Nikola Jokic's sneaky use of his shoes to give the Nuggets extra time on challenge calls is so smart

Now widely regarded as the best player in the world, Nikola Jokic is so special, and it’s not just because of his passing, dominance in the post, and dynamite hands. The Denver Nuggets superstar also knows how to circumvent the NBA’s rules without getting caught because he never pushes the line too far. We saw it when he took advantage of how the NBA officiates kicked balls during the 2023 NBA Finals, and we’re seeing it again as the Nuggets try to solidify themselves at the top of the Western Conference during this season’s stretch run.

You see, the NBA allows teams to challenge a referee’s call at least once a game. If the initial challenge is successful, then they get a second one. But in order to challenge a ruling, a call to review a sequence must be submitted before the ensuing possession. Jokic knows this and understands that sometimes the quick flow of a game will dictate that a challenge can’t be submitted.

After a ref ruled that the Boston Celtics and Jaylen Brown hadn’t turned the ball over in a crucial third-quarter sequence during Denver’s massive win last Thursday night, Jokic took matters into his own hands. Er, feet. To ensure the Nuggets had extra time to see whether the possession ruling was worth challenging — it was — Jokic cleverly started tying his shoe in front of the Celtics’ in-bounder so Michael Malone could call for a review in time. The challenge was, of course, successful.

As captured by DNVR Sports’ Harrison Wind:

Jokic wasn’t done employing this tactic. A couple of games later, as the Nuggets defeated the Toronto Raptors in a big comeback win, Jokic swiped the ball out of R.J. Barrett’s hands. It was clearly off of Barrett, but the officials dictated that it came off Jokic. To ensure the Nuggets had enough time to challenge, Jokic once again started tying his shoes in front of the Raptors’ in-bounder. Naturally, with the few extra seconds in hand, Malone called for the review, and the challenge was successful.

As captured by Sportsnet 590 The Fan’s Amit Mann:

Man, that is brilliant. It’s these kinds of “hidden plays” that I’d venture to guess most NBA players would never even think of trying. And it’s so subtle — he’s just tying his shoes, after all! — that it’s hard to imagine referees ever reasonably penalize Jokic for the tactic. He can easily proclaim his innocence. It’s such a seemingly small passing moment in time that Jokic can just pass it off as a normal in-game occurrence, and he knows it. This is an incredible attention to detail that probably only adds to Jokic’s latest MVP resume.

The Nuggets’ talisman understands that every possession and ruling can be pivotal in an NBA game. So, he’ll take every advantage he can find between the lines when it presents itself.