Nuggets’ Michael Malone: Nikola Jokic one of the most “disrespected reigning MVPs”

The Nuggets took the Christmas Day snub personally.

It was conscionable the latest example, successful their eyes, of the NBA’s disrespect toward Nikola Jokic, past season’s MVP. That bled into nationalist attraction connected Jokic, narratives and perceived assumptions astir Denver’s franchise superstar and yielded a remark Tuesday nighttime that had nary uncertainty been brewing wrong Nuggets manager Michael Malone.

“We don’t ever instrumentality him for granted successful Denver,” Malone said up of the Nuggets’ matchup against the Clippers. “I deliberation helium is 1 of the much disrespected reigning MVPs that I tin deliberation of successful presumption of the attraction that helium gets. If you unfastened up the dictionary, and you look up the connection consistency, there’s going to beryllium a representation of Nikola there. And that’s going backmost to the Bubble. That’s going backmost to a 72-game play past year. And this twelvemonth …”

While Malone mightiness not admit it, he’s besides shrewd capable to cognize that a testament similar that rings louder erstwhile it’s uttered successful Los Angeles arsenic opposed to Denver.

He’s besides not immune to what makes Jokic little appealing than, say, LeBron James oregon Giannis Antetokounmpo.

“Nikola Jokic is not sexy,” Malone began. “He’s conscionable not. There’s thing astir Nikola … (although) his woman mightiness disagree…”

Jokic won’t pb SportsCenter’s Top-10 plays with a breakaway dunk oregon unleash immoderate stunning diversion feat similar swatting a changeable into the 5th row. But what’s peculiar astir Jokic, according to Malone and anyone who watches the Nuggets closely, is his feel, IQ, playmaking and processing. It’s dissimilar astir immoderate prima successful the NBA and is peculiar successful and of itself, a accomplishment to behold adjacent if it’s not celebrated the aforesaid way.

Without sidekick Jamal Murray (ACL) oregon Michael Porter Jr. (back surgery) oregon P.J. Dozier (ACL), oregon present his adjacent person Vlatko Cancar (foot fracture), Jokic has inactive kept the Nuggets successful the hunt. And he’s arguably been amended than helium was past season. In their past 7 games, which has included a revolving doorway of coaches and teammates, the Nuggets are 5-2. There’s nary bigger crushed than Jokic’s continued dominance.

Rivers scare: Malone said that Austin Rivers was temporarily hospitalized Monday nighttime owed to an allergic reaction. The squad was astatine an optional shootaround astatine UCLA, erstwhile Rivers had to beryllium taken to the infirmary portion having occupation breathing, according to Malone.

Fortunately, helium near the infirmary aboriginal Monday night, woke up Tuesday and attended shootaround similar normal. He was expected to play against the Clippers.