The Knicks didn't switch this time, so Jokic caught the ball at the free-throw line after rolling down, squared up, and faced Drummond.
After a jab step in place, he simply raised the ball and shot.
Jokic took a mid-range jumper right over Drummond.
The ball struck the back of the rim, bounced up, then dropped into the net.
Two points!
Thanks to Teacher Jokic's individual brilliance, the Nuggets finally scored their first point of the second quarter.
The ball changed hands again.
The Knicks were on offense.
Chen Xi caught the ball in the backcourt and brought it across the half-court line himself. Then he moved to the sideline, where he faced Caldwell-Pope's defense.
Chen controlled the ball with his body turned sideways, waiting for his teammates to get into position.
But Pope stepped forward and poked the ball away.
Knowing his own team needed to make substitutions, Chen didn't bother chasing after it. Instead, he deliberately boxed Pope out, ensuring the ball stayed with the Knicks.
The Knicks re-inbounded, and both teams made further adjustments to their lineups.
For the Nuggets, Payton Watson returned to the court, restoring their strongest starting five without Little Porter.
The Knicks, meanwhile, made even bigger changes.
Hart, Drummond, and Ingles came off the court, replaced by Toppin, Grant, and Hartenstein.
The Knicks' lineup with the best defensive efficiency so far this season had taken the floor.
Now was the time to test their true level against the Denver Nuggets' formidable offense!
Play resumed.
The Knicks inbounded from the sideline.
Chen Xi first passed the ball to Grant, then strode onto the court and took a handoff to get it back.
After receiving the ball, he continued toward the top of the key and squared up against Watson's one-on-one defense.
He dribbled