<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nuggets-news-nikola-jokic-generates-buzz-mvp-on-mvp-gesture-nathan-mackinnon');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic generates buzz with MVP on MVP gesture to Nathan MacKinnon');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Nuggets-news-Nikola-Jokic-generates-buzz-with-MVP-on-MVP-gesture-to-Nathan-MacKinnon.jpg"></figure><h1>Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic generates buzz with MVP on MVP gesture to Nathan MacKinnon</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-12T20:15:49-07:00">October 12th, 8:15pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-12T20:16:58-07:00">October 12th, 8:16pm</time><address><a>Christopher Smith</a>Christopher Smith is an associate editor covering a variety of sports with a beat focus on the Chicago Sky for ClutchPoints. The Aurora, Illinois native earned a degree in philosophy from Creighton University, where he also competed as a Division 1 Cross Country runner.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Denver Nuggets did not escape the second round of the playoffs after the 2023-24 season, but they retain high expectations for 2024-25. The Nuggets are returning <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-nikola-jokic-2023-24-nba-mvp">three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic</a>, who will be sure to continue leading the team to great heights. Jokic shared a notable moment with <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/avalanche-news-nathan-mackinnon-wayne-gretzky-surprise-mvp-win">2023-24 NHL MVP</a> and Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon before the Avalanche’s home game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.</p><p>Jokic performed the honor of presenting the Hart Memorial Trophy to MacKinnon for his stellar 2023-24 MVP run, as shown by the Avalanche’s X (formerly Twitter) account:</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">MacKinnon 🤝 Jokic</p><p>MVP MVP MVP <a href="https://t.co/g66EfTb6zt">pic.twitter.com/g66EfTb6zt</a></p><p>— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) <a href="https://twitter.com/Avalanche/status/1845274778564702375?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Nathan MacKinnon totaled a career-high 51 goals and 89 assists for 140 points (second in the NHL) to win the prestigious honor. Like the Nuggets, the Avalanche did not get past the second round of the playoffs, but they look to make a deep run in 2024-25.</p><p>Fans on X were hyped about Nikola Jokic’s and MacKinnon’s moment on Saturday amid the start of both players’ respective new seasons:</p><p>“Love this so much! Let’s go Denver!” one fan commented.</p><p>“The dynamic duo of MacKinnon and Jokic is unstoppable! MVPs all around!” another fan added.</p><p>“Very cool!! Both MVP’s in the house. Big congrats to both. Denver loves you both!” another added.</p><p>Others could not help but jokingly compare Jokic’s ice skills to Mackinnon’s:</p><p>“Imagine if Joker skated it out to him,” one fan proposed.</p><p>Another fan noted the difference in height between Jokic in MacKinnon:</p><p>[Mackinnon’s] an absolute beast on the ice… Absolute child standing next to Jokic,” the fan commented alongside a laughing emoji.</p><p>Hopefully, Jokic and MacKinnon can continue their incredible runs in the NBA and NHL.</p><p>Jokic’s third NBA MVP award with the Nuggets came after he nearly averaged a triple-double during the 2023-24 season. He and Denver want to continue working hard to bring another championship back to the Mile High City.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic generates buzz with MVP on MVP gesture to Nathan MacKinnon

