Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets have taken a commanding lead over LeBron James and the Lakers. Game 2 was one of the best playoff games in recent memory, and it had a ridiculous ending. Jamal Murray, who struggled all game with his jump shot, nailed a buzzer-beater that broke the Lakers spirit. Additionally, minutes after the celebration in the Nuggets home arena, Jokic’s brother got involved in a battle of his own. A video was released of the 2-time MVP’s brother allegedly punching a fan. The video has prompted the league and law enforcement to investigate.
Authorities are making progress in their investigation into Nikola Jokic’s brother, Strahinja Jokic’s, alleged punching incident. The man who was alegedly struck in the face earlier this week by Strahinja Jokic appears to have been found. A spokesperson for the Denver Police has confirmed that the department has been in contact with the alleged victim. We still do not know if the alleged punching victim is pressing charges or not. The investigation is ongoing, and fans are curious how this will play out.
Nikola Jokic’s Brothers Alleged Victim Found By Denver Police
The older brothers of Jokic are well-known for their altercations with just about everyone. In the past, they have stood up to fans, rival athletes, and referees to defend their younger brother. Strahinja jumped over a row of seats to punch the fan. In the video Strahinja appears to have gotten close, pushing through a crowd, and allegedly delivered a punch. The fan and Jokic Brother continued to yell back and forth afterward. Notably, Nikola’s wife was right by Strahinja when it all went down, and she was holding Nikola Jokic’s young daughter through the violent incident.
Overall, it’s an unfortunate incident and an unnecessary distraction for the two-time MVP. There is a more than good chance that Jokic will be awarded his third MVP trophy in the coming weeks. The Denver Nuggets look unstoppable so far, and they are the favorites to win their second straight NBA title. The Nuggets face off against LeBron and the Los Angeles Lakers tonight in a pivotal game 3. The Nuggets have now won ten straight against the Lakers. Updates regarding Jokic’s brother’s ordeal will steadily come out as we learn more.
A video emerged of the punch with Nikola Jokic’s brother Strahinga, who was under investigation by law enforcement and the NBA. In the video, shared by TMZ, Strahinja can be seen crossing rows of seats at Ball Arena and punching a man in the face.
You would think Nikola Jokic’s brothers would be riding high during the Nuggets epic comeback victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. But instead Jokic’s brother Strahinja, decked a fan in the seats which was caught on video.
Witnesses say the wild scene happened right after Joker triumphed 101-99 over LeBron and the Lakers. The Nuggets are now up 2-0 in the Playoffs’ first round.
Strahinja is Joker’s older brother. He hopped over a seat at Ball Arena and descended a row, kicking his way through the crowd. Full stop: this kind of behavior alone can get someone banned. But anyway, he then made his way to a male spectator.
When Strahinja got close enough, he snuffed the fan in the face.
After the assault, both Strahinja and the guy who caught the jab kept talking smack even while the third brother, Nemanja, was behind his aggressive brother for moral support.
Now, get this: Joker, a two-time MVP, had his wife, Natalija, also in the stands. She was merely feet away from the action with Joker’s brothers while holding their young daughter. She did try to get Strahinja to chill, but he wasn’t having any of it.
The Jokic brothers, who are as imposing as their famous brother, are known for defending Joker at games, but flat-out punching people is another thing. Let’s see how the league handles this one.
The NBA has announced its finalists for the 2024 NBA MVP. The Denver Nuggets Nikola Jokic, the Dallas Mavericks Luka Doncic, and the OKC Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are the finalists. The three players have been the front-runners for most of the season. It’s been an intense three-horse race, with each finalist having a convincing resume that voters will have to weigh. The Michael Jordan MVP award would be a historic landmark for each player.
Nikola Jokic is the hands-down favorite to take home the MVP award. If he wins, that will give him three MVPs and put him in rarified air. The Nuggets are the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, and Jokic put up his usually ridiculous numbers to lead his team. Luka Doncic led the Mavs to the 5th seed and put up historic offensive numbers. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the young Thunder to the 1-seed, putting up MVP-like numbers on an unlikely juggernaut. It is a tight race, and arguments can be made for each player as they all deserve it.
Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Shai Gilgeous Alexander Face MVP Showdown
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA – APRIL 21: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder reacts after a play against the New Orleans Pelicans in game one of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at the Paycom Center on April 21, 2024 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Nikola Jokic is the clear favorite, with Gilgeous Alexander in a close second. Jokic has been dominant, and the Nuggets are the defending champions. A third MVP for Jokic would solidify him as an all-time great already. Shai has the second most convincing case. He is the best player on the best team record-wise in the West. He hasn’t one and is a media darling who led a surprising team to a place they haven’t been in a long time. Luka Doncic is the third choice. The Mavs are only the 5th seed despite Luka’s historic season.
The Denver Nuggets have a commanding 2-0 lead over the Lakers, and they are gearing up to repeat as NBA champions. Oklahoma City won a very close game to the Pelicans and face off for game two tonight. The Dallas Mavs tied up their series against the Clippers last night. MVP is a regular season award, so whatever happens in the playoffs doesn’t matter. Overall, the MVP race has been entertaining, and the winner will certainly be deserving.
You would think Nikola Jokic’s brothers would be riding high during the Nuggets epic comeback victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. But instead Jokic’s brother Strahinja, decked a fan in the seats which was caught on video.
Witnesses say the wild scene happened right after Joker triumphed 101-99 over LeBron and the Lakers. The Nuggets are now up 2-0 in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
Strahinja is Joker’s older brother. He hopped over a seat at Ball Arena and went down a row while kicking his way through the crowd. Full stop, this kind of behavior alone can get someone banned. But anyway, he then made his way to a male spectator.
When Strahinja got close enough, he snuffed the fan in the face.
After the assault, both Strahinja and the guy who caught the jab kept talking smack even while the third brother, Nemanja, was behind his aggressive brother for moral support.
Now, get this: Joker, a two-time MVP, had his wife, Natalija, also in the stands. She was merely feet away from the action with Joker’s brothers while holding their young daughter. She did try to get Strahinja to chill, but he wasn’t having any of it.
The Jokic brothers, who are as imposing as their famous brother, are known for defending Joker at games, but flat-out punching people is another thing. Let’s see how the league handles this one.
The Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers played one of the most entertaining games in the playoffs so far. Nikola Jokic led his team to a 101-99 victory over Lebron James and the Lakers. The game was full of great moments and spectacular play from the stars involved. Apparently, the action in the stands turned violent when one of Jokic’s brothers punched a fan. Shortly after the incredible game-winning shot by Jamal Murray, Jokic’s brother was filmed punching a fan in the stands.
The clip shows Jokic’s older brother, Strahinja, in an altercation with a fan. It’s a terrible incident to have, especially after your brother just won an important game. Jokic’s older brothers are massive guys who are known to get into altercations with anyone and everybody. They have confronted referees, fans, and even opposing players in the past to defend their little brother. It’s unacceptable behavior from someone who is related to a two-time MVP, especially in the playoffs. The NBA is reportedly looking into the incident.
The video shows Strahinja jumping over seats to punch a fan. He pushed his way through a crowd of fans to confront the man. Strahinja was clearly eager to get close, and as soon as he did, he punched him in the face. The fan and Jokic Brother continued to bark at one another for some time after the incident. Nikola’s wife was seated by Strahinja and close to the incident the entire time, holding the two-time MVP’s young daughter. At this point, we don’t know what started the incident, but the Jokic brothers are known to defend their families even if they are in the wrong.
The Nuggets now lead the Lakers 2-0 and will head to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Thursday. Nikola Jokic dropped an impressive triple-double of 27 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 assists. His partner in crime, Jamal Murray, scored 14 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter. Murray nailed a dagger at the buzzer to devastate the Lakers. The incident with Jokic’s brother will hopefully not be a distraction for the defending champion.
In recent days, a new meme has started to surface, and it turns out that Lil Yachty is at the root of it.
As Know Your Meme notes, Yachty performed at the Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash concert in 2021, and a clip of his energetic walk out to the stage has racked up over 4.5 million views on YouTube since it was uploaded on June 2022. Here’s that video:
The unmodified video started to be used as a reaction meme here and there, but it has found new life this April, after a post from X (formerly Twitter) account @AIWarper generated some attention. The tweet includes the video, but modified, using a tool called Viggle AI, to replace Yachty with Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of the Joker.
A version featuring New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau has gone viral in the sports world, so much so that Thibodeau was asked about it in a recent press conference. He revealed that he was originally showed the clip by one of his players, Mitchell Robinson, and that he thought Robinson himself made the video.
