Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic is a generational talent. The NBA has never seen a player who lacks athleticism and speed like Jokic but dominates on every single night.
With three regular-season MVPs to his name, he continues to make a case for his fourth MVP award.
The clash between the Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs represented the duel between two MVP contenders - Jokic and Victor Wembanyama. The Frenchman leads the MVP Ladder with Jokic at third, but it was the Serbian who came out on top as the Nuggets registered a 136-134 overtime victory over the Spurs at the Ball Arena on Saturday night.
Jokic recorded another double-double as he posted a game-high 40 points, eight rebounds, and 13 assists. It was a performance that could give a push in the MVP voting.
Following the win, Jokic had a funny banter with former NBA champion Udonis Haslem on NBA on Prime. Jokic pointed at the NBA trophy during his conversation with Haslem. The former Miami Heat player took a subtle dig by saying he has three championships to his name. Jokic was not ready to end the banter just yet as he said:
Not against me.
Not against me.
The Nuggets center did apologize for his statement and said he was joking. However, his statement got the whole studio crew laughing.
Udonis Haslem does have three championships to his name, but he was always seen as a role player who provided leadership in the locker room. There is no comparison between him and Nikola Jokic as players.
Jokic is one of the most dominant and gifted players in the NBA today. His ability to influence a game and fill the stats sheet makes him must-see TV. With Jokic fit and healthy, the Nuggets will fancy themselves as winning their second-ever championship. The 31-year-old has made it clear that the goal is to win the title this season.
After a Nikola Jokic masterclass, the Nuggets extended their winning streak to eight games. They are closing on the third seed, the Los Angeles Lakers. With just four games to go in the regular season, the Nuggets are just 0.5 games behind the Lakers.
Following their win, former NBA player DeMarcus Cousins was asked if the Nuggets are contenders this season.
Absolutely. As long as they got a guy like Jokic on that squad, I don't think that is ever a question. I think the main issue with Denver is health.
DeMarcus Cousins on Run It BackThe win over a championship-contending team like the Spurs is a statement win for the Nuggets. After winning the championship in 2023, the Nuggets have lost in the Western Conference Semifinals in consecutive seasons. They will be optimistic about their chances this year.
The performance put up by Jokic in their overtime win over Wembanyama and the Spurs can play a significant role in the voters' minds. The race is going to go down to the wire with reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also in the race.
Nuggets head coach David Adelman spoke about his star player in his post-match press conference.
He has been the most consistent in the last six years. He is the best player in the world. All these guys (Jokic, Wembanyama and SGA) are so good for the game. I just don't want people to skip past our guy because he's won it three times.
David Adelman in his post-match press conferenceJokic was number one in the MVP Ladder for the majority of the season till an injury ruled him out for over a month. He is currently averaging historic numbers as his stat line is 27.9 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.9 assists, and is shooting at 57.1% from the field.
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