"I’m cool with that" - Nikola Jokic says he is fine even if he is not the Nuggets' best player as he gears up for his first NBA Finals
Nikola Jokic has two NBA MVP awards and had a great chance to win a Finals MVP this season. He is considered by many to be arguably the best player in the playoffs this year.
Despite the high praise, the “Joker” remains very humble. Here’s what he had to say when asked if he is the Denver Nuggets’ best player (via Harrison Wind):
“Sometimes I am and sometimes I’m not. And I’m cool with that.”
Nikola Jokic asked if he’s the best player on the Nuggets: “Sometimes I am and sometimes I’m not. And I’m cool with that.” https://t.co/yOVZ0vKlT7
Against the LA Lakers, who had the best defense in the postseason, Jokic averaged 27.8 points, 14.5 rebounds and 11.8 assists. He is shooting 50.6%, including 47.1% from behind the arc.
Despite being maligned for his defense, he also averaged 1.3 blocks and 1.3 steals in the Western Conference finals.
Nikola Jokic has hit a triple-double in six of his last eight games and eight in the playoffs so far. He has already broken Wilt Chamberlains’ record of seven for the most in a single postseason.
With the assist, Jokic has the most triple-doubles in a single NBA postseason 🙌
2023 Jokic: 8
1967 Wilt Chamberlain: 7
https://t.co/Garb78jk6N
The Lakers had Anthony Davis manning the paint while Rui Hachimura or LeBron James took on the unenviable task of slowing Jokic down. LA’s frontline was overwhelmed in many ways by the Serbian basketball star.
Jokic may be humble but his opponents are not buying the notion that he’s not the best player in Denver. Some of them even consider him to be better than Joel Embiid, this year’s MVP winner.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra knows what he will be going up against:
"He's very unique. He doesn't really have any noticeable weaknesses in terms of his size to skill set. He's 1-of-1 in a myriad of ways that he can impact a game."
“He's very unique. He doesn't really have any noticeable weaknesses…He's 1-of-1."
Erik Spoelstra on Nikola Jokic https://t.co/1xaUM5wt0a
If Nikola Jokic is not the best player on his team, then on some nights that honor has belonged to Jamal Murray. Denver’s starting point guard is showing his pre-injury performances in the playoffs were no fluke.
Murray averaged 20.0 points, 6.2 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists in the regular season. He has turned it up several notches in the playoffs. “Glitch” is averaging 27.7 points, 6.1 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 15 postseason games.
Maybe if Jamal Murray did bunch of dumb stuff people would talk about him more, because he certainly plays well enough to warrant attention. https://t.co/kHAY704BGM
The LA Lakers gave him the Steph Curry treatment starting Game 3 after he ran rings around LA’s perimeter defenders to start the series.
Nikola Jokic is unbeaten against the Miami Heat since the 2020-21 season
Nikola Jokic won his first MVP during the 2020-21 season. It was also the start of his dominance over the Miami Heat. He is 6-0 against the perennial Eastern Conference finalist since that span.
Jokic is averaging 22.2 points, 12.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists in six games against the Heat. He is hitting 63.5% of his shots, including 41.7% from behind the arc.
This season, he averaged a triple-double against Erik Spoelstra’s defense. Nikola Jokic put up 23.0 PPG, 12.0 RPG and 10.0 APG.
The Miami Heat’s road to the NBA championship will have to run through the unassuming two-time MVP.
Also read: How did Nikola Jokic lose weight? Diet of Denver Nuggets star explored