The show continued even after the game ended.
Fans waited as long as Nikola Jokic did. supporters of the Wizards. A section of the audience moved to the lower bowl corner of Capital One Arena, which faces the court-entry tunnel of the visiting team. Everyone was hoping to get a better glimpse of the two-time MVP center, who had just put up a season-high 42 points in Denver’s 113-104 victory.
The supporters cheered Jokic off as he wandered in the direction of the tunnel.
Of course, it was everything Jokic despises. The cameras on phones are flashing. The attention that was aimed directly at him. But this was a noteworthy show of team support for him away from Denver, and among the most unique scenes to see in a Nuggets season full of them.
The Nuggets coach, Michael Malone, said, “I think it’s the highest honor for a player, when you can go on the road and lead your team to victory and you have the respect of the entire NBA community.” “You spend most of your time driving in an unfriendly environment. However, I believe that real fans and scholars of the game comprehend excellence. And how lucky they are to be able to witness a player who just plays correctly. Although this league is plenty of fantastic players, I’m not sure what you’re looking for if you don’t appreciate Nikola Jokic.
For the last two games, Jokic has been playing with a heavy heart. Dejan Milojevic, his former head coach of the Serbian team Mega Basket, passed away unexpectedly in Salt Lake City last Wednesday after a heart аttаck. He was 46 and an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors since 2021.
Despite how difficult the loss has been for him, Jokic has made an effort to remain professional in the days after Milojevic’s passing, according to Nuggets players, including colleagues. It is evident from Jokic’s refusal to talk to the media after both games. Rather, he has let his piece to speak for itself: The Serbian big scored 38 points a night on 76% true shooting and 69% field goal shooting in Boston and Washingtоn. Denver’s two straight victories have been among his greatest individual efforts of the year.
Teammate and buddy Aaron Gordon said, “That’s greatness.” “.. I am aware of the difficulties he’s facing. I want him to know that we appreciate him going through it and that he understands he can count on us when things become hard. He’s just amazing. He’s excellent.
Michael Porter Jr. told The Denver Post, “We’re all there for him.” “He handles things in his own way, but I’m definitely trying to be there for him.”
Wes Unseld Jr., the Wizards coach and a former Nuggets assistant who is friends with Jokic, decided to single-cover the big man in the post, which allowed Jokic to score his 42 points on only 20 shots. Jokic was mostly used one-on-one by the Celtics on Friday, when his 34 points put a stop to Boston’s 27-game home winning run that stretched back to last March.
“It’s impossible,” Reggie Jackson firmly said, cutting off a question that began, “When you see teams single-cover Jokic..”
Can’t do it, he said once again. “.. Any given night, he may get fifty.
Jokic has continued to support his teammates despite the tactics. He added eight additional assists in Washingtоn, including another no-look, over-the-head pass to a cutting Gordon, in addition to his nine assists in Boston. Oohs and ahhhs were the response from the spectators, who tensed in their seats each time Jokic returned to the action. When he tried a free shot late in the game, far above the 40-point mark, he even heard the opposition supporters shout “M-V-P.”
“We would get that with LeBron (James) a lot when I was in Cleveland for five years,” Malone said. “.. It is not a frequent occurrence.
A clutch quality has also remained during Jokic’s difficult period. With five minutes left at TD Garden, Denver was down 98-95 behind an intimidating fan crowd that was roaring with energy. After Jokic scored in the post twice in a row, the Nuggets took a commanding 99-98 lead in a fourth quarter that saw just five points scored by both teams in the final 3:36. Like most of them, Jokic’s two buckets seemed to be made with ease.
“Impressive. When Jamal Murray was questioned that evening about Jokic performing despite sadness, he said, “You could feel it.” Not just here, of course, but across the whole corporation. the whole league. Because of his fаme, all you want to do is play for (Milojevic). You want to engage in play with his ghоst hovering over you. You just try to give it your all while being aware that this might end at any moment.