On the stage of NBA history, there has never been a lack of second-round shows or even cases of losing drafts in reverse order, thus being fully recognized by the league. Among them, Jokic, who joined last season's regular season MVP honor, is the most typical example in recent years. Remember when he was a fledgling, almost everyone thought he would end his NBA career early and return to Serbia. However, Jokic can always prove his worth with one amazing game after another, one eye-catching data after another. It took him nearly 7 years from joining the league in 2014 to being recognized by the entire league.
I have to admit that Jokic's road to fame is still relatively smooth, and the 27-year-old is in the middle of his fighting years, and the future is full of infinite possibilities. And the protagonist of today's story, compared to Jokic, who proved himself in the regular season, his performance in the playoffs can be described as a championship puzzle that can be used in any championship winning team. He is PJ Tucker, a role player who has always maintained a great passion for basketball and can do his best for every game. Some say that since winning the championship ring with the Bucks last season, tucker has become more focused on Tucker in the league.
But in fact, Tucker had been favored by a large number of Rockets fans as early as when he first played for the Houston Rockets. Because of his excellent three-pointers, tough defensive ability, and the leadership of the locker room, Tucker was a key internal rotation in the Rockets' five small lineup as early as 2017. Of course, in the process of assisting Paul and Harden, Tucker did not get the coveted championship ring. But none of that mattered, Tucker got approval from Rockets management, sending him to the Milwaukee Bucks on the eve of the team's announcement of rebuilding.
Although in the eyes of league analysts at the time, the Bucks' role in bringing in Tucker was less than half of Holliday's weight. But who would have thought that Tucker, who had played a highlight moment on the Rockets, would continue to shine at the age of 36. In the journey of last season's playoffs, Tucker not only got a stable starting opportunity, but also strongly limited the playoff death God Durant on the stage of the Eastern Conference semifinals, helping the team to grab seven successes and clearing the obstacles for the subsequent championship. Yes, Tucker became the first player in the rockets' death five lineup to win a championship ring.
With his excellent defense and the blessing of the championship ring, Tucker has become a member of the Miami Heat this season. At the beginning of a new season, Tucker has also become a year older, but his competitive level has not weakened at all because of his age. This season in Miami, he is still the team's starting core, not only with excellent defensive changes, to help the team become the league's top defensive team, but also to unlock the once insoluble bottom corner three-pointer. That's right, Tucker's three-point shooting percentage is as high as 44.9% so far, ranking first in the league, and it has not been surpassed in nearly two months!
With a defensive ability that leads 85 percent of the players in the league, there is an unparalleled three-pointer. But looking at the data, who could have guessed that he was just a second-round show, a 37-year-old veteran. Most of the league's players have chosen to retire at his age, or are on the verge of retirement, but he can play the peak, with an annual salary of 2 years and 14.35 million US dollars, and continue to chase the next championship ring. That's right, Tucker's current team, the Miami Heat, is the best team in the East, and the chances of winning the championship are significantly higher than other teams.