survives the East. Denver needs Jokić to have something stored away. They don’t want him running on fumes for the biggest games of the year. Game 1 against Minnesota was a step in that direction. So when the moment calls for domination, he can deliver it without compromise. The smart money is on Minnesota responding. These teams have authored some riveting showdowns. The Timberwolves have been on the business end of some monster Jokić performances. If Edwards finds a rhythm, he can reach a greatness that requires Jokić to put on his cape. Saturday, though, Jokić kept the cape tucked and spared Edwards in the post, because Denver’s depth made it so Minnesota wasn’t spared. If Jokić maintains the advantage of pacing himself, feels comfortable enough to pick and choose when to take down some Wilt Chamberlain feat, that’s a scary proposition for the rest of the league. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Marcus Thompson II is a lead columnist at The Athletic. He is a prominent voice in the Bay Area sports scene after 18 years with Bay Area News Group, including 10 seasons covering the Warriors and four as a columnist. Marcus is also the author of the best-selling biography "GOLDEN: The Miraculous Rise of Steph Curry." Follow Marcus on Twitter @thompsonscribe