Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic and coach David Adelman had glowing praise for Tim Hardaway Jr. following his 18-point performance against the Miami Heat on Wednesday.
The Denver Nuggets put together a well-rounded performance in Wednesday night’s 122-112 win over the visiting Miami Heat, with five players reaching double-figures in scoring en route to a decisive win for the home team. Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with a 35-point triple-double, while Aaron Gordon scored 24 points and hauled in six rebounds.
Aside from Jokic and Gordon, you could make a case that the timeliest performance of the night for the Nuggets came from offseason acquisition Tim Hardaway Jr., whom Denver signed to a one-year deal in July. Hardaway scored 18 points off the bench on 7-of-12 shooting overall and 4-of-9 shooting from 3-point range.
Hardaway was just two points shy of his season high of 20 points, which he recorded against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 27. Following his performance on Wednesday, Hardaway Jr. received high praise from the Nuggets franchise cornerstone and the three-time league MVP Jokic.
“I think Tim (Hardaway Jr.) cares,” Jokic said. “He wants to win. He wants to be good. You know, that's something that I have (seen). Maybe he's faking, to be honest. I don't know, but that's what I see. He's really trying to understand and trying to play the right way. I think that's why good things are happening to him.
“He's really (great) both ways. We know that he's a shooter, and we know that he's going to take some wild shots, but he can make those. He needs to be aggressive. And with his aggressiveness, he's going to give us a different dimension.”
Praise From Coach
Nuggets coach David Adelman also praised Hardaway Jr., specifically his ability to fit in with the team so seamlessly, in addition to getting his shot off so quickly.
“(Hardaway Jr.) just faces the floor so well,” Adelman said. “He's such a weapon, and he can get the shot off so quickly and easily. It's a big deal. A lot of teams have the athleticism these days, Miami included, to really load up on the weak side and still get out and get a great contest, but a guy that releases the ball that quickly, and gets it off, it's a big deal.
“Not to mention, he just really knows how to play. This is a group of guys you'd love to play pickup with. Tim is one of those guys. He fits right in and I hope he shoots. He shot nine tonight. If he gets those looks, I hope he shoots 19 one night. He has the ability to get so hot, and you talked about blowing people out, he's a guy that can actually do that for you in a given quarter.”