"Do I want to do what he did, in Denver? Of course!" - Nikola Jokic on replicating Giannis Antetokounmpo's success with the Milwaukee Bucks at Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokic has stated that he would love to win the championship with the Denver Nuggets just like how Giannis Antetokounmpo did with the Milwaukee Bucks. Both Jokic and Antetokounmpo are international players that have created a big name for themselves in the league.
The two superstars came up against each other last night at the Fiserv Forum, as Denver beat Milwaukee by a resounding score of 136-100. Antetokounmpo had a strong outing for the Bucks but failed to get them the win, as he put up 29 points, nine rebounds and a couple of assists. Jokic was able to lead the Nuggets to victory on the back of his double-double with 18 points and 15 rebounds.
Speaking during his post-game media availibility, Jokic was asked if he was inspired to do with the Nuggets what the two-time MVP did with the Bucks, the Joker with an emphatic "Yes."
"Do I want to do what he did in Denver? Yes, I want to do it of course"
When asked to speak about his relationship with Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic said that he and the Greek international superstar have a connection as do all international players.
"I think that all international players have some kind of connection, I don't know what it is probably just because we came from other countries, that's why. But yeah, he's [Giannis Antetokounmpo] a great guy and his brother, they did a lot of good stuff here in Milwaukee, so you need someone to look up to."
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic were seen having a great time during the All-Star game last year. This time too, both of these stars are selected as starters for their respective conferences and could very well end up in the same team.
Before last year, Antetokounmpo already had two MVP trophies to his name, the only thing missing from his short yet accolade-filled career was a championship. Fortunately Antetokounmpo's hard work finally paid off in the 2020-21 NBA season as he led the Milwaukee Bucks to their first championship in 50 years.
All love between the MVPs⭐️ https://t.co/iZtXNrueRo
Similarly, Nikola Jokic has already established himself as a superstar in the league. He won the MVP trophy last season and is leading the race to repeat that feat this year. However, to cement his legacy the Joker would have to win a championship.
Can Nikola Jokic win a championship with the Denver Nuggets?
Nikola Jokic has been one of the best players in the NBA over the past few seasons. He has elevated his game to the next level and is definitely one of the best passing bigs in the league.
The 26-year-old already has an MVP trophy to his name along with several All-Star and All-NBA selections. However, Jokic's goal is to win a championship and it looks like he would love to do it with the team that drafted him.
#PhantomCam Nikola Jokic has 15 dimes on the night, including this beauty 👀 #PhantomCam
@nuggets and Bucks head into the fourth quarter on NBA League Pass: app.link.nba.com/e/stream https://t.co/d9L8pveDVf
The Denver Nuggets have had loads of injury problems and protocol issues this year, but nothing has stopped them from playing top-level basketball. Jokic has been one of the main reasons behind their recent brilliance, but others like Aaron Gordan, Monte Morris and Will Barton have also contributed massively.
After winning the MVP trophy last season, Jokic would have loved to have taken hs team on to further success. But with Jamal Murray out, the Nuggets did not have the offensive prowess needed to overcome the Phoenix Suns in the second round of the playoffs.
Murray and Michael Porter Jr. have both been out this season, but once they are back from their long injury layoffs the Nuggets will be back to being at full strength. The team has established itself to be a defensive powerhouse with Aaron Gordan leading the charge in that department.
Over the last ten games Nikola Jokic is averaging:
27.2 PTS
12.2 REBS
10.6 AST
1.7 SPG
0.6 BPG
While shooing 61.5% FG, 45.5% 3PT and 93.1% FT
The Nuggets are 8-2 and Jokic is a +125.
He’s the Best Player in the NBA. https://t.co/Xm8CZTf34z
They have all the tools necessary to succeed, but injuries may cost them a shot at the Larry O'Brien trophy this year too. Denver fans will be hoping that next year, when they have all their players back from injury, Jokic and the Nuggets will be able to make a strong postseason push. If the generational talent that is Jokic can lead the Nuggets to a championship, he would give the city of Denver its first-ever NBA title.