Nuggets ‘biggest fear’ concerning Nikola Jokic highlights Cavs’ greatest strength — Jimmy Watkins

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic can’t catch his breath. Or should I say, he can’t afford to. The three-time MVP spends a career-high 37.6 minutes per game laboring as Denver’s Superman this season. And most days, he can manage the workload.

After all, Jokic entered Thursday ranked top five in points, rebounds and assists per game. He was shooting a career-best 52.2% from 3-point range. And the Nuggets outscored opponents by 20 points per 100 possessions with Jokic on the floor.

But during the Cavs’ 126-114 win over Denver on Thursday night, the big man’s battery ran low, and his robotic efficiency suffered. The soft-touched Serbian logged a triple-double with 27 points (on 26 shots), 20 rebounds and 11 assists, but he missed five layups and shot 5-12 during the second half (fatigue, anyone?). He logged a -9 in 37 more heavy-lifting minutes. And he did all of this after Nuggets coach Michael Malone expressed concern about his best player’s workload during his pre-game press conference.

“… We’ve got to make sure that we’re all doing our jobs to the best of our ability, so we don’t run Nikola into the ground. Because that’s the biggest fear,” Malone said. “Everything we ask them to do — facilitate, score, rebound, be the anchor of our defense — there’s a lot on his shoulders. He never complains, but hopefully, we can find ways to not run him into the ground.”

Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson’s can’t relate. Because while Jokic once again worked overtime Thursday, Cleveland stars Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarret Allen all logged 33 or fewer minutes. While Denver’s MVP plays 37 minutes every night, none of Cleveland’s core pieces average more than 31.7 per game (Mitchell). And while Malone expressed his biggest fear before Thursday’s tip, Atkinson once again flexed his team’s greatest strength.

The Cavs bench outscored Denver’s 43-16 during Thursday’s win, which has become commonplace during Atkinson’s tenure. Cleveland entered this Nuggets game ranked seventh bench points per game thanks to a coach that empowers every player — Ten Cavs played at least 10 minutes vs. Denver — and a group of reserves with talent to match.

Start with longtime sixth man Caris LeVert, who at age 30 has realized how much more he can accomplish by choosing better (if fewer) moments to display his talents. The slashing two-guard hasn’t attempted fewer shots (eight per game this season) or points per game (11.5 this season) since his rookie season. Yet he’s never shot better from 3-point range (44.1%) or the field (58%). After scoring 21 points on 11 shots Thursday, LeVert has already logged more 20-point, 1.9-point-per-shot performances this season (two) than last (one).

Can’t forget backup point guard Ty Jerome, Cleveland’s September MVP turned November bench heartbeat, either. Jerome only logged four points in 12 minutes Thursday while battling an illness. But through 21 games with the Cavs, Jerome has already set new career-highs for points (three times), 3-pointers and assists in a game this season. He boasts a better effective field goal percentage (67%) than the last three league MVPS (Jokic, Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo). And the Cavs are only paying him $2.5 million this season.