"I told him thank you for making me better; It's an honor and a pleasure to play someone so skilled" - Former DPOY winner reveals his message to Nikola Jokic after Warriors best Nuggets
Denver Nuggets center and the reigning, defending and undisputed 'MVP' Nikola Jokic has received praise from his Golden State Warriors counterpart Draymond Green.
Following a stellar first-round performance in the Western Conference against the Golden State Warriors, Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets were eliminated from championship contention following a 4-1 series loss to the Dub Nation.
Nikola Jokic had his 8th career playoff game with 35 points, 5 rebounds & 5 assists. All other Nuggets have 7 combined in franchise history https://t.co/wfjAdVa2i7
Green was the first to throw heaps of praise on the 'Joker'. The Golden State Warriors star said:
"I told him thank you for making me better; It's an honor and a pleasure to play someone so skilled."
Draymond Green, who has come face-to-face with a plethora of talented players during his largely tenured and illustrious career, was quick to commend Nikola Jokic for his spectacular playoff performances.
The three-time NBA Champion went on to add:
"Usually when you have guys that talented and skilled they're soft. And he's far, far from soft."
Draymond on his post-game moment with Jokic: "I told him thank you for making me better. It's an honor and a pleasure to play someone so skilled. Usually when you have guys that talented and skilled they're soft. And he's far, far from soft."
Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokic was instrumental in the Denver Nuggets' finishing sixth in the Western Conference. The 'Joker' had a great regular season coming into the postseason, with career highs in almost all aspects of the game.
Jokic recorded career-best Field Goals Made (FGM), Field Goal Percentage (FGP), Free Throws Made (FTM), Rebounds Per Game (RPG), Steals Per Game (SPG), Blocks Per Game (BPG), and last but not least Points Per Game (PPG).
The reigning MVP tallied 10.3 FGM, 58.3 FG%, 5.1 FTM, 13.8 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 0.9 BPG, along with a staggering 27.1 PPG.
To no one's surprise, Nikola Jokic propelled these numbers into the postseason, averaging 31 PPG, along with 13.2 RPG, and 5.8 APG. These numbers are a reflection of Jokic's dominance.
More so considering the fact that the 'Joker' did not have any support against the Warriors, with his second and third options out injured. As predicted, this led to the Denver Nuggets getting eliminated from the 2022 NBA Playoffs.
The Denver Nuggets will be in a position to compete for the NBA Championship next season, provided they can keep the duo of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. healthy and productive.
The 2022 Golden State Warriors
The Warriors were successful in their quest to advance to the Western Conference Semi-Finals in the wake of a 4-1 series victory over the Nuggets.
The trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole were all influential in the Warriors' convincing victory over the Nuggets.
The trio seemed unstoppable from the court at times, and were all phenomenal in the Dubs' advancement to the Western Conference semi-finals.
Draymond Green has been playing defense at an 'All-Star' caliber and has contributed with a significant number of impactful plays on both ends of the floor.
The Warriors seem to be in pole position to proceed to the NBA Finals, where they could once again be NBA Champions.