By Stefan Djordjevic/ info@eurohoops.net
Last season the Denver Nuggets fall short as they didn’t make the NBA playoffs but this year things could be different since the team is having a solid start thanks to Nikola Jokic.
“Perhaps I started playing stronger and better. I speak louder on the court because I want to help our squad and my teammates to win the games. Maybe they will listen to me and we win the games because of that. I’m not talking about leadership because all of us as a team are the leaders. We are all helping each other there is nothing individual on our team because we are together,” said Nikola Jokic in a podcast on Altitude Sports 950.
Nikola always tries to remain humble when he speaks about himself. He is the same on the court as well as he often tries to assist than to score.
“Coach told me to shot more often, but I don’t want to take bad shots so I assist more. There will be the time when I will have to be a bit more selfish.”, explains Jokic.
Coach Mike Malone spent some time this summer with Jokic in his hometown Sombor in Serbia. “We talked about a lot of things but the least about basketball. We talked about horses, about the life and we connected. I trust him and I know he trusts me as well”.
Richard Jefferson moved to Denver this season after being waived by the Cavs. The experience forward is the funniest teammate according to Jokic. “Jefferson is the funniest guy on the earth. I literally dying of laughing when I sit next to him on the bench.”
Nikola Jokic’s both brothers are with him in Denver. When he talked about them he gave the real brotherhood answer.
“When I have my free time I like to fight with my brothers”, said Jokic while laughing and then added – ” I mean, I like to fight with the younger one. The older one I hug more because he is stronger than me.”
Nikola Jokic is averaging 15.9 points per game and 11 rebounds as the Denver Nuggets stand on an 11-9 record.