Nikola Jokic

Nikola Jokić Calls Nuggets Parade “Best Day Of My F*cking Life”

by

The Nuggets celebrated their first-ever NBA title with a parade through the streets of Denver on June 15. The title came after a dominant season in which the Nuggets won 53 games. Serbian star Nikola Jokić, the Finals MVP, was crucial to the team’s success, with a historic playoff and Finals performance. The Nuggets selected Jokić 41st overall in the 2014 draft and head coach Michael Malone played a crucial role in turning him into a two-time MVP and team pillar.

However, much has been made of Jokić’s seemingly unenthusiastic reaction to winning an NBA title. Furthermore, images of Jokić almost forcing himself to have a good time during the team’s post-game celebrations have emerged online. It’s been very, very funny. Despite this, it’s unfair to say that Jokić isn’t happy he won an NBA championship. Instead, he doesn’t need all the media attention and pomp. He did his job, won a championship. Now he wants to go home and enjoy his time off. Jokić typically spends his offseasons in Serbia.

Jokić Leads Rowdy Parade Speeches

However, all of Jokić’s stoicism and lack of enthusiasm were gone by the time he took the mic at Civic Park. “Today is the best day of my fucking life,” Jokić declared to the crowd of thousands. Furthermore, Jokić backtracked on previous comments that implied he didn’t want to stay for the parade. “You know that I told [you] that I don’t want to stay and parade, but I fucking want to stay and parade.”

Malone also joined in the profanity when it was his turn to talk. “We’re running this shit back!” Malone said, eliciting raucous cheers from the crowd. The speeches were just some of the wild moments of the parade. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope engaged fans in a beer-chugging contest, going viral as he dual-fisted beer cans. Meanwhile, rookie Christian Braun, just the sixth player to win NCAA and NBA titles in back-to-back years, greeted fans with a replica WWE belt. However, not everything was a positive experience. A police officer was injured when he was struck by one of the fire engines carrying the team. Elsewhere, a double shooting occurred 1.5 miles from the end of the parade. However, despite these events, it was an unforgettable day in Denver.

[via]

The post Nikola Jokić Calls Nuggets Parade “Best Day Of My F*cking Life” appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Nikola Jokić Briefly Lost The Finals MVP Trophy

by

Nikola Jokić is not only the MVP of the NBA Finals but also of our hearts. The Denver Nuggets center has gone viral multiple times for his less-than-enthusiastic reaction to becoming the NBA champion. Furthermore, images of Jokić almost forcing himself to have a good time during the team’s post-game celebrations have emerged online. That’s not to say that Jokić isn’t happy he won an NBA championship. Instead, Jokić is just truly the basketball player’s basketball player. He doesn’t need all the media attention and pomp. He did his job, won a championship. Now he wants to go home and enjoy his time off.

To cap off a historic playoff performance, Jokić was named Finals MVP. He averaged 30.2 points, 14 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game during the Nuggets’ 4-1 series win over the Miami Heat. There was no one more deserving of the trophy than Jokić, who also finished as the runner-up in league MVP voting this season. However, in true “I don’t want to be here” fashion, Jokić has gone viral again, this time for his trophy antics.

Jokić Loses MVP Trophy In Locker Room

First reported by ESPN‘s Malika Andrews, Jokić reportedly lost the Finals MVP trophy while celebrating. “I left it in the equipment manager’s room and it’s not there anymore,” Jokić admitted to Andrews. It’s not the first time that an athlete has lost an important trophy. In 2013, the Baltimore Ravens had to admit that they managed to lose the Lombardi Trophy after misplacing it during team celebrations after the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, in 2011, Real Madrid managed to get the Copa Del Rey trophy run over by the team bus while parading through the streets of the city.

Thankfully, Jokić’s story has a happy ending. Andrews later reported that “Rest assured, the Nuggets’ longtime equipment g*ru Sparky Gonzales has the trophy cleaned and detailed and it’s ready for Thursday’s parade.” However, the whole incident has only added to the mystique of Jokić’s post-championship demeaning. Speaking of the championship parade, that was another element of proceedings that appeared to physically pain him. “The job is done. We can go home now,” Jokić said in a post-game interview.

