Paul Millsap Compares Nikola Jokic's Play to Tom Brady: 'It's Unbelievable'

Finding a comparison to Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic over the course of NBA history is difficult, which may be why Nuggets forward Paul Millsap is looking toward a different sport.

After Jokic registered 37 points, nine rebounds and six assists in Denver's 121-113 win over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Monday at Pepsi Center, Millsap compared Jokic to New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, according to ESPN.com's Ohm Youngmisuk. 

"He's like a quarterback out there. I consider him like a Tom Brady," Millsap said. "He's always going to pick you apart and make the right reads. Commend him for doing that at this stage in his career. It's unbelievable."

Behind Jokic's huge performance, the Nuggets are now just three wins away from reaching the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2009.

Nikola Jokic Reel

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In terms of his resume, Jokic has a long way to go before reaching Brady's status. This season marks the first time Jokic has appeared in the playoffs, and he was named an All-Star for the first time this season.

Meanwhile, Brady is a 14-time Pro Bowler, three-time NFL MVP and six-time Super Bowl champion who will enter the Hall of Fame on the first ballot.

The biggest similarity between them at this stage of their careers is that they are both elite passers in their respective sports. Despite being a 7'0" center, Jokic averaged 7.3 assists per game during the regular season. In the playoffs, he's averaged 8.8 dimes per contest.

Jokic believes in his ability to recognize and dissect opposing defenses, which can also be said of Brady: "I think I can read everything. So I just need to know what they're going to do. I think San Antonio was playing one way, Portland is playing one way, it's completely different games. But I think I am capable of reading those defenses."

In Denver's first-round matchup against the San Antonio Spurs, Jokic finished with a 21-point, 15-rebound, 10-assist triple-double to help seal the Game 7 victory. He carried that momentum into Game 1 against Portland to give the Nuggets the advantage. 

Jokic also showed off his Brady-like ability in clutch situations by going 12-of-12 from the free-throw line.

He will need to keep up that level of play in order to knock off Damian Lillard and the No. 3-seeded Blazers, but if he and No. 2-seeded Nuggets make it to the Western Conference Finals, the Brady comparison will be put to the test when he is faced with either the Houston Rockets or the two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors.