After the victory in Game 1 of the Finals, Nikola Jokic was asked about a possible speech on his part, in the locker room, before this meeting or during the playoffs. The response from the double MVP had been quick.
” No no “, he had launched to a journalist with a gesture. “We have veterans who are doing a great job of pointing the finger at things. What they say is quite clever. »
The alumni who speak in Denver are the ones who will speak after the Game 2 loss. Mike Malone railed against his group’s lack of energy, Jeff Green agreed, as did Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and DeAndre Jordan. Each of the three players had talked about it in the locker room.
“When Nikola says something, everyone listens”
“We were frustrated by the way we played, by the effort we had made. We all had the same message. You had to want more than Miami, ” confirms Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the Bleacher Report. “This Miami team was going to fight and the bad times we had in this game were unacceptable, especially at this time of the season,” continues Jeff Green.
Then, suddenly, Nikola Jokic also spoke, which he never does by his own admission. Inevitably, his teammates were surprised but also very attentive.
“He took us by surprise, it was unexpected,” says DeAndre Jordan. “When Nikola says something, everyone listens. I always compared him to Tim Duncan. He’s not very talkative, but when he talks, it says a lot. Green, KCP or even Ish Smith, we always give our opinions, but that of Jokic weighs even more.
“When I speak, it is to say something specific. I don’t talk just to talk”
What were the words of the Nuggets pivot? It is not the main interested party who will be able to tell us…
“Honestly, I don’t remember speaking. So if I said something, I don’t know what I said anymore.” dismisses, as always, Nikola Jokic. “Maybe it was my emotions that spoke. When I speak, it is to say something specific. I see something, I say it. I don’t speak just to speak. »
Obviously, his message bore fruit since Denver achieved a high quality Game 3, winning largely in Miami. With a gala Nikola Jokic and a Jamal Murray at the same level.
“His message was simple: you can’t slack off. We have to fight harder, with more energy and attention. Before Game 3, in training and in the shootaround, everyone was very focused,” reports DeAndre Jordan. “When we hear it after the match, it’s obvious that we are listening”, concludes Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. “He’s not a big talker and he leads by example, especially on the court. But he caught everyone’s attention and it worked for this third run. »
| Nikola Jokic | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2015-16 | DEN | 80 | 22 | 51.2 | 33.3 | 81.1 | 2.3 | 4.7 | 7.0 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 10.0 |
| 2016-17 | DEN | 73 | 28 | 57.8 | 32.4 | 82.5 | 2.9 | 6.9 | 9.8 | 4.9 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 16.7 |
| 2017-18 | DEN | 75 | 33 | 49.9 | 39.6 | 85.0 | 2.6 | 8.1 | 10.7 | 6.1 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 18.5 |
| 2018-19 | DEN | 80 | 31 | 51.1 | 30.7 | 82.1 | 2.9 | 8.0 | 10.8 | 7.3 | 2.9 | 1.4 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 20.1 |
| 2019-20 | DEN | 73 | 32 | 52.8 | 31.4 | 81.7 | 2.3 | 7.5 | 9.7 | 7.0 | 3.0 | 1.2 | 3.1 | 0.6 | 20.0 |
| 2020-21 ★ | DEN | 72 | 35 | 56.6 | 38.8 | 86.8 | 2.9 | 8.0 | 10.8 | 8.3 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 26.4 |
| 2021-22 ★ | DEN | 74 | 34 | 58.3 | 33.7 | 81.0 | 2.8 | 11.0 | 13.8 | 7.9 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 3.8 | 0.9 | 27.1 |
| 2022-23 | DEN | 69 | 34 | 63.2 | 38.3 | 82.2 | 2.4 | 9.4 | 11.8 | 9.8 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 3.6 | 0.7 | 24.5 |
| Total | 596 | 31 | 55.3 | 34.8 | 82.9 | 2.6 | 7.9 | 10.5 | 6.6 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 20.2 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
