The Jokic Floater!
^^ This shot separates this duo from every other two-man game.
I’ve worked with an incredibly skilled All-NBA big before, and it’s challenging to get them to change their mindset and shoot this shot in the PnR pocket, no matter how skilled they might be.
Bigs can acquire the skill of a floater, but leaning into the mindset of shooting a floater in the pocket is the most challenging thing for a big to do.
They grow up constantly being told to get closer to the rim, and this shot, at this moment, is the total opposite of everything they’ve been “taught.”
The floater is the shot that makes Jokic unique in the pocket and elevates the Jokic + Murray two-man game to the best in the world!
It also doesn’t hurt that they have a massive Rolodex of solutions and always see the game through the same lens. They do a phenomenal job of working through their process in the two-man game:
1. Recognize the coverage
2. Set up the action
3. Take what the defense gives them
Jokic and Murray's approach is a masterclass in efficiency. They rarely, if ever, attempt to force a play. Instead, they adapt to the defense and accept the outcomes, a strategy that consistently pays off in the long run.
This edit dives into how 10 Jokic & Murray two-man game actions from Games 3 & 4 in Minnesota and how they could pick apart every coverage thrown at them by playing with the process.
Teaching point for players watching: Do NOT try to fit a square peg into a round hole. Every defense has a solution. What makes Jokic and Murray special is that they both read and accept what the coverage is giving up. This leads to great rhythm and on-balance shots (even if they aren't for them).
This edit contains 10 clips:
00:00 - 00:25 - Intro
00:33 -3:17 - (2i)(Touch) Drop Coverage to Pocket Pass
3:17 - 4:53- (1i)(PnR) Drop Coverage to Pull Up Three
4:53 - 6:20 - (3i)(DHO) Drop to Pocket Pass (Opening up angles)
6:20 - 8:05 - (3i)(PnR) Level Show Coverage to 2nd Window Pocket Pass
8:05 - 10:36 - (3i)(PnR) Level Show Coverage to Finish
10:36 - 12:56 (0i)(DHO) Level Show Coverage to Pull Up Three
12:56 - 14:41 (0i)(DHO) Top Lock Coverage to Back Door Cut
14:41 - 16:22 (2i)(PnR) Level Show Coverage to Step Back Three
16:22 - 18:28 (2i/1i)(PnR) Under = Re-Screen to Drop Coverage to Pocket Pass
18:28 - 21:04 (2i)(DHO) Drop Coverage to Pocket Pass
21:04 - 23:05 Outro
The One Skill That Makes The Jokic & Murray Two-Man Game The Best In The NBA