Portland Trail Blazers: Takeaways from game one against the Denver Nuggets

2. Enes Kanter may be unplayable against Nikola Jokic

Let me start off by saying that Enes Kanter is a better defender than his reputation says. Sure, the big man struggles against advanced reads, is usually a step behind, and often drifts into the paint leaving shooters wide open. Still, he is a big body who competes in the post and is generally in the right place on simple actions.

Against most centers, Kanter’s offense and rebounding counter his defensive struggles and sometimes even outweighs them. Having to check Nikola Jokic, though, is a whole other story. Jokic is the best offensive center in the league; his multifaceted game makes him better than Joel Embiid, Karl-Anthony Towns, or any other center that might argue the fact.

Guarding Jokic, every mistake Kanter makes is amplified. Jokic’s versatility allows the Nuggets to put him in those advanced actions that Kanter struggles against. If Kanter is a step behind, the Joker will capitalize either by finding the open teammate when Portland rotates to cover for their stumbling big or by finishing the play himself. When Kanter drifts down low as he often does, Jokic doesn’t hesitate to make him pay.

Even when Kanter is in the right place, the sheer confidence Jokic has seeing number 11 checking him makes him more aggressive. While the Blazers might be better off if Denver’s superstar center is looking to score instead of getting his teammates going, it’s not a good thing when the other team’s centerpiece sees “barbecue chicken” as his primary defender.