NBA All-Star Weekend is almost here, taking place on Sunday, February 18 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The entire weekend will consist of its usual events, including competitions like the Celebrity Game, as well as the 3-Point and Slam Dunk Contests, among others. As the event draws closer and anticipation rises, the starting lineups for the 2023-2024 NBA All-Star Game have been revealed.
The 73rd edition of the All-Star Game sees the NBA returning to the traditional Eastern vs. Western conference format, with two guards and three front-court players as starters. They previously implemented a draft in 2017 where captains chose players regardless of conference. According to NBA Communications, three voting groups determined the All-Star starters: 50% fan votes, 25% players, and 25% media panel. Additionally, head coaches chose the reserves for each team. Both conferences are stacked with big names and many of the best players in the league. As we recently covered the Eastern Conference starters, we will be spotlighting this year’s NBA All-Stars in the Western Conference. Take a look at the players below.
DALLAS, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 06: Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks celebrates after the Dallas Mavericks scored against the Orlando Magic in the second half at American Airlines Center on November 06, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
This year’s starters for the NBA All-Star Western Conference are a multinational group, with three of the five starters being non-American. Including Greek-Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo and Cameroonian Joel Embiid in the Eastern Conference, the All-Star teams contain international stars on the lineups. Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić hails from Slovenia. Currently leading his team’s franchise leader for career triple-doubles, this is Dončić’s fifth NBA All-Star selection and fourth as a starter. When he made the Western Conference in 2020, he became the youngest European player to start in an All-Star game.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
WASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 16: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrates after hitting the game winning shot against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on November 16, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
This year is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s second selection for the NBA All-Star Game. The Canadian guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder made his All-Star debut last year. He ranked number one in player and media voting, becoming the fourth player in Thunder history to become an All-Star, joining the likes of Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, and Paul George. The Thunder currently stand at number 3 in the Western Conference under the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 07: LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after scoring to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, surpassing Abdul-Jabbar’s career total of 38,387 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena on February 07, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
To no surprise, LeBron James is an NBA All-Star starter. This year marks his record-breaking 20th All-Star selection, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in doing so. Last year, James also broke Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time league scoring record. Since he was first selected in the 2004-2005 season, the arguable GOAT has been a 7x captain and won 3 Game MVP Awards. Starting in 2018, he and Team LeBron won the All-Star Game for five consecutive years until 2023. While James’ team may have lost to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s team last All-Star Weekend, he is more than capable of securing another win.
Kevin Durant
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JANUARY 06: Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets drives with the ball against the New Orleans Pelicans during a game at the Smoothie King Center on January 06, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
Besides LeBron James, Kevin Durant has been selected as an NBA All-Star more than any other player. This year is his 14th All-Star selection and 12th as a starter. Since his first selection in 2010, he has received the NBA All-Star Game MVP Award twice. In 2023, Durant was traded to the Phoenix Suns after spending three seasons with the Brooklyn Nets. That same year, he rose on the NBA’s All-Time Scoring List, currently ranking at the tenth spot. In the Western Conference, the Suns stand at number six with 27 wins and 20 losses this season.
Nikola Jokić
DENVER, CO – APRIL 07: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets dribbles against the Memphis Grizzlies at Ball Arena on April 7, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ethan Mito/Clarkson Creative/Getty Images)
After winning the NBA championship last year with the Denver Nuggets, Nikola Jokić secured his sixth All-Star selection. The Serbian center first became an All-Star in 2019 and has been representing the Nuggets ever since. He is the only Denver player besides Alex English to start in four All-Star games. With Jokić’s help, the Nuggets have become a force to be reckoned with in the Western Conference. Currently standing in second place, we will see if Denver has what it takes to reclaim the title they won last season.
Carmelo Anthony has sounded off against his former team, the Denver Nuggets, about their decision to give Nikola Jokic his old number. “When you think of 15 in Denver now, to this generation, you thinking Joker. I’m like, ‘F-ck is going on? 15?’” Melo told the 7am in Brooklyn podcast. Furthermore, Melo called the move “petty”.
Melo spent eight years in Denver to begin his NBA career. However, after a string of playoff misses and one-and-done first-round exits, Melo announced that he would be exploring free agency when his contract expired in 2011. However, rather than let him walk, the Nuggets traded Melo to the Knicks. Before coming to the NBA, Jokic also wore No. 15 in Serbia.