[via] [via]

The post Nikola Jokić Briefly Lost The Finals MVP Trophy appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Nikola Jokic Looks Hilariously Unenthused About NBA Finals Win

by

Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets won their first NBA title on Monday night. Overall, they had a truly incredible season. They were the best team in the Western Conference, and in the playoffs, they continued to be great. Heading into the Finals, they had only lost three times. Moreover, they lost once to the Miami Heat en route to a five-game gentleman’s sweep. Jokic was absolutely legendary during the series, and his heroics down the stretch propelled the Nuggets to their win.

However, if you paid attention to the celebration after the game, it became clear that Nikola Jokic didn’t care all that much. When presented with the Finals MVP trophy, he picked it up and immediately passed it off to head coach Michael Malone. Additionally, when asked about the parade on Thursday, Jokic said that he wasn’t excited as he just wanted to go home. As it turns out, his horses are racing on this weekend, and he wants to be home in time to see all of it take place.

Read More: Stephen A. Smith Stuns JJ Redick With Bad Nikola Jokic Take

Nikola Jokic Is Nonchalant

Nikola Jokic is a fun and eccentric guy who the NBA certainly needs. He doesn’t appear to have time for the extra pleasantries, and it can be quite humorous. Although some see it as disrespectful, that isn’t on purpose. Jokic just has that personality naturally and a lot of NBA fans are having fun with it. As for his teammates, they could not be more excited. Jamal Murray has gone through a lot to get to where he is now, and his emotions certainly reflected that on Monday night.

For the city of Denver, this is just an incredible time. The Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup last year, and now, they have an NBA champion. Now, the Broncos and the Rockies need to start winning. Either way, this is a title that will be remembered for a very long time. Only time will tell whether or not this Nuggets team can become a proper dynasty.

Read More: Lil Wayne Links Up With Nikola Jokić And Wayne Gretzky

The post Nikola Jokic Looks Hilariously Unenthused About NBA Finals Win appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

SOURCE SPORTS: Denver Nuggets Win NBA Title, Nikola Jokic Named Finals MVP

by
FyensO2aQAMTHKS

The NBA Finals are officially over, and the Denver Nuggets are your 2022-23 NBA CHampions. After the 94-89 victory in Game 5 at the Ball Arena, Nikola Jokic added another MVP to his name, NBA Finals MVP.

Jokic scored 28 points, 16 rebounds, and four assists in the game-clincher. The win is the first in the history of the Nuggets franchise. After the game, Jokic said to ESPN’s Lisa Salters: “It’s good. It’s good. The job is done, and we can go home now.”

According to ESPN Stats & Information, Jokic is now the third second-round pick to win Finals MVP, joining Willis Reed and Dennis Johnson. He also joins Giannis Antentokounmpo, Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only international players to win Finals MVP.

Murray added 14 points, eight assists, and eight rebounds in what was a grinder of a defensive game. “I knew once we were healthy, we could do it,” Murray said to ESPN at the conclusion of the game.

He added, “I think this is the first of many.”https://twitter.com/nuggets/status/1668476592652185600?s=20

After taking a fourth-quarter lead by as many as seven, the HEAT and Jimmy Butler did what they have done all season long, not give up. Butler poured in a personal 11-0 run to take an 87-86 lead with 2:47 minutes remaining, but the Nuggets were able to finish the game.

After the game, HEAT head coach Erik Spoelstra said there were no regrets about how they played.

“There’s just sometimes where you get beat, and Denver was the better basketball team in this series,” Spoelstra said. “That’s about as hard — I don’t know how long it would take me to go through the autopsy of this final game, but I would say that it will probably rank as our hardest, competitive, most active defensive game of the season, and it still fell short.”

The HEAT’s run falls short after an unlikely bid via the play-in tournament saw the HEAT beat powerhouses in the Antentokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks and the Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown-led Boston Celtics. They also dispatched the New York Knicks.

“I’m just grateful,” Butler said. “I learned so much. They taught me so much. I wish I could have got it done for these guys because they definitely deserve it.”

“You take the experience of this season, and if you can just bottle that up and everybody just have their own portion or rewritten story of it, the No. 1 thing, I think, would be will,” Heat center Bam Adebayo said. “So looking forward, I think this is one of my favorite teams I’ve ever been a part of because we willed our way through ups and downs.”

