Jokic speaks on Peyton Watson's return from a hamstring injury following Denver's 128-112 victory over Portland.
The Denver Nuggets got their wing defender back on Sunday and rolled to a comfortable 128-112 win over the Portland Trail Blazers at Ball Arena.
Peyton Watson, who hadn't played since February 4 due to a right hamstring strain, returned to the floor and looked solid in just under 20 minutes of action, scoring 14 points as one of seven Nuggets in double figures.
It was a welcome sight for a team looking to make a deep playoff run.
After the game, Nikola Jokic was asked about Watson's return and what to expect moving forward, and his answer was honest but supportive.
"Yeah, I mean he will definitely need time. Like everybody, he will need some time, but it's good to have him back," Jokic said. "I think he needs a lot of time to get back in shape, playing shape. He missed a lot of time. He did good with energy, but he will need time to get back to playing how he was before."
Jokic Leads By Example
Jokic did his part on Sunday, recording his 35th triple-double of the season with 22 points, 14 rebounds, and 14 assists while Jamal Murray matched him with 22 points of his own.
The Nuggets never trailed in the game and pulled away in the third quarter when Jokic, Aaron Gordon, and Cam Johnson all connected from deep during an 11-0 run that pushed the lead to 88-74.
Denver now sits at 44-28, fifth in the Western Conference, while Portland dropped to 35-37 with the loss.
Jokic is averaging 28.1 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 10.6 assists per game this season, putting him on pace to join Wilt Chamberlain as the only players to lead the league in both rebounds and assists in the same year.
The Nuggets also lead the NBA in scoring at 120.8 points per game, and that kind of firepower only becomes more dangerous with Watson back in the fold.
Why Watson's Return Matters So Much
Before the hamstring injury sidelined him in early February, Watson was having a breakout fourth season, averaging 14.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 49.6 percent from the field and an impressive 41.7% from three.
He stepped into the starting lineup back in November when Christian Braun went down with an injury and never really gave the spot back, even earning Western Conference Player of the Week honors in January when he was averaging nearly 25 points per game during a stretch where Jokic was also sidelined.
At 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, Watson gives the Nuggets something they desperately need alongside Jokic and Murray, which is a long, athletic wing who can guard multiple positions and knock down open threes.
Head coach David Adelman called him a "high-level wing defender" before the game and noted that his minutes would be limited as he works his way back.
The Nuggets head to Phoenix on Tuesday night to take on the Suns, and while Watson likely won't be at full speed right away, having him back in the rotation gives Denver another dimension that was clearly missing during his seven-week absence.
Jokic knows better than anyone that these things take time, but the most important part is that Watson is back on the court and contributing again.