Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic pulls up to OKC bar after Game 1 win vs. Thunder

Fans have long joked that Jokic does not take basketball seriously despite his continuous dominance. The 30-year-old is a well-known horse lover, which leads to many jokes that he cares about his animals more than his career.

Whatever the case may be, Jokic dominated the Thunder in Game 1, dropping 42 points, 22 rebounds and six assists. While his performance was overshadowed by Aaron Gordon’s game-winning three , Jokic repeatedly got whatever he wanted in the paint against Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein.

Nikola Jokic jokes continue during Nuggets’ 2025 playoff run

Just months after becoming the first center to average a triple-double in NBA history, Jokic’s dominance has only kicked into high gear in the postseason. However, that has not stopped fans from cracking jokes at his expense as the Nuggets chase another championship.

Since Denver unceremoniously fired head coach Mike Malone, fans quickly noticed Jokic’s increased presence during timeout huddles. Many joke that the superstar center has now taken over as the team’s coach without Malone’s voice guiding them.

That only piles onto the horse jokes, which will seemingly follow Jokic for the duration of his career. Even after a gutsy 40-20 double-double, fans still populate social media with sarcastic comments that Jokic barely looks interested on the court.

Jokes or not, Jokic passed his first test against the Thunder’s big lineup with flying colors. Oklahoma City’s two-big lineup with Holmgren and Hartenstein seemed to be the right formula to slow him down, but he hardly looked bothered as he added another stellar performance to his collection.