What the Denver Nuggets interpreted as the latest sign of disrespect came from ESPN sideline reporter Lisa Salters, who revealed she never saw two-time MVP Nikola Jokic play before Game 1 of the Finals. of Western against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Jokic had 34 points, grabbed 21 rebounds and dished out 14 assists in Denver’s 132-126 win Tuesday night. “This is really the first time I’ve had the opportunity to see him play, and I have to admit, I underestimated this guy. It’s spectacular. He’s incredibly good,” Salters told Rich Eisen Show host Suzy Shuster the next day.
He explained that it had been a decade since he worked a game in Denver and he didn’t remember seeing Jokic, who is in his eighth NBA season, either on the road or in the conference finals in 2020 in the Florida bubble, again against the Lakers.
The revelation came shortly after Mark Jackson, an ESPN analyst covering the series, apologized for omitting Jokic from his MVP ballot. Jokic appeared on the other 99 ballots of a voter panel. Jackson explained that he filled out his roster of him as an All-NBA team, with one player per position, and Joel Embiid was his center.
Before Game 2 on Thursday night, Nuggets coach Michael Malone said he has gotten used to his team being overlooked. “There are still people who are getting to know Nikola Jokic now and the guy just put up a 34-21-14 performance and, by the way, he’s shooting triple-doubles in the playoffs,” Malone joked.
Salters said she texted some friends during Race 1 to say how impressed she was with Jokic, “and they were like, ‘We’ve been trying to tell you.’ And I have to admit… I didn’t pay much attention to it.” Seeing him live, she added, she left her speechless: “This guy is phenomenal.”
ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins accused Jokic of inflating the stats in March, sparking outrage and sparking a debate that some believe swayed the MVP race in favor of Embiid.
Jokic’s second-place finish in the voting kept the player from joining Hall of Famers Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell as back-to-back MVP award winners.
2023-05-19 06:20:47
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