BJ Armstrong talks about the most mind-boggling stat that shows Nikola Jokic is the best player in the NBA

The Denver Nuggets bounced back from a humiliating loss to the Washington Wizards the last time out by snapping the Atlanta Hawks' six-game winning streak on Sunday night.

Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic had another monster game with 48 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists, and three steals in 35 minutes of action. Joker was once again a massive +25 in plus/minus with a usage of 43.2%, which shows how truly vital he is for his team.

Former Chicago Bulls guard BJ Armstrong called Jokic's stats amazing and likened his numbers to what the late Wilt Chamberlain was producing during his iconic 50-point season in 1961-62. However, Armstrong also highlighted one stat that not only showed how valuable "Joker" is to the Nuggets but also why the front office must act soon.

"There is one stat, a team stat that is incredible to me," said Armstrong. "And I just wanna point this out that the Nuggets are the NBA's best team with Jokic on the floor, and then they are the worst team when he's not on the floor."

A tale of two teams

Actually, it's not just one stat, per se, as BJ is saying because no single one determines the best team in the league. It's a combination of numbers, however, which, when added up, gives you the right to proclaim one team as such.

Before Sunday's game against the Hawks, the Nuggets ranked first in the NBA in offensive rating, net rating, field goal percentage, and assists-to-turnover ratio when Nikola is on the floor. However, the moment he leaves the game, the team plummets to 30th, 29th, 30th, 28th, and 28th, respectively in those statistical departments.

"That, to me, is one of the most mind-boggling stat as you're tracking a team because you can say this about Jokic: He plays a winning brand of basketball. He's not one of those guys that just stuffs the stats sheet. It is the job of the front office in Denver to begin to surround him with players that can play to his level," added Armstrong.

The Nikola Basketball Association

For the season, Jokic is averaging 32.3 points, 13.6 rebounds, 10.2 assists, 1.2 steals, and 2.2 three-point makes per game. All numbers are career highs for the Serbian center except rebounds. He ranks second in the league in scoring, first in rebounds, second in assists, second in three-point percentage, and sixth in steals.

There's no question that "Joker" is the most dominant player in the 2024-25 season. But many are afraid that this Wilt-like year might go down the drain because he is not getting the needed help from his supporting cast. Many talk about the poor performances of the other starters, But the major disappointment has really been their bench. The Nuggets reserves rank 28th overall in scoring at just 25.3 points per game.

Many blame Jamal Murray's poor play for Denver's struggles. Others say it's Michael Porter Jr. or Aaron Gordon. But if you look closer, losing Bruce Brown, KCP, Uncle Jeff, Reggie Jackson, and Bones Hyland in the last couple of years has hurt the team's identity. As BJ said, the onus is on the front office to make the necessary changes soon to save Jokic's best season.