Nikola Jokić has dazzled fans with an array of jaw-dropping passes since he entered the NBA in the 2015-16 season.
On Sunday, Jokic made another highlight reel-worthy play, but it didn’t involve a nifty assist.
During the second quarter of the Denver Nuggets’ 112—103 win over the visiting Portland Trail Blazers, Jokić pump-faked a three-pointer while Blazers big man Deandre Ayton defended.
Jokić‘s fake was so good that Ayton held up his hand to contest a shot he thought was coming and actually looked at the basket to see the result.
Check out the outstanding fake below.
Jokić faked out Ayton 😅 pic.twitter.com/eUvYrme6Hg
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 5, 2024
It wasn’t until Ayton saw Jokić driving past him toward the basket that he realized the Nuggets big man hadn’t actually shot the ball. Now that’s a pump fake.
Jokic made the basket and was fouled. He sunk the ensuing free throw en route to a game-high 29 points.
The Serbian native and two-time NBA MVP is averaging 26.3 points, 12.2 rebounds and 9.0 assists per game in 49 contests this season.