This past Wednesday was a special day for the Denver organization, as probably their biggest start in the franchise’s history was turning 30-year of age. Of course, we are talking about Nikola Jokic, who seemed to be the least excited about reaching life’s third floor this week.
“I don’t like my birthday,” the Serbian expressed. “Getting older.” He was then asked if he felt he was getting better with age, and he delivered as he does best, “like wine,” he joked around, while using his new Peppa Pig-themed sneakers during practice.
Despite him being funny in a childish manner, his game has certainly matured to a point where his basketball dominance has become undeniable. The Nuggets big man might just be playing his best season of them all, averaging 29.8 points, 12.6 rebounds and 10.2 assists so far.
Wait until you hear Nikola’s birthday wish for his 30th year 😂 pic.twitter.com/rDQFI9yJhG
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) February 19, 2025
As if it wasn’t enough, he’s leading the NBA with 25 triple-doubles this campaign, which is just four away from tying the franchise record he himself set two years ago. His coach Michael Malone doesn’t know if his talents have a ceiling. “Geez, I don’t know. He keeps on pushing the envelope,” he said.
“When you’re dealing with greatness, you never want to put a ceiling on that. We want to give him room to grow and and watch that, because it’s really fun to be a part of that process,” the tactician explained as his team prepare to face Charlotte in Thursday’s return from the All-Star Break.
With Nikola shooting his career-best 45% from beyond the arc this season, Malone is convinced he’s better than ever. “He is playing the best basketball of his life,” the coach continued. “At his heart, he’s still the same person. He’s still Nikola Jokić from Sombor, Serbia. He’s never forgotten where he’s come from, or who’s helped him get here.”
Also, considering his style of play, the Denver tactician believes Jokic could even expand his elite basketball for quite some time. “The way he dominates the game is with intelligence and skill, not athleticism,” Michael shared. “He’s not driving down the lane and dunking on people every night. So I think that bodes well for his longevity.”