However, during a separate appearance on 7am in Brooklyn, Melo got a chance to share some love for a close friend. As Jadakiss gave Usher his flowers for his recently-ended Vegas residency, he also mentioned that he still fondly remembered his time working with Usher. A moment later, Anthony was dropping a perfect cover of Kiss’ verse from that collaboration, “Throwback”. “He killed it!” Jadakiss exclaimed once Anthony had powered through the verse. You can watch Melo’s impromptu performance below. Let us know in the comments what you thought of Melo’s performance.
Jadakiss and Melo have been friends for most of Anthony’s professional basketball career. After Melo retired in May, Kiss was sure to honor his close friend. As Jadakiss began his performance at an Air Jordan event in July, he played audio from the 2003 NBA Draft, specifically the announcement of Melo going third overall to the Nuggets. Melo was in the crowd and was evidentially touched by the unorthodox shoutout. Kiss has also referred to Anthony as his “little brother” on numerous occasions during their friendship. Furthermore, Kiss’ son previously called his dad the “Melo of the [music] industry”, drawing yet another parallel between the pair.
3.6 seconds left in the fourth quarter and the ball was inbounded to Nikola Jokic at three-quarters court. He dribbled to the Chase Center logo near the Warriors bench, lifted over Kevon Looney and gamed the Golden State Warriors.
The Denver Nuggets outlasted Stephen Curry and the Warriors in a Thursday night on TNT thriller 130-127. Jokic dropped 34 points on 13-of-15 shooting, 10 assists and nine rebounds. Additionally, Aaron Gordon had 30 points and Jamal Murray added 25.
“That was the last option with that play,” Jokic said. “I just took a shot. I think those shots are the easiest shots to take. You don’t have any other options. So actually, when I felt it, I thought, ‘Oh, I’m going to bank this.’ You can see the flight of the ball, and I just knew I was going to bank it.”
On the other end of the court, Curry dropped 30 and Klay Thompson added 24.
You can see Jokic’s interview with Inside the NBA and highlights below.
Nikola Jokic has tied Wilt Chamberlain’s record for the most “perfect” triple-double – a triple-double with perfect shooting. Jokic’s 26/14/10 night with 11-for-11 shooting helped the Nuggets halt the four-game run of the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies had appeared unstoppable since the return of Ja Morant. However, the performance marked Jokic’s third such triple-double, tying the long-standing mark set by Chamberlain. The only other player in NBA history to record multiple “perfect” triple-doubles is Draymond Green with two.
However, Jokic was humble when speaking about the game. “It’s a miss and make game. Of course, sometimes you miss, sometimes you make. Today I made all of my shots. It’s not going to be a lot of those nights,” Jokic said. However, Jokic sat out the last 1:31 of the third quarter and the entire fourth quarter after achieving the stats needed for the triple-double. Furthermore, head coach Mike Malone echoed Jokic’s comments. “[Jokic] was 11-for-11 tonight. He doesn’t care about that. If Jamal has got it going, he’s clapping for Jamal. He takes more joy in his teammates’ success [than his own], and that’s the true definition of being selfless. And he lives it every day,” Malone said.
Dwight Howard Claims His Prime Was Better Than Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic had FULL COMMAND of the floor tonight in the Nuggets’ dominating 142-105 win!
26 PTS (11/11 FGM) 14 REB 10 AST
The Joker joins Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in NBA history to record a triple-double on 100% shooting (Min. 10 FGA) in multiple games. pic.twitter.com/KS0v6Wh9gY
While Jokic consistently finds himself in rare company, there are those who don’t see him as a true GOAT. “So, people look at that and say, “Well, Jokić, he scores and does all this stuff.” And no offense, I think he’s great. I love Jokić, I don’t want people to think that I’m trying to hate even comparing, but I’m going to take myself. I know how dominant I was and I know what I could do with my skills. And on the defensive end and on the offensive end I was quick enough to get past everybody,” Dwight Howard told Complex in July.
Furthermore, he continued to expound on how he compared to Jokic. “So, I didn’t necessarily have to use skill moves and stuff like that all the time to score. I use my speed a lot, I use power to finesse or sometimes speed to finish with power. I just had an array of different things but people just remember seeing me dunk the ball on people’s head. And I love Jokić and I’m happy for him. I think he’s one of the best centers that ever played the game on basketball. [But] I’m Dwight Howard. I know what I’ve done in this league.” At the time of writing, Howard has 19485 points (55th) and 10476 rebounds (10th). Jokic has 12897 points (227th) and 6669 rebounds (137th).
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26 PTS (11/11 FGM)