“He’s going to kill you, then move on,” Justin Holiday said of Nikola Jokic.

Justin Holiday has only played nine games with Nikola Jokic, but he’s loving having a front-row seat to the spectacle that the reigning Finals MVP has put on so far this season.

On opening night, he saw Jokic put up a 29-point, 13-rebound, 11-assist triple-double against the Lakers. Then he saw Jokic’s near-perfect game against the Mavericks, in which the two-time MVP scored 33 points (14-16 FGs), grabbed 14 rebounds, and dished out 9 assists.

Holiday believes that the most important takeaway from Jokic’s first season in Denver has been his consistent on-court demeanor.

“No matter who comes in here, who does what, Jokic doesn’t get too high or too low,” Holiday remarked. “I know he likes basketball, but if you saw him — and I know a lot of people talk about his expressions — he just goes out there, kills you, and moves on to the next game.” He isn’t concerned in personal plaudits, which I believe is admirable.”

Jokic is already on his way to another historic offensive season. He’s currently leading the NBA in made baskets. He’s made six more field goals than Luka Doncic and 13 more than Kevin Durant in the same number of games. Jokic also leads the NBA in rebounds. He’s fourth in total assists.

He’s shooting 71% from two-point range, a level of efficiency that’s typically reserved for rim-rolling, dunk-first big men.

Of the 51 players who have attempted at least 75 two-point field goals this season, only three are shooting at least 65%: Jokic (71%), LeBron James (66%) and Alperen Sengun (66%).

How easily Jokic moves onto the next play, even in the game’s biggest moments, has also been one of Holiday’s takeaways from watching him up close.

“We play a lot of games. Jokic is a part of a lot of plays,” said Holiday. “He’s just like, ‘Yeah, OK,’ (and moves on). Like with the turnover he threw the other day. We all knew what he wanted to do. He gets that through, it’s a big play. If he doesn’t, it is what it is. I think our team does well with that. It’s not like, ‘Dang, we turned it over.’ No, we’ve got to win this game. That’s over. It’s a part of the game.”

Jokic’s no-nonsense mentality has rubbed off on his teammates too. During a recent game where Jamal Murray wasn’t shooting the ball well, he told Holiday on the bench that he was going to “turn up” how hard he was playing since his shot wasn’t falling.

That meant a great deal to the Nuggets’ veteran.

“That’s something I respect a lot,” said Holiday. “He didn’t pout. That’s the stuff that really sticks with me.”