Latest news with #NikolaJokic
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Thunder's Isaiah Hartenstein reveals difference between facing Pacers, Nuggets in playoffs
The post Thunder's Isaiah Hartenstein reveals difference between facing Pacers, Nuggets in playoffs appeared first on ClutchPoints. After Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein addressed ESPN's Stephen A Smith for dissing him while he was with the New York Knicks, the veteran center reflected on his postseason journey to becoming an NBA champion. From one grueling seven-game series against the Denver Nuggets to a do-or-die Game 7 in the NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers, the Thunder earned its title through a pair of must-wins. Isaiah discussed the differences. For Hartenstein, the Nuggets not only pushed the Thunder to the brink but gave Oklahoma City the impression that even at its very best, three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and the 2023 NBA champions still had a chance, he said, while breaking down the differences between the Pacers and the Nuggets, per Podcast P with Paul George. 'I think they were really impressive. They play their style no matter what. I think the biggest one, just playing against them, was Rick Carlisle,' Hartenstein said. 'The main thing for them is just the timely timeouts — the timely adjustments. I think that was the most impressive thing.' Carlisle gets the best out of the Pacers' players. However, Jokic and the Nuggets instilled genuine fear in Hartenstein and the Thunder. 'The whole team plays the same way. They're just never stopping,' Hartenstein added. 'It was definitely a tough series. I think, in general, we were always confident throughout the series. I think the only series where we were kind of a little bit against the ropes was Denver — just Jokic. 'The way they play. They've been there before, and that's probably the only series where we were like, even if we do everything right, they probably still have a chance. 'Every other series we were like, if we do the right things, we're good,' Hartenstein concluded. Isaiah Hartenstein addresses Stephen A Smith after Thunder title Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein inked a $87 million contract for three years last summer, knowing he was joining a championship contender after coming off a playoff run with the New York Knicks. During his stint with the Knicks, ESPN's Stephen A Smith questioned his increased role, which eventually got back to Hartenstein. 'I was a big part of the team at the time,' Hartenstein said of his role in New York. 'Funny thing is, he came back to be at the Finals like, 'Bro, I miss you in New York.' So we're cool.' From a G League standout to starting for a championship team, Hartenstein has come a long way. Related: 3 takeaways from Thunder Summer League Related: Thunder players show off Larry O'Brien trophy in convertibles
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
"NBA is his side gig": Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokić gets heavily mocked as he breaks down after his horse wins a race
Nikola Jokic recently broke down after his horse won a race.(Image via Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images) Nikola Jokić, the Denver Nuggets' star player and one of the most talented players in the league, was visibly emotional as his horse won a race in Serbia recently. But this has sent shockwaves across the community as Nikola Jokić is known to always have a calm demeanour and be reserved. His teary eyed videos have sparked brutal trolling as many feel his reaction was a 'bit too much'. Nikola Jokić 's reaction to his horse winning has gotten him brutally trolled as fans feel he 'doesn't care' about the NBA much In videos that have gone viral, as soon as his horse won the race, Nikola Jokić covered his face with his hands as he was visibly emotional at the win. This reaction of his was in complete contrast to when his NBA team, the Denver Nuggets, won the championship. At that time, Nikola Jokić didnt look too cheerful and insisted on going home as soon as possible. Now, his recent reaction has gotten him brutally trolled. A fan by the username @mixtorious1 took to X and wrote, 'Winning/loosing a horse race means more to Nikola Jokić than winning/loosing the NBA Finals 😂😂' Nikola Jokic has gotten brutally trolled by his fans.(Image via X) Another fan by the username @BetOnline_ag wrote, 'HE HAS A HEART! Just not for basketball 😂😂' A third fan by the username @TrendingSportsP commented, 'Bro cares more about winning his horse races than winning nba championship 🤣' Another fan by the username @Easygo58 wrote, 'He loves this more than the NBA let that sink in lol dude literally The NBA is his side job 😭 why couldn't this be me haha A fifth fan by the username @Gorilla_Blanco wrote, 'It probably feels like a monumental achievement in his mind to be successful at something other than basketball. A lot of athletes feel anxiety of being a one trick pony (no pun intended) so this was a big milestone.' However, Nikola Jokić has not issued a statement amid all the criticism he has received for his recent reaction. How did Nikola Jokić react when the Denver Nuggets won the championship For the unversed, when the Denver Nuggets had won the championship, videos had captured Nikola Jokić desperate to go home. In one of his post match interviews, the star player had said, "The job is done…We can go home now."· FAQs When did Nikola Jokić join the Denver Nuggets? Nikola Jokić joined the Denver Nuggets in 2015 How old is Nikola Jokić? Nikola Jokić is 30 years old Also Read: "He was trying to leave us": Dwyane Wade's wife Gabrielle Union admits she felt "abandoned" during the NBA legend's cancer treatment Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
See Nuggets' Nikola Jokic in literal tears after horse race
