Joe Johnson is now at the point in his career were he is widely beloved even if he kind of sucks. Did people simply forget how much they used to make fun of him for being an iso chucker and having a ridiculous (for the time) contract? He iso chucked his way to 20,000 points while getting paid like a super-duperstar. The Jazz commentators even use “Iso Joe” as a term of endearment sometimes. What the heck? That’s not the good kind of nickname. It was the mocking kind.
Iso Joe is getting old now, looking slow and ineffective. That’s what happens to players, especially ones who have played big minutes for almost two decades. Those legs just don’t really want to jump any more, or run, or play defense. He has to rely on his savvy now more than ever, and tonight, he got it done. 20 points, a season-high, who knows if this will be his last 20-burger?
It probably won’t be. But it could be. Even MJ had a last 20-burger.