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/2024-25-nba-media-poll-mvp-luka-doncic-shai-gilgeous-alexander-dethrone-nikola-jokic');   ga('set', 'title', '2024-25 NBA Media Poll: Will Luka Doncic or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dethrone Nikola Jokic for MVP?');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Will-Luka-Doncic-or-Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander-dethrone-Nikola-Jokic-for-MVP.jpg"></figure><h1>2024-25 NBA Media Poll: Will Luka Doncic or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dethrone Nikola Jokic for MVP?</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-08T09:14:40-07:00">October 8th, 9:14am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-08T09:14:40-07:00">October 8th, 9:14am</time><address><a>Brett Siegel</a>Brett Siegel joined ClutchPoints as a credentialed NBA insider and reporter in May 2023 after previously covering the NBA for Fastbreak on FanNation and NBA Analysis Network, as well as working with Louisville Basketball. From playing to coaching to covering the game as a media member, Brett has been involved with the game of basketball from many different perspectives. Breaking the news of various free agent signings, yearly NBA Draft news and other key stories around the league, Brett is always on the phone, getting the latest news and rumors around the NBA. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Nikola Jokic has claimed three of the last four NBA MVP awards. If it wasn’t for Joel Embiid during the 2022-23 season, Jokic would have four straight MVP awards. The Denver Nuggets superstar has undoubtedly been the <a href="https://www.nba.com/nuggets/news/the-statistics-of-nikola-jokics-mvp-caliber-season" rel="noopener">best player</a> in the league, but the 2023-24 season proved that there are other superstars on the verge of capturing their first MVP honors like Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and even Jalen Brunson.</p><p>Ahead of the 2024-25 season, the race for the MVP award is as wide open as it has been in quite some time. The main reason this is such a wide open race in the preseason is due to the fact that each candidate brings a unique angle to the table.</p><p>For Jokic, he is the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-nikola-jokic-reached-larry-bird-magic-johnson-status-bill-simmons">most dominant player in the world</a> and has earned the MVP award numerous times. However, Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder claimed the 1-seed in the Western Conference last year and have proven to be legitimate championship contenders. There is then Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks, who are coming off a trip to the 2024 NBA Finals. Perhaps Brunson or another name will also emerge in the MVP race, similar to what happened with Gilgeous-Alexander last year.</p><p>There is so much talent across the NBA right now, making for excellent competition and award races. That is why it is extremely hard to predict who will win the 2024-25 NBA Most Valuable Player award.</p><p>Although nobody has the answer to who will receive the league’s highest honor in 2025, a total of 30 different media members across the NBA, some of whom are official NBA voters, participated in ClutchPoints’ preseason media poll. Along with being asked about their predictions for the 2025 NBA Finals and how the season as a whole will play out, these media members were asked the tough question of naming their early pick for MVP.</p><p>While the voting was close, the media chose a clear favorite for the 2024-25 MVP award.</p><h2><b>ClutchPoints’ 2024-25 NBA Most Valuable Player media poll results</b></h2><p><b>1. Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks) – 46.7%</b></p><p>2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder) – 33.3%</p><p>T3. Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) – 6.7%</p><p>T3. Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks) – 6.7%</p><p><i>Others receiving votes: Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL), Ja Morant (MEM)</i></p><h2><b>Luka Doncic vs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for MVP</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander-defends-Luka-Doncic.jpg"><figcaption>Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Both Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander received consideration for the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-nikola-jokic-2023-24-nba-mvp">2023-24 NBA MVP award</a>. While Jokic won the award with 79 first-place votes, the Thunder guard made a name for himself by finishing second with 15 first-place votes. Doncic got only four first-place votes despite his near triple-double season.</p><p>No matter how you look at these two players, there is no argument against them being the favorites for the MVP award this upcoming season. With just two weeks until the 2024-25 regular season begins, NBA media members are projecting Doncic to beat out Gilgeous-Alexander and claim his first MVP award. In fact, Doncic received just under half of the total preseason votes that were cast.</p><p>The Mavs had a special season last year, as they made it all the way to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011. Of course, Doncic was the main reason for his team’s success, as the Slovenian star averaged 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 9.2 rebounds per game while shooting 48.7 percent from the floor and 38.2 percent from three-point range. Luka led the league in scoring for the first time in his career, and he registered 49 double-doubles in 70 total games, the most by a non-frontcourt player.</p><p>Now that Klay Thompson is in Dallas, Doncic’s job is only set to get easier, as the Mavericks have even more offensive firepower for the MVP frontrunner to play around with.</p><p>On the flip side of things, Gilgeous-Alexander is set to pick up right where he left off. Now, the young guard has a chip on his shoulder and is ready to take the next step after the Thunder lost to Doncic’s Mavs in the second round of the playoffs despite earning the 1-seed in the West. OKC has only gotten better by signing Isaiah Hartenstein and trading Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso.</p><p>In a total of 75 games last season, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 assists, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game while shooting 53.5 percent from the floor. He finished second behind Doncic in total points scored (2,254) and fourth in field goals made (796). It is worth noting that SGA was tied with De’Aaron Fox for the most steals (150) and steals per game (2.0) in the league.</p><p>The only difference between Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander is that while the Mavs star is an all-around offensive and triple-double threat, Gilgeous-Alexander is a two-way threat. Should these two be battling for MVP late in the season, the vote could realistically come down to which team finishes with a better record.</p><h2><b>Nikola Jokic, Jalen Brunson viewed as dark-horse MVP candidates</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Nuggets-center-Nikola-Jokic-15-reacts-after-a-play.jpg"><figcaption>Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>We can’t forget about the other superstar talents around the league who are vying for the MVP award ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season. Jokic is obviously going to be in the running for the award as long as he is healthy, and Brunson is once again going to play the role of the underdog in this race. However, a lot more attention is being given to Brunson and the New York Knicks right now after all of the major moves they made this offseason.</p><p>In addition to bringing back OG Anunoby on a big contract, the Knicks acquired both Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns in their hunt for a title. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/how-karl-anthony-towns-trade-helps-knicks-timberwolves-hornets">Knicks essentially look like a make-believe roster</a> on NBA 2K right now since their roster is filled with firepower and talent. Towns, Bridges, Anunoby, and Josh Hart are all the types of players who can thrive off the ball on offense next to Brunson, which is why the overwhelming belief about the Knicks entering the new season is that they have what it takes to possibly take down the Boston Celtics.</p><p>Outside of all the noise surrounding Towns and Bridges, many tend to overlook the numbers Brunson put up last year. Only missing five total games, Brunson averaged 28.7 points, 6.7 assists, and 3.6 rebounds while shooting 47.9 percent from the floor and 40.1 percent from three-point range. Brunson’s career high in scoring is a testament to his ability to thrive in isolation and pick-and-roll sets. It is not hard to say that Brunson is one of the best when it comes to utilizing screens to get to his spots in the mid-range area, where he can often times also draw fouls.</p><p>A 50-win season and possibly taking the top spot in the Eastern Conference over the Celtics would 100 percent result in Brunson taking home the MVP award.</p><p>The big question about the MVP race entering the 2024-25 season is whether or not Jokic can do the unthinkable and claim his fourth award in a five-year span. Only LeBron James and Bill Russell ever achieved such a feat.</p><p>At this point, there could absolutely be some voter fatigue that catches up with Jokic. That is what happened when Jokic didn’t receive as many votes as he probably should’ve for the award during the 2022-23 season.</p><p>What else could Jokic truly do in order to separate himself from the rest of the players in this award race? While Doncic, Gilgeous-Alexander, and Brunson continue to improve and help their team reach new heights, Jokic is simply continuing to be great. It will be very interesting to see how his constant MVP numbers stack up with the improvements of others.</p><p>No matter what, these are the four players who will be associated with the 2024-25 NBA MVP award race. Buckle up, because it should be a good one.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024-25 NBA Media Poll: Will Luka Doncic or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dethrone Nikola Jokic for MVP?