The city of Denver is now getting ready for a parade, which will happen this Thursday in Denver.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: Denver Nuggets Win NBA Title, Nikola Jokic Named Finals MVP appeared first on The Source.

Lil Wayne Links Up With Nikola Jokić And Wayne Gretzky

by

There have been a lot of famous faces present at the NBA Finals. The Miami Heat, who hosted Games 3 and 4 of the series, have many famous fans. These fans include Gabrielle Union, John Legend, Serena Williams, Rick Ross, Kevin Hart, and Flo Rida to name a few. The Denver Nuggets are appearing in their first-ever NBA Finals. Meanwhile, the Miami Heat return after reaching the Finals in 2020. However, the Het are looking for their first NBA title since 2013.

While Lil Wayne is known as a diehard Lakers fan, few people can stay away from the siren song of the NBA Finals. It’s unclear who, if anyone, he is rooting for in the series but he has spotted courtside at Game 4 in Miami. After all, the Nuggets swept his beloved Purple and Gold in the Conference Finals. Furthermore, he was also spotted at Game Two of the Finals in Denver. Moreover, Wayne linked up with a couple of famous faces while he was at the game.

Wayne Meets Jokić And Gretzky

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by RapTV (@rap)

“Joker ain’t no joke!” someone yells as Lil Wayne rolls up to Jokić. Wayne can be heard saying “you feel me?” before their conversation is lost in the noise of the crowd. Jokić had 23 points and 12 rebounds in Denver’s 108-95 win to take a 3-1 lead as the series heads back to Denver for what could be the series-deciding Game 5. Jokić has been absolutely dominant throughout the playoffs and is the current favorite to win Finals MVP. However, he wasn’t the only famous face that Wayne encountered.

Wayne also stopped for a picture with NHL Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky, who remains the NHL’s all-time leader in points, goals, and many other categories, shared the image to Instagram. “2 Wayne’s” read the caption as Gretzky towers over Wayne. It remains to be seen if Wayne will be following the series back to Denver. As mentioned, he was there for Game 2. Follow all the latest sports and celebrity news here at HotNewHipHop.

[via] [via]

The post Lil Wayne Links Up With Nikola Jokić And Wayne Gretzky appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Stephen A. Smith Stuns JJ Redick With Bad Nikola Jokic Take

by

Stephen A. Smith is the biggest name at ESPN right now. Although not everyone is fond of his broadcasting style, there is no doubt he is a force to be reckoned with. Overall, he is making a hefty salary over there, and his bosses love him. After all, he is the reason why the viewership hasn’t dropped off of a cliff over there. His show First Take is a massive success, and with the NBA Finals going down right now, the network is having a good time.

Last night, the Denver Nuggets and the Miami Heat played Game 3 of the NBA Finals. In the end, it was Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets who came away with the victory. Furthermore, Jokic had a historic night as he had over 30 points, 21 rebounds, and 10 assists. Overall, it was just a truly fantastic performance from the big man. However, it inspired an uninformed hot take from Stephen A. “Jokic isn’t known for having some kind of dominant post game now. That’s not his game,” Smith said confidently.

Read More: Stephen A. Smith Calls Zion Williamson A “Man Child”

Stephen A. Tried It

This commentary left JJ Redick and Jay Williams in awe. Simply put, they could not believe that Smith would put such an ignorant statement into the world. However, he did just that, and Redick was forced to correct him. “We’ve got 10 years of tracking data. You know what the No. 1 most efficient halfcourt play is? … A Nikola Jokic post up. Boom,” Redick said. Of course, he got a lot of praise from Jay Williams, who backed him up on those stats. At the end of the day, it has been hard for Jokic to get any kind of credit for his heroics.

Now, the Nuggets have a 2-1 series lead and seem to be in the driver’s seat. They are favored to win this series, and Game 4 should be very interesting. Let us know who you think will come out victorious, in the comments section down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the sports world.

Read More: Stephen A. Smith Shares Advice For Cardi B Regarding “Boredom”

The post Stephen A. Smith Stuns JJ Redick With Bad Nikola Jokic Take appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Denver Nuggets Take Finals Lead Behind Historic Performances

by

The NBA Finals have already produced plenty of excitement. The Nuggets dominated Game 1 at home. Nikola Jokić led a dominant blowout with yet another triple-double. However, despite Jokić dropping 41 points, the Heat were able to steal a tight Game 2. Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Gabe Vincent were able to help the Heat outlast the Western Conference giants. This led to a hilarious moment where Butler mooned Adebayo at the post-game press conference.

