2019 NBA Playoffs: Player power rankings

No. 9: Nikola Jokic

There are innumerable things to like about Nikola Jokic, a darling of NBA media. The most obvious is the fact that he looks nothing like an NBA superstar, with a doughy frame that suggests an awkward, uncoordinated fellow.

The reality could not be further from the truth, as Jokic is a killer on the basketball court ready to embarrass anyone who underestimates him.

His most well-known trait is his passing acumen, and for good reason. Jokic is probably the greatest big-man passer in league history, able to make every single pass from the post, the perimeter or in transition.

Nuggets players look like stars when they get the ball right where they want it in position to score. Only Wilt Chamberlain has ever averaged more assists-per-game as a center as Jokic did this past season, and the difference in quality and era are nearly incomparable.

Jokic can score too, shooting from the perimeter or fighting in the post. His array of flip shots around the rim show off one of his greatest strengths, which is the ability to pass and score with just one hand — and either hand at that.

The Nuggets at their best are a whirring collection of moving parts that Jokic conducts with a master touch.

This will be his first playoff series, and there are also legitimate questions. Can he take over a playoff game offensively if he needs to? Will his slow-footed defense become too much of a liability?

He has the chance to prove himself to be as dominant as many wish for him to be, with the playoff bracket laying out perfectly for the Nuggets to reach the Western Conference Finals.