Still, Jokic, an anomalous, Serbian outsider, had crashed the party. At that point, Jokic conceded it was fun to monitor the discourse. “Maybe it was just new,” Jokic told The Denver Post. “So that’s (why) maybe I was following, but now I don’t follow anything.” It’s a calculated decision, those close to him say, about what he allows to enter his frame of mind and what never even reaches his radar. Still, the algorithm can occasionally circumvent his lumbering defense. As he was scrolling YouTube one day, one of Kendrick Perkins’ unsubstantiated rants popped onto his feed. “That’s why I said it,” Nikola Jokic said, referencing his unsolicited retort to Perkins on March 8. “But I don’t really listen to those people.”
Source: Mike Singer @ Denver Post
Source: Mike Singer @ Denver Post
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
For context, here are all of Jokic’s made baskets from that game — notably rarely featuring Kyle Anderson (also points out Garza and Knight got reps on Jokic that game). pic.twitter.com/0jG4gvlEtm – 3:22 PM
For context, here are all of Jokic’s made baskets from that game — notably rarely featuring Kyle Anderson (also points out Garza and Knight got reps on Jokic that game). pic.twitter.com/0jG4gvlEtm – 3:22 PM
Rob Perez @WorldWideWob
i checked the digital stream in addition to the cable broadcast and it’s doing the same there too. i am slowly turning into the joker over here please help. – 3:17 PM
i checked the digital stream in addition to the cable broadcast and it’s doing the same there too. i am slowly turning into the joker over here please help. – 3:17 PM
Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
Asked Kyle Anderson this morning about why he can be a good option on Nikola Jokic, at least at times, during this series.
(Side note: Love how Kyle stays calling himself a guard.) pic.twitter.com/fEdUFY3FlS – 2:48 PM
Asked Kyle Anderson this morning about why he can be a good option on Nikola Jokic, at least at times, during this series.
(Side note: Love how Kyle stays calling himself a guard.) pic.twitter.com/fEdUFY3FlS – 2:48 PM
Michael Singer @msinger
Nikola Jokic has carried Denver for seasons on end. He drew unwanted vitriol via the MVP race. I asked numerous teammates & coaches about his head space ahead of the playoffs. Call it the Tim Duncan effect, as one teammate did. He doesn’t get rattled.
denverpost.com/2023/04/16/nik… – 11:34 AM
Nikola Jokic has carried Denver for seasons on end. He drew unwanted vitriol via the MVP race. I asked numerous teammates & coaches about his head space ahead of the playoffs. Call it the Tim Duncan effect, as one teammate did. He doesn’t get rattled.
denverpost.com/2023/04/16/nik… – 11:34 AM
Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
Today’s show w/ @brittrobson: A Wolves-Nuggets series preview
– The importance of who guards who
– How they guard Jokic
– Wolves bench?
– Does DEN view KAT or Ant as head of the snake?
– Thinking about Gobert as a role player
– Initial series expectations
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bri… – 11:25 AM
Today’s show w/ @brittrobson: A Wolves-Nuggets series preview
– The importance of who guards who
– How they guard Jokic
– Wolves bench?
– Does DEN view KAT or Ant as head of the snake?
– Thinking about Gobert as a role player
– Initial series expectations
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bri… – 11:25 AM
Michael Singer @msinger
Nikola Jokic has found a balance amid a toxic MVP race & the unending pressure to lift a franchise.
“If you want to be successful, you need to be obsessed with it,” Jokic told me.
But he knows there’s a fine line between obsession & mental health.
denverpost.com/2023/04/16/nik… – 9:34 AM
Nikola Jokic has found a balance amid a toxic MVP race & the unending pressure to lift a franchise.
“If you want to be successful, you need to be obsessed with it,” Jokic told me.
But he knows there’s a fine line between obsession & mental health.
