Around the Globe: Nikola Jokic doing it all for Nuggets

Taking a look at standout international performers throughout the season.

Michael Duke, for NBA.com

Nikola Jokic’s masterful all-around play has been crucial as Denver struggles with injuries.

We’ve officially passed the quarter mark of the 2021-22 campaign and action is starting to ramp up.

Over the past couple of weeks we’ve seen season-high scoring outbursts, long winning streaks, impressive double-double streaks and an even more impressive triple-double streak.

Here’s this week’s Around the Globe report:

*All stats through Thursday, Dec. 16

This Week’s Standout 

Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets (Serbia)

Stats over last 2 weeks: 28.6 ppg, 13.3 rpg, 9.8 apg

Nightly Notable: Nikola Jokic | Dec. 12

The reigning Kia MVP is proving why he deserves to be in the early conversation for the award again this season. His all-around play has been on full display as he recorded four triple-doubles in his last six games, including three straight at one point.

What’s more impressive is Jokic is doing this for a Denver squad that’s without Michael Porter Jr., who recently had season-ending back surgery and star guard Jamal Murray, who’s still recovering from a torn ACL suffered last season. Despite these crushing injuries, the Nuggets have won three of their last five games and are staying afloat in the West thanks to “The Joker”.

Denver needs Jokic to perform at an elite level every night, and he’s answering the bell.

Other Notables

Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz (France)

Stats over last 2 weeks: 15.7 ppg, 15.2 rpg, 2.2 bpg

Reactions to Kia MVP Ladder: Rudy Gobert enters the chat

Here come the Jazz.

The Golden State Warriors & Phoenix Suns have been the West’s top two teams all season, but Utah is the hottest squad in the league. The Jazz have won eight straight and a lot of it has to do with Gobert’s impact on the interior. Along with his 2.1 blocks per game, Gobert’s averaging a league-best 14.7 boards and has helped the Jazz outrebound their opponents in their last seven games.

Utah is beating teams by an average of 19 points during its win streak, and with Gobert continuing to dominate the paint, don’t expect the Jazz to slow down anytime soon.

Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns (Bahamas)

Stats over last 2 weeks: 20.0 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 56.1 FG%

Deandre Ayton: 'I think I have established myself in the big man role'

The Suns aren’t too far removed from an 18-game winning streak of their own. While Phoenix couldn’t keep the streak alive after All-Star guard Devin Booker went down with a hamstring injury back on Nov. 30 against the Warriors, Ayton has stepped up in Booker’s absence.

Ayton scored a team-high 24 to help Phoenix pull away from Golden State in the Nov. 30 meeting after Booker left the game, and he dropped a season-high 28 points with 13 rebounds in Tuesday’s thrilling overtime win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Domantas Sabonis, Indiana Pacers (Lithuania) 

Stats over last 2 weeks: 21.0 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 68.8 FG%

Eastern Conference Player of the Week: Domantas Sabonis

The Pacers got off to a shaky start and currently find themselves at 13th in the East — probably not where they predicted they’d be at this point in the season. But Sabonis has been a steady presence for Indiana, tallying eight straight double-doubles while helping the Pacers win four of their last six games. The Eastern Conference Player of the Week has also been anchoring the paint nicely, ranking fifth in the league in rebounds (11.9 rpg).

Despite the disappointing start to the season, Indiana is always stronger with Sabonis in the lineup.

Jonas Valanciunas, New Orleans Pelicans (Lithuania)

Stats over last 2 weeks: 18.5 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 60.5 FG%

Jonas Valanciunas drains seven 3s and goes for a career-high 39 points

Valanciunas has been one of the few bright spots as New Orleans has struggled to find its footing without All-Star forward Zion Williamson, who’s recovering from a foot fracture. After a 1-12 start to the season, the Lithuanian veteran has helped New Orleans go .500 in its last 14 games.

Despite the Pelicans’ inconsistency, Valanciunas has been nothing but consistent. He’s racked up six straight double-doubles and has 23 of them on the season. Wins have been hard to come by without Williamson, but Valanciunas is trying his best to hold down the fort.

Shooting Star 

Patty Mills, Brooklyn Nets (Australia) 

Stats over last 2 weeks: 16.3 ppg, 42.2 FG%, 39.1 3P%

Patty Mills scores season-high 30 in Nets' overtime victory vs. Raptors

Despite having seven players sidelined due to Health and Safety Protocols, the Nets have won four straight and are leading the East thanks, in part, to Patty Mills. Of course, most of the credit should also go to that Kevin Durant guy who’s leading the league in scoring on 52.3% shooting from the field. But Mills has starred of late and is arguably Brooklyn’s second-most important player with James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Joe Harris and LaMarcus Aldridge currently out of the picture.

In Tuesday’s two-point OT win against the Toronto Raptors, Mills hit seven 3-pointers and dropped a season-high 30 points. For Brooklyn to stay atop the East, Mills will need to maintain his hot shooting until the cavalry arrives.

Rookie Spotlight  

Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets (Turkey) 

Stats over last 2 weeks: 11.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 49.2 FG%

Alperen Sengun pours in season-high 19 points against Cavaliers

The Rockets have cooled off a bit, dropping four of their last five games. Before that, they had won seven straight with Sengun’s production factoring into the brief turnaround. Sengun, a reserve, averages 9.2 ppg (which ranks ninth among rookies) and has shown steady improvement throughout the season. Sengun has scored 15 or more points in three of his last five games, including a season-high 19 against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.

G League notables 

Dyson Daniels (Australia)

The 18-year-old G League Ignite star scored a career-high 23 points on Tuesday vs. Salt Lake City Stars, then followed it up with a game-winner Wednesday night.

Luka Samanic (Croatia)

The former first-round pick is the G League’s 2nd-leading scorer (28.1 ppg) and was named Player of the Week last week.

Goga Bitadze (Georgia)

Fresh off of assignment from the Pacers to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Goga dropped a career-high 38 points on Wednesday.

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