Nikola Jokic turned a routine rebound into a Hail Mary. Off a scrum under Denver’s rim, the Denver Nuggets star uncorked a full-court dime to Peyton Watson in stride, the kind of quarterback heave that would make Bo Nix grin. The clip rocketed around social feeds as Denver and the Portland Trail Blazers traded punches in their NBA Cup opener. Expand Tweet

The pass wasn’t a one-off either. Jokic kept testing Portland’s floor balance with long outlets, and one of them sprung Watson for a finish through contact. It’s the latest entry in Jokic’s growing archive of “did he even see that?” assists, a play that flips the court before defenses can load up. Article Continues Below

The ending didn’t cooperate for Denver. Jerami Grant buried two free throws with 1.4 seconds left,

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