The Unluckiest Superstar In The NBA Can’t Catch A Break
Being a superstar in the NBA comes with a lot of perks. But, there’s one superstar in the playoffs who is unluckier than everybody else.
One look at Joel Embiid, and you’ll understand the perks of a superstar. As Nick Nurse “bitches” about all the fouls Embiid accumulates, Embiid only laughs as he bullies the Raptors down low. Someone who isn’t as lucky is Embiid’s counterpart, Nikola Jokic.
Despite being en route to his second straight MVP award, Nikola Jokic isn’t treated like a superstar. More than that, after two blowout losses against the Warriors, it’s clear that the unbearable weight of the Nuggets is starting to do a number on him. And, who could blame him? It’s all a day in the life of the unluckiest superstar in the NBA.
Looking The Part
I know this is hard to believe, but looking and acting like a superstar is half the battle in the NBA. If we go back to Joel Embiid for a moment, you’ll see what I mean. Not only is Embiid physically imposing, he’s downright abusive against opposing defenses. He houses unreal athleticism and touch for his size. He also tends to talk a lot, not only to the officials but to the crowd.
One look at Joel Embiid, and you know he’s a superstar. One look at Nikola Jokic, and you wouldn’t see the same thing. Nikola Jokic is an unbelievable outlier in the NBA world. How can someone win MVP with his lack of athleticism? While I’d argue that makes what he’s doing infinitely more impressive, I think that is a big reason why Jokic is unlucky. He doesn’t get the same respect that his peers do. More importantly, he doesn’t get the same calls that they do.
If you inserted Joel Embiid into this series, he’d be getting more calls than Jokic. While Jokic yells at the refs after being manhandled by Draymond Green down low, Embiid doesn’t have to do nearly as much to get the same call. That’s not a shot at Embiid or anything, it’s just true.
There’s a reason Jokic got ejected last night. Not only was he not getting the calls he felt he deserved, he likely felt slighted by the idea that even as the MVP, he was getting looked over.
Batman &… Batman
My whole thought process with this article was watching Jokic play against the Warriors. While the Warriors’ new death lineup of Curry-Thompson-Poole-Green-Wiggins ran circles around Denver, Jokic looked helpless.
Not only was Jokic getting frustrating with the officials, I’m sure he was getting frustrated with his teammates. No offense to Monte Morris, but he can’t be your second best option against the dynastic Warriors. This wouldn’t be the case if Jokic had better luck with injuries. His two best co-stars, Murray and MPJ, have played just nine games this season.
We’re unlikely to see either of them until 2023. So, as Jokic tries to face an uphill climb against a more experienced team, he doesn’t even have his best horses alongside him. The same thing could be said last year when Jamal Murray went down with injury and Denver got swept in the second round.
So, as Jokic tries to play the role of Batman, he has nobody competent around him to carry the load as he struggles. It’s a vicious cycle. The worst part is that it’s not going to end anytime soon.
He Deserves More Love
My point with all of this is to highlight just how unfortunate Jokic’s luck has been over the past few seasons. Despite him turning into one of the best all-around offensive threats the game has ever seen, he isn’t embraced by the rest of the league. Referees abstain from calling fouls against him. Fans refuse to accept his greatness. And, of course, he doesn’t have anybody to help him.
Jokic has put up two of his worst postseason performances to start this series against the Warriors. He’s overmatched, flustered, and above all else, FRUSTRATED. Barring a miraculous turnaround, Jokic’s MVP campaign will end in a sweep.
And I can’t help but feel bad for one of the most undervalued players of this generation. While Joel Embiid is beloved around the league (aside from the free-throws things), Jokic is always playing second-fiddle, despite being the better player.
Nikola Jokic is a lot of things. You could view him as slow, unathletic, perhaps a little bit dirty. He’s an iceberg, with so much of his game needing explaining. In an age where superstars are copy-pastes of each other, Jokic breaks the mold. He’s an outlier in every sense of the way, so much so that he’s getting blackballed from the league in some ways.
As he goes into 2023, I hope he gets some much-deserved luck thrown his way. If his co-stars can stay healthy, I believe this Nuggets team can contend in the West. Maybe then the league will come to terms with the unluckiest superstar in the NBA.
Is Jokic The Unluckiest Superstar in the NBA? Leave A Comment Down Below!
Follow My Instagram & Facebook To Never Miss A Post: @hoopnotions
