Charles Barkley simply desires to understand the ‘greatness’ of Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic: ‘I like this child’
Denver Nuggets heart Nikola Jokic has received back-to-back MVP’s, and he’s vying to change into simply the third NBA participant to win the award in three consecutive years.
And whereas Jokic will greater than doubtless fall wanting the achievement – Philadelphia 76ers large man Joel Embiid is the favourite to take house the award – Jokic has a a lot greater objective in thoughts.
Nikola Jokic of the Nuggets celebrates a shot conversion towards the Phoenix Suns at Ball Area in Denver on Monday, Could 1, 2023. (AAron Ontiveroz/MediaNews Group/The Denver Submit by way of Getty Photographs)
Jokic has led the Nuggets to a 2-0 collection lead over the Phoenix Suns within the second spherical of the NBA Playoffs, placing on a present Monday evening in Denver with 39 factors, 16 rebounds, and 5 assists.
STEVE KERR WOULDN’T LET DRAYMOND GREEN LEAVE WARRIORS TO WITNESS LEBRON JAMES BREAK SCORING RECORD
Basketball Corridor of Famer Charles Barkley was in awe after the efficiency, imploring followers of the sport to understand what Jokic was doing on the ground.
“I simply have to inform individuals, man, let’s get pleasure from greatness watching this Joker play,” Barkley stated after the sport. “I imply, he ain’t flashy. He looks like an excellent particular person. I don’t suppose I’ve met him in particular person earlier than. However man, simply respect greatness like we appreciated Steph [Curry] yesterday.
“I like this child, watching him play basketball,” Barkley continued.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Charles Barkley on air earlier than the NCAA Ultimate 4 championship sport between the Connecticut Huskies and the San Diego State Aztecs on April 3, 2023, in Houston. (Mitchell Layton/Getty Photographs)
In a sport the place co-stars Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. struggled, Jokic took over offensively, taking 30 photographs in a 97-87 win.
“I like an aggressive Nikola Jokic,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone stated.
“Nikola’s an MVP for a cause,” Malone stated. “He can take over a sport. He can beat you in lots of methods…. I like a man who’s attending to the basket, imposing his will upon the opposite workforce. And that fourth quarter, man, 14 factors for that workforce, 28% from the sphere, 0-for-9 from 3?”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE Alokito Mymensingh 24 Alokito Mymensingh 24P
Embiid appeared to overhaul Jokic within the MVP race on the finish of the NBA’s common season, regardless of Jokic main Denver to a 53-29 document and the high seed within the Western Convention.
Nikola Jokic of the Nuggets gestures in the course of the Phoenix Suns sport at Ball Area in Denver on Monday, Could 1, 2023. (AAron Ontiveroz/MediaNews Group/The Denver Submit by way of Getty Photographs)
The MVP award will likely be introduced Tuesday evening.
“If he wins, it, we will likely be celebrating and really blissful for him as a result of it’d be an enormous accomplishment – three years in a row. Only some guys in NBA historical past have carried out that,” Malone stated. “If he doesn’t win it, I’m nonetheless gonna give him a hug and inform him he’s the MVP in my eyes.”
/i>
