1. Jusuf Nurkic
Many have doubted Jusuf Nurkic's ability before the season started. Now that he's one of the team's most consistent players, Nurkic has proven that he's a significantly reliable force down low. He may not surprise most people with a dominant performance on a nightly basis, but he's confidently an intelligent offensive center.
So far, the Bosnian center has played all of the Suns games this season. Nurkic's availability is a positive sign for the team, as they haven't had a solid starting unit due to injuries. He's currently fifth in scoring and the team's leader in rebounding. Although he doesn't average double digits in rebounding, his presence down low has helped the other players fight for the boards.
In their first game against the Denver Nuggets, Nurkic made it a challenge for Nikola Jokic to be effective. Although they ended the game with a loss, the Suns showed a tough image against the defending champions. The 7-foot center outperformed the two-time MVP with 31 points and six rebounds.
🇧🇦 Jusuf Nurkic & 🇷🇸 Nikola Jokic aka Balkan boys were going at it tonight 👀pic.twitter.com/JPqoDlEXSV
— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) December 2, 2023
That won't always be the case, but his production is a positive sign that the Suns can rely on the big man when needed.