As the series moved to Miami, there were a lot of variables in the air. Many pundits believed that the Heat had finally figured out how to defend Jokić. Furthermore, there was speculation that the Heat simply had the deeper starting roster, with the Nuggets heavily relying on Jokić and Jamal Murray. However, it would all be settled on the court, with the series lead up for grabs. After stealing a game on the road, it was the perfect opportunity for the Heat to take control of the series.

Jokić And Murray Headline Historic Night

Miami took a slim, early lead in the first quarter before the Nuggets battled back to end the first quarter tied at 24. However, Denver began to pull away in the second quarter and entered the half up five, 53-48. Jokić already had a double-double at the half, with 13 points and 11 rebounds. The Nuggets pushed their momentum in the third quarter, extending their lead to 14 entering the final period. The Heat never found a way back into the game and Denver retook the lead in the Finals with a 109-94 victory.

Murray led all scorers with 34 points, adding 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Alongside him was Jokić, who put a 32-point triple-double with 21 rebounds and 10 assists. It made them the first players in NBA history to record 30-point triple-doubles in the same game. Furthermore, they became the first teammates to each record 30 points and 10 assists in the same game since Clyde Drexler and Terry Porter in 1992. Elsewhere, Jokić was making individual history by recording the first 30-20-10 game in NBA Finals history. Furthermore, it’s just the third 30-20-10 game in playoff history after Kareem and Wilt. The Nuggets will look to build on this momentum in Friday’s Game 4. Follow all the latest sports news here at HotNewHipHop.

[via]

The post Denver Nuggets Take Finals Lead Behind Historic Performances appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

J. Cole, DJ Khaled, Dwyane Wade & More Hit Game 3 of NBA Finals in Miami

by
J. Cole, DJ Khaled, Dwyane Wade & More Hit Game 3 of NBA Finals in Miami

Game 3 of the NBA Finals is in the books. With the series shifting back to Miami, the stars came out. Dwyane Wade and Magic Johnson, J. Cole, DJ Khaled, Kai Cenat, Shakira, and Neymar and Pogba were spotted courtside and throughout the arena.

Visual Portfolio, Posts & Image Gallery for WordPress


DJ Khaled


Dwyane Wade and Magic Johnson


J. Cole


Kai Cenat


Neymar and Pogba


Shakira

It was too much Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray for the Miami HEAT in game three as the Denver Nuggets cruised to a 109-94 victory to take a 2-1 lead.

Jokic had 32 points, 21 rebounds, and ten assists, while Murray added 34 points, ten rebounds, and ten assists. The star duo for the Nuggets became the first teammates in NBA Finals History to have 30-point triple-doubles in the same game.

Nuggets’ coach Mike Malone was speaking differently about his team than he did after Game 2. Specifically about Jokic and Murray, Malone said it was “By far, their greatest performance as a duo in their seven years together.”

Assisting the Nuggets duo were Christian Braun, who had an energetic 15 points off the bench, and Aaron Gordon, who added 11 points, ten rebounds and five assists.

For the HEAT, Jimmy Butler had 28 points, Bam Adebayo had 22 points and 17 rebounds, but what was echoing out of the HEAT in postgame was a lack of energy.

“Maybe we’re at home; we think we did something,” Butler said. “I don’t know. It just can’t happen. It won’t happen again. It starts with myself. I have to lock in on the defensive end. I have to go up and get loose balls. I think if I start playing and doing that, then everybody else has to follow suit.”

“I just think sometimes, for us, when we lose a lot of those physical battles, the effort plays, the loose balls, the rebounding battles, that’s our identity,” Head Coach Eric Spoelstra said. “And sometimes, that can affect the flow of the rest of your game. That’s not an excuse. I think the thing that we’ve proven over and over and over is we can win and find different ways to win regardless of whether we have confidence, regardless of whether the ball is going in.”

The HEAT will get another shot at the Nuggets when Game 4 tips off on Friday from Miami.

The post J. Cole, DJ Khaled, Dwyane Wade & More Hit Game 3 of NBA Finals in Miami appeared first on The Source.

SOURCE SPORTS: Jokic and Murray Drop Triple Doubles and Nuggets Take 2-1 Lead on HEAT

by
Jokic and Murray Drop Triple Doubles and Nuggets Take 2-1 Lead on HEAT

It was too much Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray for the Miami HEAT in game three as the Denver Nuggets cruised to a 109-94 victory to take a 2-1 lead.

Jokic had 32 points, 21 rebounds, and ten assists, while Murray added 34 points, ten rebounds, and ten assists. The star duo for the Nuggets became the first teammates in NBA Finals History to have 30-point triple-doubles in the same game.

Nuggets’ coach Mike Malone was speaking differently about his team than he did after Game 2. Specifically about Jokic and Murray, Malone said it was “By far, their greatest performance as a duo in their seven years together.”

Assisting the Nuggets duo were Christian Braun, who had an energetic 15 points off the bench, and Aaron Gordon, who added 11 points, ten rebounds and five assists.

For the HEAT, Jimmy Butler had 28 points, Bam Adebayo had 22 points and 17 rebounds, but what was echoing out of the HEAT in postgame was a lack of energy.

“Maybe we’re at home; we think we did something,” Butler said. “I don’t know. It just can’t happen. It won’t happen again. It starts with myself. I have to lock in on the defensive end. I have to go up and get loose balls. I think if I start playing and doing that, then everybody else has to follow suit.”

“I just think sometimes, for us, when we lose a lot of those physical battles, the effort plays, the loose balls, the rebounding battles, that’s our identity,” Head Coach Eric Spoelstra said. “And sometimes, that can affect the flow of the rest of your game. That’s not an excuse. I think the thing that we’ve proven over and over and over is we can win and find different ways to win regardless of whether we have confidence, regardless of whether the ball is going in.”

The HEAT will get another shot at the Nuggets when Game 4 tips off on Friday from Miami.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: Jokic and Murray Drop Triple Doubles and Nuggets Take 2-1 Lead on HEAT appeared first on The Source.

Drake Drops $1.25 Million in Bets on the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals

by
Drake Dreamville

Drake, ever the gambler, has dropped 1.25 million in wagers on the Denver Nuggets.

Hitting Instagram, The Boy showed tickets for the NBA Finals. For $1 million, Drake took the Nuggets to win the series, paying out $1.23 million. He bet $250K on the Nuggets winning 4-1 for the exact series result, bringing back $850K.

Drake’s bets are off to a good start as the Denver Nuggets entered Game 1 of the NBA Finals and did what they have done all season, protect their home court. In their first Finals game ever, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murry led their team to a 104-93 victory over Jimmy Butler and the Miami HEAT.

The game started with force as Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon overpowered smaller defenders of the HEAT for eight points in the first quarter and set the pace for a wire-to-wire win.

Jokic had 27 points, 14 assists, and ten rebounds, adding another triple-double to his playoffs run. Jamal Murray added 26 points and ten assists. Michael Porter Jr. scored 14 and added 13 rebounds.

For the HEAT, Bam Adebayo gave a monster performance of 26 points and 13 rebounds. HEAT star Jimmy Butler only had 13 points on 6-for-14 shooting from the field. More alarming for the HEAT was their lack of free throws, only getting to the line twice. Butler spoke on free throws and additional offensive woes after the game.

“Probably because we shot a lot of jump shots, myself probably leading that pack, instead of putting pressure on the rim,” Butler said.. “Getting layups, getting to the free throw line. When you look at it during the game, they all look like the right shots.

“And I’m not saying that we can’t as a team make those, but got to get more layups, got to get more free throws. And whenever you miss and don’t get back, the game gets out of hand kind of quickly. We gave up too many layups, which we also can’t have happen. But that’s it as a whole. We’ve got to attack the rim a lot more, myself included.”

On the other end of the ball, Nuggets coach Mike Malone spoke about his star player, Nikola Jokic.

“I learned a long time ago, the defense tells you what to do, and Nikola never forces it,” Malone said. “If they’re going to give him that kind of attention, he had 10 assists at halftime. Well, he’s going to just pick you apart.”

The HEAT will now attempt to recover and get a win during Game 2 this Sunday.

The post Drake Drops $1.25 Million in Bets on the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals appeared first on The Source.