denverpost.com/2023/04/16/nik… – 9:34 AM
Michael Lee @MrMichaelLee
After Steve Nash & Dirk Nowitzki owned MVP from 2005-07, the NBA went more than a decade without another international player claiming the title. But now the Nikola Jokic-Joel Embiid-Giannis Antetokounmpo triumvirate is its prime & claiming this time. wapo.st/3ZNhkKE – 8:29 AM
After Steve Nash & Dirk Nowitzki owned MVP from 2005-07, the NBA went more than a decade without another international player claiming the title. But now the Nikola Jokic-Joel Embiid-Giannis Antetokounmpo triumvirate is its prime & claiming this time. wapo.st/3ZNhkKE – 8:29 AM
Chris Palmer @ChrisPalmerNBA
Jayson Tatum has played in a whopping 75 playoff games. For context playoff games at the same age:
Bron 60
KD 54
Kyrie 52
Mitchell 40
Beal 39
Giannis 35
Joker 33
Book 32
Dame 28
Embiid 24
Trae 22
Steph 19
Sabonis 14
AD 13
Ingram 6
Fox 1
Ball 0 – 11:55 PM
Jayson Tatum has played in a whopping 75 playoff games. For context playoff games at the same age:
Bron 60
KD 54
Kyrie 52
Mitchell 40
Beal 39
Giannis 35
Joker 33
Book 32
Dame 28
Embiid 24
Trae 22
Steph 19
Sabonis 14
AD 13
Ingram 6
Fox 1
Ball 0 – 11:55 PM
Kendrick Perkins @KendrickPerkins
Light up the loud and Light up that damn Beam!!!! It’s something about them TEXAS BOYS… Fox showed y’all tonight that his heart don’t pump Kool-Aid. He put on a damn clinic tonight dropping a 38 a piece wing dinner all flats with the W and they were air fried!!! Carry on… – 11:27 PM
Light up the loud and Light up that damn Beam!!!! It’s something about them TEXAS BOYS… Fox showed y’all tonight that his heart don’t pump Kool-Aid. He put on a damn clinic tonight dropping a 38 a piece wing dinner all flats with the W and they were air fried!!! Carry on… – 11:27 PM
Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Nikola Jokic averaged 31 points on 58% shooting last playoffs against this Warriors defense with Aaron Gordon and Will Barton as his 2nd and 3rd best players. Rude awakening for Domantas Sabonis tonight. – 10:39 PM
Nikola Jokic averaged 31 points on 58% shooting last playoffs against this Warriors defense with Aaron Gordon and Will Barton as his 2nd and 3rd best players. Rude awakening for Domantas Sabonis tonight. – 10:39 PM
Kendrick Perkins @KendrickPerkins
“Fox put him on his knees like pregame chapel” that’s straight bars right there!!! I love @MarkJonesESPN – 9:17 PM
“Fox put him on his knees like pregame chapel” that’s straight bars right there!!! I love @MarkJonesESPN – 9:17 PM
Kendrick Perkins @KendrickPerkins
Time to move the convo along! Jalen Brunson is no longer the feel good underdog, underrated story. He is who he is and that’s one of the best in the league at his position that grinded his way there like a Jimmy Butler. Carry the hell on.. – 8:46 PM
Time to move the convo along! Jalen Brunson is no longer the feel good underdog, underrated story. He is who he is and that’s one of the best in the league at his position that grinded his way there like a Jimmy Butler. Carry the hell on.. – 8:46 PM
Kendrick Perkins @KendrickPerkins
That was an old school playoff game right there. The physicality of that game was some Special to watch. Shoutout to Thibs for having the Knicks ready defensively… holding a talented Cavs team to just 97 points was beyond IMPRESSIVE!!!! Carry the hell on… – 8:39 PM
That was an old school playoff game right there. The physicality of that game was some Special to watch. Shoutout to Thibs for having the Knicks ready defensively… holding a talented Cavs team to just 97 points was beyond IMPRESSIVE!!!! Carry the hell on… – 8:39 PM
Michael Singer @msinger
Have a story coming tomorrow I’m excited to share. It’ll be on the front of our @denverpost postseason playoff preview. A side to Nikola Jokic you haven’t seen before. Keep an eye out for it. – 6:57 PM
Have a story coming tomorrow I’m excited to share. It’ll be on the front of our @denverpost postseason playoff preview. A side to Nikola Jokic you haven’t seen before. Keep an eye out for it. – 6:57 PM
Kendrick Perkins @KendrickPerkins
If I’m Quin Synder I’m not even showing film of this game tomorrow… because what adjustments are you actually going to make. I’ll just simply show a 1 hour video of a Heart pumping blood!!!! Carry on… – 5:10 PM
If I’m Quin Synder I’m not even showing film of this game tomorrow… because what adjustments are you actually going to make. I’ll just simply show a 1 hour video of a Heart pumping blood!!!! Carry on… – 5:10 PM
Kendrick Perkins @KendrickPerkins
Quiet as kept, the silent James Harden is everything the Sixers needed. Not Houston Harden with all the expectations! That calm and efficient 23 and 13 dimes was a loud message for the ones that forgot. Carry on… – 3:53 PM
Quiet as kept, the silent James Harden is everything the Sixers needed. Not Houston Harden with all the expectations! That calm and efficient 23 and 13 dimes was a loud message for the ones that forgot. Carry on… – 3:53 PM
Kendrick Perkins @KendrickPerkins
Hey @stephenasmith im watching the #SASCast. How come Lil Rel hasn’t done his Big Perk impression yet? Carry on… – 3:19 PM
Hey @stephenasmith im watching the #SASCast. How come Lil Rel hasn’t done his Big Perk impression yet? Carry on… – 3:19 PM
Bill Simmons @BillSimmons
Sticking with my preseason Finals pick: Bucks over Denver. Now +850.
