Even when he’s off the court, All-Star big man Nikola Jokic is an enigmatic presence despite not saying a lot. The Serbian center proved just that when he appeared as one of today’s most popular characters before the Denver Nuggets faced off against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
During the first game of their series against each other, the Nuggets went home with 114-103 win over Los Angeles. Jokic showed everyone why he’s a two-time MVP by dropping 32 points on 65 percent shooting, 12 rebounds, and seven assists. Jamal Murray had a double-double of 22 points and 10 assists, while Aaron Gordon had one too with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
The Lakers, on the other hand, were led by Anthony Davis’ 32 points, 14 boards, and five assists. James tallied 27 points, six rebounds, and eight assists in almost 41 minutes on the court. Meanwhile, Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell combined for 26 points, with the latter shooting only 30 percent from the field.
The win showcased Denver’s brilliance on both ends of the court, as seen in Jokic’s performance. The loss, however, highlighted the Lakers’ subpar backcourt against a taller Nuggets team.
Denver Nuggets Star Nikola Jokic Appears as Despicable Me Before Game 1 Against Los Angeles Lakers
Before the game, Jokic made everyone smile when he arrived as Gru from the Despicable Me animated movies. Shown below are posts from Discussing Film showing the All-Star center’s drip and a video teasing the upcoming fourth film of the series.
For his part, Jokic expressed his love for the character in a tweet by Harrison Wind:
Nikola Jokic on appearing in the Despicable 4 teaser and arriving at the arena for Game 1 dressed like the character Gru: “I love the guy and I love the cartoon,” Wind tweeted.
In many ways, Jokic can be seen as a mad genius when it comes to basketball. With a unique blend of size, basketball intellect, scoring, and playmaking, the Nuggets center is definitely a force to be reckoned with on the court.
With Game 1 done, the Nuggets are hoping to win more and close Los Angeles out early. Thanks to their recent win, momentum is definitely on Jokic and company’s side.
More must-reads: