Chapter 2 Back

The second quarter began with both teams fielding all-substitute lineups.

For the Pelicans, it was Cole and Gordon in the backcourt, Morrow and Aminu on the frontline, and Jokic at center.

For the Nuggets, the backcourt consisted of Jamaal Nelson and Randy Foye, the frontline was Gallinari and JJ Hickson, and Nurkic was at center.

The Pelicans attacked first in the second quarter.

Gordon called for Jokic to set a high pick-and-roll. After breaking free, he dribbled into the paint for a layup.

Nurkic stood his ground under the basket, contesting the shot.

Gordon's layup missed, and Nurkic grabbed the defensive rebound.

The Nuggets advanced to the frontcourt, and Nelson drove past Cole, drawing Jokic's help defense before passing the ball to Nurkic, who slammed it home for two points.

Nurkic, at 2.11 meters tall and weighing 127 kilograms, looked like a larger version of Jokic.

Gordon's three-point attempt from the frontcourt was off the mark; his touch seemed subpar.

Back on the other end, Gallinari hit a three-pointer over Morrow.

The point difference had reached 15.

Williams turned and signaled for Ariza to enter the game.

His expression was grim.

The Nuggets' record this season was poor, with only three wins so far, ranking them second to last in the Western Conference.

Losing to a team like this would undoubtedly lead to significant criticism.

As a small-market team leading the Western Conference, many were hoping for the Pelicans to falter.

In the Pelicans' offense, Jokic proactively called for the ball at the free-throw line.

Cole passed the ball inside.

During the substitute rotation, Gordon was supposed to be the primary scorer, but his touch was off.

Jokic, positioned at the free-throw line, looked at Cole on the perimeter and suddenly flicked the ball behind his head.

As if he had eyes in the back of his head, the ball went directly to Ariza, who was cutting towards the baseline. Ariza easily made the layup.

The Pelicans finally scored in the second quarter!

The fans on the sidelines stirred.

The commentators were stunned for a moment before reacting.

The pass was reminiscent of Divac during his Kings days.

Tang Tian smiled when he saw this.

Jokic's passing was the best among big men, and such passes came easily to him.

Technique and ability would require time to hone, but this kind of passing was a talent, like Whiteside's blocks, something innate.

In the Nuggets' attack, Ariza defended Gallinari's post-up.

Williams' substitution, though born of necessity, was proving effective.

In the Pelicans' attack, Jokic dribbled the ball beyond the three-point line this time.

Nurkic on the other side retreated to the basket, not coming out.

Seeing this, Jokic took the three-point shot.

The Nuggets players on the court were stunned; a 120-kilogram big man was shooting three-pointers from the outside.

Nurkic had already turned around, ready to grab the rebound.

"Swish!"

But there was a crisp sound.

Like a blockbuster, the basketball went straight through the center of the hoop.

Jokic's three-pointer went in!

The point difference narrowed to 10!

The Pelicans' bench erupted, with Dinwiddie waving a towel wildly!

The spectators in the audience grimaced.

With the small-ball era gradually arriving, more big men could shoot three-pointers, but few centers could!

Especially someone as chubby as Jokic!

In the Nuggets' attack, Nurkic called for the ball in the low post, but Nelson didn't give it to him. Instead, he dribbled into the paint for a layup.

Jokic didn't try to block it; he simply boxed out under the basket and reached out to interfere.

"Clang!"

Nelson's shot missed.

Nurkic jumped up, grabbed the offensive rebound, and dunked it in with both hands.

Jokic's weight was still too heavy. Although he had time to react to Nelson's breakthrough defensively, his turning speed was still too slow.

In the Pelicans' attack, Jokic continued to receive the ball beyond the three-point line.

This time, Nurkic pounced. Seeing this, Jokic directly broke through with a change of direction.

Nurkic's weight was too great; he couldn't react at all.

Jokic drove to the inside, and Hickson on the weak side came to help defend.

Seeing this, Jokic made an early bounce pass.

The ball was steadily delivered to Aminu on the weak side.

Aminu took the ball, took a step, and easily dunked it in for a score.

"I like him! I like him!"

Metta Sandiford-Artest shouted excitedly on the bench.

He had shouted this during the preseason, and he continued to shout it during the regular season.

Jokic's two passes in the second quarter were truly flashy and handsome!

Tang Tian's face also broke into a smile.

In history, Jokic was called "Joker" by many fans because of this passing skill.

His passing ability was comparable to some of the top point guards, and more importantly, he liked to pass, which was even rarer than being able to pass.

Nurkic continued to call for the ball in the low post. This time, Nelson passed it in, and Nurkic attacked Jokic.

Jokic was very tough, and Nurkic was also very tough. The two collided, muscles bumping against each other, creating a series of muffled sounds.

Nurkic's final shot resulted in Jokic's hand hitting him.

Unlike Jokic's pre-weight loss fat, Nurkic's were all solid muscles; he was genuinely strong.

Jokic hadn't had time to gain muscle after losing weight, and he was at a disadvantage in terms of physical confrontation.

Tang Tian suddenly felt a sense of inexplicable amusement.

Historically, Nurkic and Jokic were both selected by the Nuggets, but Jokic landed in the NBA a year later than Nurkic.

Later, the two played for the Nuggets. Because their positions overlapped, they competed directly.

In addition, because Serbia, where Jokic was located, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, where Nurkic was located, had deep historical issues, the two were at odds with each other.

The Nuggets eventually chose one and sold Nurkic to the Trail Blazers at a low price.

Nurkic played well with the Trail Blazers, and Jokic became the core of the Nuggets.

After that, every time the two teams played against each other, the two were like enemies, and their confrontation became the part that fans liked to watch the most.

Now, the two were selected by their respective teams, and Jokic landed in the NBA ahead of schedule.

But what he didn't expect was that the two were still playing fiercely on the court.

Perhaps this was a destined feud.

Nurkic had two free throw opportunities.

Jokic lowered his head and panted. His weight was heavy, and the altitude sickness had a greater impact on him.

Nurkic made the first free throw.

The Nuggets' lead extended to 11 points.

Nurkic's second free throw.

"Clang!"

The second free throw missed, and the basketball slammed against the rim.

There was a melee under the basket. Jokic was not as strong as Nurkic, but he had a strong sense of position. After boxing out, he grabbed the defensive rebound.

After getting the rebound, he didn't look for the nearby guard. After seeing Gordon coming out of the three-point line, he directly made a long throw from the backcourt.

The ball was passed with anticipation, and Gordon happened to catch the ball in the mid-court position.

The pass was perfect. After catching the ball, Gordon had a wide-open space in front of him. He directly accelerated to the frontcourt and quickly made a layup for 2 points.

The Pelicans narrowed the point difference to 9 points! Single digits!

Williams couldn't help but feel excited.

This pass was really creative.

Moreover, this was Jokic's third assist in the second quarter!

This guy was really a natural passer!