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nuggets-news-nikola-jokic-biggest-defeat-team-usa-loss');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nuggets Nikola Jokic drops ‘biggest defeat of career’ revelation on Team USA loss');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Nuggets-news-Nikola-Jokic-drops-biggest-defeat-of-career-revelation-on-Team-USA-loss.jpg"></figure><h1>Nuggets Nikola Jokic drops ‘biggest defeat of career’ revelation on Team USA loss</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-03T08:59:07-07:00">October 3rd, 8:59am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-03T08:59:07-07:00">October 3rd, 8:59am</time><address><a href="https://haydencilley.wixsite.com/hayden-cilley-s-port">Hayden Cilley</a>Hayden Cilley joined ClutchPoints in August 2024 as a Phoenix Suns and Mercury reporter, as well as an Associate Editor. Hayden graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University while covering events like the 2023 NCAA Men's Final Four, the 2024 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and the Arizona State men's swim and dive team. He recently covered the Phoenix Mercury for The Next Hoops and PHNX Sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/olympics-news-stephen-curry-helps-team-usa-ice-serbia-with-insane-comeback">Team USA iced Serbia</a> in the semifinals of the 2024 Olympic Games, Serbian center and NBA MVP Nikola Jokic <a href="https://www.eurohoops.net/en/olympic-games/1722404/nikola-jokic-serbia-team-usa-paris-2024-olympics/" rel="noopener">dropped a shocking take</a> on the loss.<br><br>“It was a good match, probably the biggest defeat of my career,” Jokic said via Eurohoops.net. [We had a] big chance. In the end, they beat us. People from the stands will probably see it as a normal defeat, but for those who played, it was certainly one of the toughest defeats in our careers.”</p><p>Jokic himself had his usual MVP-caliber performance. In the semifinal game, he had <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-olympics-basketball/boxscore/_/gameId/401694864" rel="noopener">17 points, 11 assists, five rebounds,</a> and one steal and a block. He played in all but two minutes for the Serbian National Team. Still, Team USA pulled off an improbable comeback and was down by as many as 17 points.</p><p>The Serbian team dominated after their 17-point defeat to Team USA in Group Phase play. After that, the switch flipped for the team and Jokic. They won their next three games before facing the United States again. </p><h2><b>Could Nikola Jokic use the loss to Team USA as motivation for the Nuggets?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Nikola-Jokic-gets-honest-about-Team-USA-loss.jpg"><figcaption>© Rob Schumacher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>It’s a possibility. Many jokes circulated on social media about the <a href="https://m.facebook.com/NBAMemes/photos/jokic-looks-like-a-whole-new-person-/878816800947381/" rel="noopener">Serbian center looking like a new player</a> for the Olympics. Regardless, his resume is impressive and will continue to grow. He’s an NBA Champion, NBA Finals MVP, and a three-time regular season MVP. When Olympic play began, there was a different side of Jokic the world hadn’t seen.</p><p>There was a level of intensity, drive, and passion that NBA fans aren’t used to seeing. Also, it’s completely different to represent your country, as opposed to playing for a specific league. In <a href="https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/serbia-population/" rel="noopener">a country with about 6.7 million people</a>, the pride runs deep for Jokic, and his teammates.</p><p>Regardless of losing in the semifinals, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/olympics-news-nikola-jokic-ends-drought">Jokic made Olympic history</a> by becoming the third player to record a double-double in four straight games. Although records don’t mean much to the Joker, it’s still impressive that he’s breaking records so effortlessly. Luckily for Jokic, six of the 12 players are in the Western Conference along with the Nuggets.</p><p>The motivation could rise for Jokic to prove those guys wrong. Not to mention, beating the Los Angeles Lakers, the Phoenix Suns, and the Minnesota Timberwolves could be sweeter than one might think. However, the Nuggets will turn their attention to the preseason that begins on Friday against the reigning NBA Champion, Boston Celtics.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nuggets Nikola Jokic drops ‘biggest defeat of career’ revelation on Team USA loss

