Nikola Jokic and Russell Westbrook aren't in a bromance, they are in fellowship
On the beautiful pairing in Denver that helps fans better understand both legends.
Good morning. Let’s basketball.
Boating; Edouard Manet; 1874
Nikola Jokic is misunderstood as an all-time basketball great. The familiar narrative is that he doesn’t really love basketball like other superstars, and in particular doesn’t love the NBA. This has long felt like a misread of Jokic’s love of his native Serbia and its familiar comforts (including, yes, his horses). No player this excellent gets there without loving the game at a fundamental, deep level. He just wasn’t interested in demonstrating that affection for the sake of the demonstration.
Russell Westbrook is misunderstood as an all-time basketball great, albeit in a different way. No one has ever questioned Westbrook’s love of basketball, or his dedication to being the best NBA player possible. The primary criticism of Westbrook, in fact, has been the opposite: that he cares so much that he carries too heavy a burden on his own shoulders when it would sometimes be beneficial to share that load. The supreme self-confidence mixed with that beautiful aggression has led to a denouement that has at times felt bumpy.
This season hasn’t been bumpy for Westbrook at all. He’s experiencing a renaissance as a starter alongside Jokic, building a truly lovely partnership — one being cast as a bromance that really feels like fellowship in the house of the Basketball Gods. These are two pure hoopers. These are two competitors. These are two generous, gifted and gracious gentlemen of the hardwood who complement each other so well that it sometimes feels like destiny.
And it’s clear that Jokic feels protective and proud of Westbrook, a player he’s only been around closely for six months.
Jokic has correctly assessed that teams and teammates at recent stops didn’t understand Westbrook, in the same breath declaring that he, Jokic, understands him. There is an unspoken reality that Westbrook’s place on those teams was misunderstood by Westbrook himself as well, though the original misunderstanding — that Westbrook can only be Westbrook, there is no alternate setting — is shared by all. Except for Jokic and perhaps the Nuggets more broadly, though there is no “Nuggets” these days separate from Jokic.
Regardless of what becomes of the Nuggets, who should be rated as the second most likely team to come out of the West at this point, this has been a beautiful chapter in the storybook careers of both legends. What a blessing to enjoy time with a kindred soul.
Lauri Understands
The pull quote everyone will notice and keep filed away in their brains is from Lauri Markkanen, who was asked directly by Larsen what he thought of tanking.
“I don’t think losing, or purposefully losing, should be part of professional sports. I feel like athletes always want to compete. I understand why some organizations around the NBA are doing it, but I feel like it sucks, in my opinion,” Markkanen said. “There should be a better way to build rosters. That’s the way it’s been, so I understand it, but that’s my opinion.”
Markkanen cannot be traded until the offseason, so this is meaningless for the trade deadline. And one hopes this admission doesn’t just feed the rumor mill and fuel speculation about this specific player’s future. But the sentiment should be a wake-up call to Danny Ainge and the Jazz front office, and to Adam Silver and the league office.
Who Can We Count On? (Not) Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler missed the Heat’s team flight to Milwaukee on Wednesday, so the Heat suspended him for two more games. Is this that palpable dread folks were talking about?
Look, there’s no upside to missing a team flight, regardless of your war with the front office. The team is pretty clearly trying to trade Butler. What about Pat Riley would make Jimmy think that being extra maladroit now will help him get his way? That makes me think that Butler himself has potentially lost his way with regards to his anger and desire for retribution. Hope he finds happiness soon. Causing distress for others often isn’t a good way to achieve that.
Scores
Timberwolves 115, Mavericks 114 — Dallas is a team with tons of fight. I’ve been impressed with how hard they’ve tried to hold the line in Luka Doncic’s absence. But reality does set in from time to time, and with Dereck Lively II out for 2-3 months with a broken ankle, they really need Luka to stay afloat. Dallas has fallen to a tie for No. 8.
Helluva Jaden McDaniels game.
Pistons 114, Hawks 104 — The Detroit Pistons are No. 6 in the East. The Detroit Pistons are No. 6 in the East.
Jazz 114, Thunder 123 — Will Hardy played Utah’s vets … and came uncomfortably close to a win! But Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took care of that with his first career 50-spot.
Hornets 120, Grizzlies 132 — Watching Ja Morant play basketball is a treasure.
Real heads know that Mark Williams has been a big part of whatever meager success the Hornets have pulled together in recent years. Unfortunately, he’s been racked by injuries. He was, uh, healthy on Wednesday. 38 points on 14/18 shooting, 9 rebounds, 5 assists.
Cavaliers 108, Rockets 109 — One of the Wildest In A Bad Way finishes of the season. The last 4.1 seconds for Cleveland: heartbreaking! Like really really bad! This is a demonic title card from Bleacher Report’s YouTube staff.
Warriors 117, Kings 123 — The Warriors went up 18 in the second quarter, but DeMar DeRozan avalanched them in the third and the Warriors offense just never really got going again. Never in doubt. Light the damn beam.
10-2 under Doug Christie, up to No. 7 in the West, just a game out of No. 5. I am currently preparing my formal apology to the Kings braintrust for firing Mike Brown.
Malik Monk, you’re crazy for this one.
Celtics 117, Clippers 113 — Boston led by six with 1:03 remaining in regulation. In that final minute, the Celtics — for whom this has been a pattern despite their overall excellence and championship rings — had a miss and two turnovers. The Clippers — without James Harden, Norm Powell, Kawhi Leonard or Ivica Zubac — took it to overtime. And Boston almost coughed up the game again in the final minute of OT!
Bucks vs. Pelicans postponed (ice)
Schedule
Daytime basketball from Paris! All times Eastern.
Spurs “at” Pacers in Paris, 2, NBA TV
Blazers at Magic, 7
Raptors at Hawks, 7:30
Heat at Bucks, 7:30, TNT — the Bucks might be trapped in the Southeast so …
Mavericks at Thunder, 8
Kings at Nuggets, 9
Bulls at Warriors, 10
Celtics at Lakers, 10, TNT
Wizards at Clippers, 10:30
Be excellent to each other.
Mike Singer's excellent new Jokic book is an excellent companion to your first paragraph. Jokic is sneaky an all time grinder who just doesn't have the patience for what he views as pointless basketball activity. As long as stuff is purpose driven, he's giving 120%. And he's competitive as hell. Totally makes sense him and Russ get along. Yeah, he likes home. Who doesn't?
The attention goes to Jimmy Butler and Pat Riley passive/ aggressive-ing each other, or the deals to be made from Utah's decision to tank.Thats the news.
But Jokich and Russ? That's the music, the beautiful game. Two really different guys from halfway around the world putting in work at playing basketball together. It's spreading to the entire team. The Nuggets are about be on one.