Michael Malone on similarities between Nikola Jokic, Kristaps Porzingis: Other than being big and foreign, that's where similarities stop

Ryan Blackburn: Michael Malone on if there are any similarities between Porzingis and Jokić and how they’re being utilized: “Not really. Other than being big and foreign, I think that’s where the similarities stop.”
Source: Twitter @NBABlackburn

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Chase Hughes @ChaseHughesNBCS
It’s Wizards-Nuggets tonight and that means reigning MVP Nikola Jokic is in town. Kristaps Porzingis and the Wizards have a tall task ahead of them.
Here are my 3 keys to the game (7 pm on @NBCSWashington) pic.twitter.com/jqXOkzQqfw – 6:43 PM Ryan Blackburn @NBABlackburn
Michael Malone on if there are any similarities between Porzingis and Jokić and how they’re being utilized:
“Not really. Other than being big and foreign, I think that’s where the similarities stop.” – 5:37 PM Wayne Cole @waynec0le
Asked Coach Wes Unseld Jr about
Will Barton
“He has always been an “X-Factor” he is shooting the three and he expects for him to be energized to come” it is essentially a home game for him.
He alludes to teams keying on Jokic and Will making them pay. – 5:33 PM Josh Robbins @JoshuaBRobbins
Wizards starters tonight against the Nuggets: Raul Neto, Corey Kispert, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis. – 5:25 PM Michael Singer @msinger
Wes Unseld Jr., asked how you stop Nikola Jokic: “By committee.” – 5:25 PM Wayne Cole @waynec0le
Coach Unseld Jr says the Washington Wizards have to defend Jokic “ by committee.”
#dcaboveall | #MileHighBasketball – 5:20 PM Neil Dalal @NeilDalal96
Watching Nikola Jokic warm-up and the arc on his shots like pic.twitter.com/GTXV9u9bTT – 5:17 PM Wayne Cole @waynec0le
Jokic and coach Wes Unseld Jr share a big hug pregame. – 4:58 PM Michael Singer @msinger
Nikola Jokic and former #Nuggets assistant (and current Wizards head coach) Wes Unseld Jr. catching up pre-game. pic.twitter.com/uqvR5gqbNe – 4:58 PM Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Dunc’d On Prime: Jokic vs Embiid and Apologies For Blatant False Advertising w/ @Danny Leroux
Listen by becoming a member and you’ll get our 5 subscription pods/week. Subscribe: https://t.co/XSgwN6BUIK pic.twitter.com/k1EjN0kKAH – 4:00 PM Danny Leroux @DannyLeroux
Dunc’d On Prime: Jokic vs Embiid and Apologies For Blatant False Advertising w/ @Nate Duncan
Subscribe to Total Access for ad-free episodes of Dunc’d On, and much more: https://t.co/n4QLDC9m6F pic.twitter.com/nBMiZLcA55 – 2:00 PM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
NEW: Markieff Morris is back, but it took four months for him to return after his run-in with Jokic. Morris explains what it was like to deal with the social media back and forth, why he sometimes doubted whether he would play again this season and more miamiherald.com/sports/nba/mia… – 1:03 PM Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Dunc’d On Prime: Jokic vs Embiid and Apologies For Blatant False Advertising w/ @Danny Leroux
Listen by becoming a member and you’ll get our 5 subscription pods/week. Subscribe: https://t.co/XSgwN6kjka pic.twitter.com/5ZuGWvX3nY – 12:00 PM Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
📅 On this day in 1960, the Hawks’ Johnny McCarthy had 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists in his NBA postseason debut.
McCarthy is one of four players in NBA history to record a triple-double in his first career playoff game (Magic Johnson, LeBron James, and Nikola Jokic). pic.twitter.com/K9MOunoP1Y – 11:01 AM Danny Leroux @DannyLeroux
Dunc’d On Prime: Jokic vs Embiid and Apologies For Blatant False Advertising w/ @Nate Duncan
Subscribe to Total Access for ad-free episodes of Dunc’d On, and much more: https://t.co/n4QLDC9m6F pic.twitter.com/HnsjzFTqJh – 11:00 AM NBA Math @NBA_Math
RPR MVP Predictor:
1. Nikola Jokic: 17.5
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo: 17.2
3. Joel Embiid: 16.3
4. DeMar DeRozan: 14.8
5. Luka Doncic: 14.6
6. Trae Young: 14.0
7. Ja Morant: 13.8
8. Stephen Curry: 13.7
9. Jayson Tatum: 13.6
10. Karl Anthony-Towns: 13.1
https://t.co/onGqrEd9sz pic.twitter.com/yewyk1i5v8 – 10:55 AM Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