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nuggets-news-nikola-jokic-fulfills-joker-prophecy-with-why-so-serious-line');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic fulfills Joker prophecy with ‘why so serious’ line');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Nuggets-news-Nikola-Jokic-fulfills-Joker-prophecy-with-why-so-serious-line.jpg"></figure><h1>Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic fulfills Joker prophecy with ‘why so serious’ line</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-09-26T20:21:47-07:00">September 26th, 8:21pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-09-26T20:21:47-07:00">September 26th, 8:21pm</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic has endeared himself to fans with his ironic nonchalant approach to the game of basketball. In the aftermath of the Nuggets’ 2023 NBA championship win, Jokic acted as if he wasn’t over the moon over this achievement. He loves to portray himself as someone who would much rather be in his farm in Sombor to tend to his horses, even though it’s clear that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-nikola-jokic-surprising-answer-excitement-season">Jokic’s commitment to getting better</a> in the game of basketball is nearly unmatched.</p><p>During Jokic’s media day press conference, he was asked why it seemed as though he was becoming more “serious” in interactions with reporters after being his nonchalant, playful self for most of his career. But the Nuggets star <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1839386802844791209" rel="noopener">responded in a way</a> befitting of his “Joker” moniker, eliciting laughs from some people in the room.</p><p>“Why so serious?” Jokic said with a straight face, via ClutchPoints on X (formerly known as Twitter).</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Joker saying, "why so serious?" at Nuggets media day</p><p>Nikola Jokic is 1-of-1 🤣<a href="https://t.co/eX0lXI6E9f">pic.twitter.com/eX0lXI6E9f</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1839386802844791209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The Nuggets star then elaborated on the matter, saying that perhaps he’s being perceived as <a href="https://twitter.com/BallinHQ/status/1839354480942522436" rel="noopener">more serious</a> these days since he’s getting up there in age.</p><p>“Uhm, I don’t know. I’m not sure that I’m serious or not. Maybe a little bit. I’m older. Almost 30. So that’s my answer,” Jokic added.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Nikola Jokic with the infamous Heath Ledger line 😅</p><p>“Why so serious?” 🧐🃏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBA</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAX?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAX</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/nuggets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nuggets</a> <a href="https://t.co/GNx32t2cct">pic.twitter.com/GNx32t2cct</a></p><p>— BALLIN HQ (@BallinHQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/BallinHQ/status/1839354480942522436?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Whatever the case may be, everyone who has watched even a second of Nikola Jokic and how he conducts himself on the court knows that basketball is no laughing matter for the Nuggets star. Jokic takes the sport very seriously, and he is very competitive. You can see it in his eyes in every second he spends on the hardwood.</p><p>But outside the court, Jokic appears to have an understanding that life is bigger than basketball. He knows that his performances on the court don’t define him as a person. Perhaps this is where he gets his nonchalant demeanor off the court. And it looks like everyone can learn a thing or two from the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-nikola-jokic-addresses-new-look-media-day">Nuggets star about having immaculate work-life balance</a>.</p><h2>Nikola Jokic, Nuggets aim for bounce-back season</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Nikola-Jokic-and-Jamal-Murray-on-May-19-2024.jpg"></figure><p>It’s safe to say that the 2023-24 season <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-michael-malone-fires-back-alleged-failure-2023-title">did not go according to plan for the Nuggets</a>. They fell short in their title defense after running into perhaps the most difficult matchup for them in the league, the Minnesota Timberwolves.</p><p>They also lost Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, an invaluable 3-and-D role player, in free agency, and that makes it two offseasons in a row where the Nuggets lost a crucial contributor to their title-winning team.</p><p>But as long as Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are on the team, the Nuggets have a fighting chance in the hunt for another Larry O’Brien trophy. Jokic and Murray might be the best big-guard duo in the association. Their chemistry is unmatched, having played with one another since 2016, and their combination on the court guarantees at least 50 wins for Denver.</p><p>However, there will be plenty of question marks surrounding the team entering the new season. Will Christian Braun be the answer for them at shooting guard? Can Michael Porter Jr. assume a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-michael-porter-jr-2-bold-plans-kentavious-caldwell-pope-gone">larger role in the offense</a>? How will the Nuggets’ bench unit play now that the ultimate wild card, Russell Westbrook, is leading that unit?</p><p>Given the bloodbath that is the Western Conference, the Nuggets cannot afford to take too much time in figuring things out. But with Jokic leading the way, they can take comfort knowing that they have arguably the best player in the NBA on the roster.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic fulfills Joker prophecy with ‘why so serious’ line