The post See Nuggets' Nikola Jokic in literal tears after horse race appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Denver Nuggets have been busy this offseason, adding Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown, and Tim Hardaway Jr. to try to give Nikola Jokic some much-needed shooting and secondary playmaking. Meanwhile, Jokic himself has also been busy, but not necessarily playing basketball (although there's probably also been plenty of that). Recently, video surfaced of Jokic racing horses in his native Serbia, and after his horse won, Jokic showed perhaps more emotion than he's ever displayed on an NBA court. (per MrBuckBuck on X, formerly Twitter, via Arena Sport TV). The moment quickly went viral on social media. 'Dude celebrated this more than a championship LMAOOOO,' wrote one user. Another added that Jokic 'can't wait to retire from his side gig that pays the bills and focus on his true love, he's gonna retire the second his prime is done.' Jokic has long been known for his love of racing horses during the offseason back home in Serbia, with some noting that he tends to become much more visibly excited about that sport than he was when he won the NBA championship in 2023. Can the Nuggets win another title? While Jokic may not be the most emotionally expressive basketball player in the NBA, there's little debate that he's the best right now. Last year, Jokic very nearly willed the Nuggets to an upset win over the eventual NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals, but Denver ultimately bowed out in seven games. Still, with the offseason additions of Johnson, Hardaway Jr., and Brown, along with other savvy signings along the margins, there is hope that the Nuggets will once again be able to compete for championship glory in 2025-26. Jokic doesn't rely much at all on speed or athleticism to be effective, so it's likely that he'll be a dominant player for the next several years. Meanwhile, Nuggets fans will be looking for a bounce back from Jamal Murray, who has been sporadic at times during the last two regular seasons, with some questioning whether he is truly good enough to be Jokic's number two option. In any case, Jokic still has a couple of months to continue racing horses before the NBA preseason begins. Related: Nuggets' Nikola Jokic's agent sparks rumors with LeBron James 'big plans' tease Related: Morris twins challenge Jokic brothers to boxing match
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nuggets' Nikola Jokic makes final decision on EuroBasket 2025 participation
The post Nuggets' Nikola Jokic makes final decision on EuroBasket 2025 participation appeared first on ClutchPoints. In what is set to make the upcoming EuroBasket 2025 a star-studded event, the Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic became the latest NBA superstar to commit to the tournament. The three-time MVP and 2023 NBA Champion was announced as part of Serbia's 17-man preliminary roster alongside multiple NBA stars. Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported that Jokic joins a roster filled with stars such as Nikola Topic, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nikola Jovic, alongside EuroLeague sensation Vasilihie Micic, and is now set to take part in the tournament which tips off later this month, on August 27. Jokic will play under head coach Svetislav Pesic, and will be seen alongside the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic. The former also recently confirmed his decision to play in the tournament. The tournament is set to be hosted across Cyprus, Finland, Poland and Latvia, with Serbia set to compete in a challenging Group A which includes the likes of Estonia, Latvia, Turkiye, Czech Republic, and Portugal. Serbia will tip off its campaign with two warm-up events. The first will feature Greece in Israelm with the three teams set to play multiple games in Cyrpus on August 9 and 10. Further, Serbia will then participate in a mini-tournament in Munich from August 15-16 where they will face off against Czech Republic and the winners of the game between Germany and Turkey. The final warm-up game will be played against Slovenia on August 21 at the Belgrade Arena and will potentially pit Jokic against Luka Doncic. Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks' two-time MVP, has also declared his intent to play for Greece. The Greece roster also included the likes of Kostas Sloukas and Tyler Dorsey, with both Nick Calathes and Thanasis Antetokounmpo set to miss the tournament. Jokic's inclusion undoubtedly elevates an already NBA-rich roster into one of the leading contenders in the tournament. Related: See Nuggets' Nikola Jokic in literal tears after horse race Related: Nuggets' Nikola Jokic's agent sparks rumors with LeBron James 'big plans' tease
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA analyst makes case for former Nugget Russell Westbrook as free agent target
The Denver Nuggets have made some big moves this offseason, but they might be making a key mistake. Over the past few weeks, the Nuggets have transformed their roster as they look to make some noise in a tougher Western Conference next season. After taking the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games last season, the Nuggets clearly believe they aren't far away from making another title run of their own. With Nikola Jokic running the show, the Nuggets will always be capable of making some postseason noise when healthy. Of course, the Nuggets' run to the second round last season wasn't always fueled by their stars. Russell Westbrook was a key part of Denver's success in 2025, even becoming a playoff hero for the franchise. After declining his player option to enter free agency, Westbrook is still looking for his next home. While Denver has made some solid moves, such as adding Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jonas Valanciunas, Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes explained why Westbrook still has some value. Hughes noted that the former MVP has transitioned into one of the league's premier sixth men and still has the ability to take over games despite going into his 18th season. Considering all of the value Westbrook brought to Denver last season, the Nuggets could be making a mistake in letting him walk. By energizing the team on sluggish nights and consistently getting the crowd into games, Westbrook always added a spark that doesn't show up on the stat sheet. Still, as Westbrook looks for a new home, there is no doubt that he can still be a valuable piece of a winning team.
