Nikola Jokic has always been a spectacle on offense. Despite his non-chiseled build and lack of top-percentile athleticism—six-feet-11 and 284 pounds, without much foot speed or vertical leap to speak of—the Denver Nuggets’ center plays basketball like a ballet dancer. In the opener of their conference semifinal against the Phoenix Suns on Saturday, Jokic flung his usual inch-perfect passes and twirled through the lane, leading Denver to their first win in what became, Monday night, a 2-0 series lead.

On defense, though, Jokic tends to be as lumbering as he is graceful at the other end. Most opposing dribblers can edge past the twice-reigning MVP, and almost everyone in the NBA can outjump him. But in that same game against Phoenix, he showcased a skill that distinguishes him from any other defender in the league: He kicked the ball away from the Suns three times.