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nuggets-news-nikola-jokic-surprising-answer-excitement-season');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nikola Jokic’s surprising answer when asked about excitement for season');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Nikola-Jokics-surprising-answer-when-asked-about-excitement-for-season.jpg"></figure><h1>Nikola Jokic’s surprising answer when asked about excitement for season</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-09-26T13:25:05-07:00">September 26th, 1:25pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-09-26T13:25:05-07:00">September 26th, 1:25pm</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Denver <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-nikola-jokic-addresses-new-look-media-day">Nuggets are getting ramped up for the season as they had their Media Day</a>, and people are excited to see what they’re going to do this season. One of those people who are excited is Nikola Jokic, which may come as a surprise to some. When asked when things get interesting for him in the NBA, Jokic gave an <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1839369514766787022" rel="noopener">interesting answer</a>.</p><p>“Just because I don’t smile [and] don’t laugh doesn’t mean I’m not excited… I’m excited. I just don’t show it,” Jokic said.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Reporter: “When do things get interesting for you in an NBA season?”</p><p>Nikola Jokic: “Just because I don’t smile [and] don’t laugh doesn’t mean I’m not excited… I'm excited. I just don't show it.” 😅</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBA</a>)<a href="https://t.co/4oxGPnx8SY">pic.twitter.com/4oxGPnx8SY</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1839369514766787022?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>There’s a hilarious narrative that has gone around that Jokic doesn’t have much fun when playing, and when he wins awards such as MVP, he doesn’t show much excitement. With that answer alone, Jokic is tearing down that narrative, saying that he actually does have fun.</p><h2><b>What will Nikola Jokic, Nuggets do this season?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Nikola-Jokic.jpg"><figcaption>Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Denver Nuggets’ season ended earlier than they probably expected last year when they lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the semifinals. During the offseason, they lost one of their key players, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and questions arose on how they would replace his production. Along the way, Jamal Murray was signed to a contract extension, and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-6-8-million-contract">Russell Westbrook was probably their biggest free agent signing</a> in the offseason.</p><p>Despite questions surrounding how they will perform, the Nuggets still have one of the best players in the world, and he’ll do whatever he can to lead them to success. With leading the Serbia team to a bronze medal during the Paris Olympics, Jokic may be more motivated to get the Nuggets to the Finals once again. ‘</p><p>Whether he does it with a smile or not, we all know now that Jokic is excited for the season to start, and it’ll be interesting to see if he will have another MVP year for the season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2023-24 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
26.4	12.4	9.0	0.9	1.4

2023-24 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
26.4	12.4	9.0	0.9	1.4

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Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic fulfills Joker prophecy with ‘why so serious’ line

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Latest Nikola Jokic News

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Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic fulfills Joker prophecy with ‘why so serious’ line

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