The Portland Trail Blazers key one-on-one matchup’s at every position

C: Jusuf Nurkić and Nikola Jokić

Could there be another answer? While the league’s viewership as a whole may not tune in, Blazer fans will not want to miss this one. How could they? This quite possibly could be the most intriguing matchup in the entire league for several reasons. Former teammates, European big men with distinctive playing styles, and oh yeah, the Bosnian Beast is back. While it will be the first time Jusuf Nurkić and Nikola Jokić have squared off in over 18 months, chances are Nurkić has not forgotten Portland’s 113-116 loss to Denver back on January 13, 2019. While the game itself was highly contested, Jokić undeniably took Nurk to work, scoring 40 points, earning ten rebounds, and nearly capping off a triple-double with eight assists. Described as “petty LINK” by his teammate and dear friend Damian Lillard, Nurk is not one to simply let bygones be bygones, dating as far back as 2017 when he notoriously told his former team to enjoy their early summer vacation. While there does not seem to be any personal beef between the big men, Nurkić always seems to turn on that extra gear against Denver.

It will be interesting to see what, if any, changes have occurred in either players’ game since the break. Portland fans who have been following Nurk’s recovery on social media will note he appears to be in tiptop shape, while clips of his shooting drills show signs of an improved range.

Although Jokić has had less time away from the game, a viral clip of him at a Serbian basketball game shows that he too has been doing some conditioning during the hiatus.

While it’s hard to tell just how lean he is under a jacket, Jokić may be returning to NBA play faster and stronger than ever. Long badgered for his lumbering, “doughy,” appearance, it seems those days may be behind the big man. While his body did not keep him from producing near MVP level numbers before the season’s pause, added speed and stamina could prove advantageous, especially when going against physically dominant players such as Nurkić.

Both Nurkić and Jokić play with a finesse reminiscent of former Portland centers, such as fellow European Aryvdas Sabonis and the legendary Bill Walton. As the league’s playing style gets smaller and relies heavily on backcourt ball control, these two centers are a reminder the game is sometimes most beautiful at its biggest.