Nikola Jokic, or ought to we simply name him Wilt Chamberlain, had a completely loopy recreation the place he scored 40 factors, a career-high 27 rebounds, and ten assists to get his aspect to a 119-115 win over the Charlotte Hornets however the massive man wasn’t too fazed by all of it.
“To be sincere, we had been forcing misses and I used to be there to seize the rebounds. And the sport simply opened up for me,” the back-to-back MVP mentioned.
“In fact, the opposing workforce missed the photographs and I used to be there, in the appropriate spot,” Jokic mentioned. “I believe a rebound is a truth of taking part in protection.”
“It’s good stats however it’s not what I’m on the lookout for,” he added.
His very informal response to the potential of a three-time MVP was: “I don’t give it some thought. … If it occurs, it occurs.”
Nuggets coach Mike Malone was completely shook by Jokic’s stats, particularly the rebounds and his efficiency reaffirmed how unguardable he’s as a participant.
“I had no thought he had 27 rebounds. I knew he had a whole lot of rebounds however haven’t seen that quantity fairly often. … What he does, it’s simply superb each night time,” Malone mentioned. “So, I’m simply very grateful he’s taking part in in Nuggets uniform.
“I do know he’s a hell of a participant. When Nikola makes threes, 2-for-4 tonight, I believe he turns into a totally completely different animal. Actually unguardable. Like he’s virtually unguardable each night time. Nevertheless it [threes] actually stretches the protection out. … Nikola is a generational expertise.”
Their heart and coach had been blissful to get a house win in entrance of the Denver followers, who’ve now been handled to a 9-3 report on their residence courtroom.
The Nuggets are third seed within the West with their 18-11 report and naturally Jokic had an impressive recreation and performed an enormous 40 minutes however this was as a result of the remainder of the workforce weren’t contributing a lot in any respect. Which is a little bit of a priority for the coach having to solely depend on one participant.
“”Our bench was not giving something tonight,” Malone mentioned.” …Guys get pissed off once they come out of the sport. Properly, in case you are taking part in higher, you aren’t popping out of the sport – merely stayed at it.
“I can not afford to observe a 13-0 run and sit and do nothing about it. The luxurious of getting Nikola Jokic when issues go sideways, when issues are usually not going that means, I do know I can convey him again into the sport and he’s going to settle us down. And that was what occurred tonight.”