3 Denver things to remember
1. Homecourt 1st 3 rounds
2. Higher Jokic MPG in playoffs. He was 33.7 MPG and +12.5 pts per 100. Bumps to 38-39 MPG in Round 2/3.
3. The best guys usually have 1 Finals run pre-28. pic.twitter.com/mWezX3GX7y – 12:08 PM
Sticking with my preseason Finals pick: Bucks over Denver. Now +850.
3 Denver things to remember
1. Homecourt 1st 3 rounds
2. Higher Jokic MPG in playoffs. He was 33.7 MPG and +12.5 pts per 100. Bumps to 38-39 MPG in Round 2/3.
3. The best guys usually have 1 Finals run pre-28. pic.twitter.com/mWezX3GX7y – 12:08 PM
Kendrick Perkins @KendrickPerkins
If Joker get the best version of KAT and Rudy it’s gonna be a long series!!! Carry the hell on… – 12:17 AM
If Joker get the best version of KAT and Rudy it’s gonna be a long series!!! Carry the hell on… – 12:17 AM
Kendrick Perkins @KendrickPerkins
Play in and Playoff Jimmy Butler is DIFFERENT!!!! With that being said if Bam don’t step his game up even more offensively they will get Swept by the Bucks!!!! Carry the hell on… Btw I got the Bucks in 6 – 9:44 PM
Play in and Playoff Jimmy Butler is DIFFERENT!!!! With that being said if Bam don’t step his game up even more offensively they will get Swept by the Bucks!!!! Carry the hell on… Btw I got the Bucks in 6 – 9:44 PM
Kendrick Perkins @KendrickPerkins
When you’re back is against the wall and you are in a must win situation… these are my Top 5 players in Order that I’m rolling with into a Game 7!!! Carry the hell on…#NBAToday pic.twitter.com/A3yZQFw0AR – 4:36 PM
When you’re back is against the wall and you are in a must win situation… these are my Top 5 players in Order that I’m rolling with into a Game 7!!! Carry the hell on…#NBAToday pic.twitter.com/A3yZQFw0AR – 4:36 PM
More on this storyline
Kendrick Perkins: SGA is something SPECIAL… and that’s exactly why he got my vote for All-NBA 1st Team!!! That was an Impressive Win on the road for the young talented Thunder team!!! Carry the hell on… -via Twitter @KendrickPerkins / April 13, 2023
Clutch Points: “He’s a spectacular player… But when it comes down to being that guy that’s attractive to say, ‘Man, I want to go over here & hoop with Luka.’ Right now, Luka Doncic is not that guy… He has to change some things about himself.” 🗣️ Kendrick Perkins pic.twitter.com/Z05H8NCXzC -via Twitter @ClutchPointsApp / April 7, 2023
Does (Jaylen Brown) stay in Boston? Kendrick Perkins: That is another problem that I’m having. If something is going on in that locker room or in that organization because he is giving me all the signs that he wants out of Boston… whether it’s him addressing the fan base whether it’s him basically talking about let’s see how much the organization really value me because my name is in trade rumors every single year. And not only do you lose Ime Udoka, you also lose Damon Stoudemire who was kind of like that real one that they could come to him or he could kind of be like, “Hey man stop f*cking around, you bullsh*tting” He’s not on that bench no more. -via YouTube / April 4, 2023
But the Nuggets’ generational star doesn’t appear to be bogged down by the criticism or the expectations. “Have you seen his brothers?” Jordan asked. “They used to kick his (butt). I think he’s fine. Anything that you throw at him, you know what I’m saying? … Nothing really rattles him and that’s very rare, especially in our game and how emotional and up and down it is. But you need a guy like that who can kind of settle the waters and kind of make everybody feel calm in the sense of he’s not panicking, almost like a Tim Duncan effect. And that’s huge, especially when it’s your best player.” -via Denver Post / April 16, 2023
Even amid a sour end to the regular season, Jokic maintained what appeared to be a healthy outlook. Asked whether it was important to leave basketball and the accompanying pressures at the gym, he entertained the question with rare candor. “I mean, it is and it’s not because I think if you want to be successful, you need to be obsessed with it,” Jokic said. “So not just in basketball. I think in everything that you do you need to be obsessed and think about it 24/7, but it helps sometimes when you don’t think about it. It’s a line between to be obsessed and still have time to relax.” -via Denver Post / April 16, 2023
Ky Carlin: As expected, Joel Embiid has been named a finalist for MVP alongside Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo #Sixers -via Twitter @Ky_Carlin / April 14, 2023