Healthy Nikola Vucevic will be difference maker in potential NBA Finals matchup

The Boston Celtics got Nikola Vucevic back today after a month-long absence. His return was a mixed bag, which isn't the best look, given how well Luka Garza played in his place, but he deserves the benefit of the doubt as someone who's understandably rusty coming off an injury and someone who is still relatively new.

Boston has exactly four games left in the season to re-acclimate Vucevic, who they were already acclimating before his ring finger injury (not to mention before Jayson Tatum's return). Knock on wood, Vucevic looks better as a player and fit before the playoffs start, but if he doesn't, the pressure to play Garza instead will mount.

However, regardless of how Vucevic looks, the Celtics still have a solid shot to return to the NBA Finals. If they do, there's a solid chance they may face the Denver Nuggets (who are coming off their VERY impressive win over the San Antonio Spurs). If they do, Vucevic will come in quite handy, as he's one of the NBA's best individual defenders against Nikola Jokic.

Vucevic covers Jokic better than all but one NBA player

Basketball University revealed that Vucevic is the NBA's second-best defender vs. Jokic, with only Julius Randle having better defensive optics against him.

Defense isn't exactly Vucevic's calling card, but that doesn't mean he isn't capable of playing one-on-one defense against centers like Jokic, who depend more on his craftiness and IQ than his athleticism. Vucevic isn't the best at defending pick-and-roll, nor is he the best at blocking shots, but that might not matter to the Celtics as long as he can make the three-time MVP as uncomfortable as possible.

Jokic is still one of the NBA's most unstoppable players. In fact, the only reason why he's not getting much MVP recognition this season is because of how uneven Denver's season has been as a whole. Having someone who can make him struggle getting to his spots may be all it takes for Boston to have the advantage a series.

Despite having excellent defensive bigs like Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford, they've never really had a big man who can cover the Joker. It's not like Vucevic is better than those two as defenders, nor would he shut down a complete monster like Jokic, but stats like this indicate if the two teams were to match up in the NBA Finals, Vucevic would be an instrumental piece in a series like that.

It's very possible that Joe Mazzulla opts to go with Garza as the Celtics' primary backup big man if Vucevic struggles, but if the Nuggets stand in their way of Banner 19, don't be surprised if Vucevic starts.