In the aftermath of Denver’s 125-114 win over the Mavericks on Friday, Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic spoke to the media about his favorite aspect of Luka Doncic’s game. Instead of giving a typical answer, Jokic took the opportunity to take a hilarious jab at his fellow NBA competitor and friend, saying that what he enjoys the most is “that I can beat him and make fun of him.”
I asked Jokic what he enjoys about Luka’s game.
“That I can beat him and make fun of him.”
(They’re good friends.)
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) November 4, 2023
The Mavericks were undefeated coming into the contest, going 4-0 through their first four games. Unsurprisingly, Luka Doncic has been leading the charge so far with arguably the best start to any season of his career. Through five games, he’s averaging 33.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 9.4 assists per game on 50% shooting. Of course, not even Luka could pull out a win against the defending champs. Moving forward, it remains to be seen how long the Mavericks can keep up their 80% win rate.
Thanks to monster performances from the Joker and Michael Porter Jr., the Nuggets moved up to 6-1 on the season and are currently sitting at the top of the West. Somehow, despite losing a key rotation piece this summer, the Nuggets don’t seem to have lost a step after their title run in June.
Jokic Vs. Luka
It’s well-known that Jokic and Luka are close friends at this point, but it’s still interesting to compare where they stand at this point in their careers. At just 24 years old, Luka Doncic has done amazing things in his short career so far. Since his debut season ended in 2019, Doncic has been a regular in the MVP conversation and the Mavericks have been a consistent threat in the West. But even with Doncic on a Hall of Fame path, he doesn’t compare to Nikola Jokic right now, who is making a case for being the best player of the post-Curry era.
With a stat line of 27.3 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game this season, Jokic’s numbers are similar to Luka’s in many ways. Where they differ, however, is in the postseason. In eight years with the Nuggets, Nikola Jokic has accomplished what Luka has failed to do so far: win the NBA championship. And until he crosses that critical milestone, there will always be a blemish on his resume.
The Nuggets Are The Team To Beat
Jokic may have been joking about his obsession for “beating” Luka Doncic and the Mavericks, but he’s playing like a man with everything to prove right now. As the early MVP favorite, Jokic is once again proving to be unstoppable as a paint scorer and playmaker for the Nuggets.
This season, fresh off their title win, one would think that Denver might experience some hiccups early on as they get back into form. Instead, they look better than ever and some believe they could become the new dynasty in the West. For Luka Doncic and the Mavericks, this is the team they have to worry about the most because nobody has found an answer to their dominance so far. This is Nikola Jokic’s league now and Luka Doncic is in jeopardy of falling behind…
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