NEW @TheCrossover Pod w/@Howard Beck: Jokic-Embiid review, Kyrie vs. NYC, Draymond’s impact on Golden State; @getnickwright on the Lakers, Jayson Tatum, Jokic “truth telling,” his new podcast, more. bit.ly/2w1G5e2 – 9:06 AM Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Dunc’d On Prime: Jokic vs Embiid and Apologies For Blatant False Advertising w/ @Danny Leroux
Listen by becoming a member and you’ll get our 5 subscription pods/week. Subscribe: https://t.co/XSgwN6kjka pic.twitter.com/VorQeeFV7N – 9:00 AM Danny Leroux @DannyLeroux
Dunc’d On Prime: Jokic vs Embiid and Apologies For Blatant False Advertising w/ @Nate Duncan
Subscribe to Total Access for ad-free episodes of Dunc’d On, and much more: https://t.co/n4QLDC9m6F pic.twitter.com/vWNUj4EB4u – 8:00 AM John Hollinger @johnhollinger
New for @The Athletic — talking Mavericks with our @Tim Cato — the surprise Porzingis trade, the Mavs’ trade possibilities, what Dinwiddie brings, who they can beat in the playoffs, and more
theathletic.com/3183037/2022/0… – 12:06 PM Chris Miller @cmillsnbcs
Part of our conversation with GM Tommy Sheppard last night on the plan for Porzingis concerning back to back games, plus the lack of defense on this latest road trip. pic.twitter.com/wjAEVWPqh8 – 7:55 AM Wayne Cole @waynec0le
Despite the 0-4 road-trip KP says there are some good things the Wizards can take from the trip to build off. – 1:06 AM Wayne Cole @waynec0le
Porzingis says every game with the wizards he’s progressing. He alludes to giving himself more games and things will be smoother in regards to chemistry – 1:00 AM Wayne Cole @waynec0le
#dubnation 126
#dcaboveall 112
Final.
Porzingis 25 |Curry 47 – 12:23 AM Ava Wallace @avarwallace
Final: Warriors 126, Wizards 112. Another night, another monster individual performance against Washington — this one from birthday boy Steph Curry (47pts).
Porzingis 25p 8r
KCP: 19p
The Wiz went 0-4 out west. – 12:21 AM Josh Robbins @JoshuaBRobbins
Final: Warriors 126, Wizards 112.
Porzingis: 25 pts., 8 rebs., 4 assts.
Curry: 47 pts., 6 rebs., 6 assts. – 12:21 AM J. Michael Falgoust @ThisIsJMichael
They blitz Steph with KP. He’s 7-3. Make him finish over that length. Bites the ball fake. And 1 = 45 pts #WizWarriors pic.twitter.com/454BdS5gh8 – 12:20 AM Matt Steinmetz @SteinmetzNBA
Researching whether or not there’s ever been a player 7-foot-3 or taller in NBA history who’s been a worse shot-blocker than Porzingis. – 11:10 PM Matt Steinmetz @SteinmetzNBA
Who’s tallest player in NBA who makes least out of his height? I’ll start: Porzingis. – 10:55 PM Chase Hughes @ChaseHughesNBCS
Wes Unseld Jr. on whether Kristaps Porzingis will be limited in more back-to-backs this season: “As far as I know right now, we’ll be clear from here on out.” – 8:44 PM Josh Robbins @JoshuaBRobbins
Wizards starters tonight against the Warriors: Raul Neto, Corey Kispert, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis. – 8:44 PM Neil Dalal @NeilDalal96
Draymond Green on the Wizards’ usage of Kristaps Porzingis
“Looks like they’re trying to rediscover the Kristaps that we all grew to know before the injury.”
“Him and Kuz has a nice little thing going as well.” pic.twitter.com/sPXJ35GbTt – 2:21 PM

More on this storyline

Magic Johnson: By scoring 60 points last night, superstar Karl Anthony-Towns put himself in the running for the NBA’s MVP! -via Twitter @MagicJohnson / March 16, 2022 If the 100-some media members who vote share the same view as the executives, coaches and scouts I contacted, though, this year promises to be no different. More than a half-dozen players have been mentioned as being worthy of the award — Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, DeMar DeRozan and Jayson Tatum — but there was a clear-cut first choice among the majority of my panel: Philadelphia 76ers’ center Embiid. -via FoxSports.com / March 16, 2022 Kyle Neubeck: Embiid with nothing but praise for Nikola Jokic after the game, repeating his comments from last week calling him a “monster.” When asked if outscoring him tonight showed if he’s the best big in the league or not, Embiid pointed out that they lost and that it’s not for him to say -via Twitter @KyleNeubeck / March 15, 2022