Best Center In The League: Nikola Jokic’s Game Winners Stun Embiid, Towns

The Joker does it again. First, against Joel Embiid. Now, against Karl Anthony Towns.

For the second straight game, Nikola Jokic went clutch and rescued the Denver Nuggets to notch their fourth straight win of the season - their seventh in nine games.

The 24-year old Serbian star nailed another tough fall away – this time over the out-stretched arms of fellow All-Star big man Towns – to win the game for the Nuggets over the Minnesota Timberwolves in OT on Sunday night, 100-98.

The highlight came just a game after Jokic stunned Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday with an awkward looking clutch jump shot that completed a 21-point turnaround in favor of the Nuggets.

While they scored a huge comeback against the Sixers, what they had to survive against Towns and company was a complete meltdown.

The Nuggets were leading 90-74 with over six minutes left in regulation before hitting a dry spell and forced to play extra five minutes.

Came winning time, Head Coach Michael Malone wanted the rock in his best player’s hands.

On the last play, Jokic tried to give Will Barton a ball screen on the left wing. The latter opted to go against the pick and drove hard to force Towns to help his man on defense. He then quickly released the ball to Jokic who was waiting outside the arc. Towns was caught off balanced in his recovery so Jokic put the ball on the floor, faked a spin before nailing a tough one-legged fade away shot with 2.4 ticks left.

Fans reacted to what they believe was a statement for Jokic as to being the best center in the league. Hitting two game winners in a row is sure crazy. But doing it against two other great bigs makes it even more sensational.

One twitter user said, “ He is continuing to show why he’s the best center in basketball and why he’s a sleeper candidate for MVP.”

Some even made humor about how Jokic continues to play stellar basketball despite looking physically out of shape.

According to a stat released by TJ McBride of Mile High Sports, Jokic just became the third player since the 2010-2011 season to have back-to-back game winners along with Manu Ginobili and Damian Lillard.

A certain Jacob S then replied with another interesting stat.

Jokic might be having a slow start in the season average wise. But needless to say, he is starting to become one of the most lethal closers to watch out for.