Due to a feat of collective willpower, this website is not a 24/7 Nikola Jokic propaganda outlet. The Denver Nuggets center is averaging 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists on 67 percent true shooting; he's on track for his fourth MVP in five seasons; he performs so many spectacular feats on a nightly basis that he's raised the standard for his own newsworthiness. It may then seem strange that we've opted to show you, of all things, a Jokic missed field goal attempt from Saturday night's 127-102 win over the Lakers. However!
With just 0.3 seconds on the clock in the third quarter, Jokic asked his teammate Peyton Watson to "put it up," pointing his finger. Watson obliged, inbounded the ball at head height, and Jokic nearly volleyball-served it the length of the court and into the hoop.
Jokic has a knack for both instinctual slaps and comical long-distance accuracy, and here was a rare hybrid. Nuggets analyst Adam Mares went deep on this one. At 77.6 feet, it's the fifth-longest field goal attempt in the league this season; Jokic made contact with the ball for less than 0.2 seconds per Second Spectrum tracking; the ball got within 11.8 inches of the rim. Here's the slap as seen from both baselines:
From the other angle pic.twitter.com/eLzEk1z4Hy
— Adam Mares (@Adam_Mares) November 24, 2024
Jokic almost had no choice but to take this kind of shot. The "Trent Tucker Rule," added to the NBA rulebook in 1990, disallows a more conventional catch-and-shoot attempt when the game clock or shot clock are under 0.3 seconds, effectively assuming that no human could get that shot off in that amount of time. Earlier this season Paolo Banchero nearly made a game-tying buzzer beater—it was late—but no one even gave it a second glance because of how he shot it. Here's the relevant bit of the rulebook, from "Comments on the Rules," Section L, emphasis mine:
The game clock and shot clock must show :00.3 or more in order for a player to secure possession of the ball on a rebound or throw-in to attempt a field goal. Instant replay shall be utilized if the basket is successful on this type of play and the game clock runs to 0:00 or the shot clock expires on a made basket and the officials are not reasonably certain that the ball was released prior to the expiration of the shot clock. The only type of field goal which may be scored if the game clock and shot clock are at :00.2 or :00.1 is a "tip-in" or "high lob."
A "tip-in" is defined as any action in which the ball is deflected, not controlled, by a player and then enters the basket ring. This type of action shall be deemed legal if :00.1 or more remains in a period.
That there ball nearly entered the basket ring after being deflected, not controlled; as he was in contact with the ball for less than 0.2 seconds, it was a legal three-point attempt. This is probably one of the most hand-eye coordinated humans alive.
