Darvin Ham Jokes About Lakers' Game Plan to Stop Nuggets' Nikola Jokić: 'Kidnap Him'
Nobody has been able to stop Nikola Jokić during these playoffs, but no team has attempted to kidnap him before he reaches the arena, either.
Perhaps it's something for the Los Angeles Lakers to think about as they prepare for the Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets.
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham jokingly told reporters Monday that his plan for stopping the big man in the series was to "catch him coming out of his house and kidnap him."
Jokić finished second in MVP voting this season after taking home the award in each of the previous two campaigns, but he has elevated his game from its already impressive level during the playoffs as he chases the first championship of his career.
He averaged 26.2 points, 12.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists in the Nuggets' first-round win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, as he had little trouble picking apart Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert.
The Phoenix Suns figured to be a more significant challenge in the Western Conference Semifinals given the star power of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton. However, Jokić was the best player on the floor with three triple-doubles in six games.
In all, he averaged 34.5 points, 13.2 rebounds and 10.3 assists while shooting 59.4 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from deep in the series. Phoenix had no answer for his presence as a scorer, facilitator and rebounder despite having some of the league's best players on its roster.
Still, the Lakers may be better positioned than most to contend with Jokić across an entire series.
Anthony Davis is one of the league's best defensive big men and one of the few players with enough size and athleticism to guard the two-time MVP on the top of the key or on the blocks. The Purple and Gold also have the best defensive rating of any team in the playoffs at 106.5, per NBA.com.
Completely stopping Jokić is an impossible task—kidnapping aside—but Los Angeles could still win the series if it slows him down some and allows Davis and LeBron James to lead the offense on the other side.
