NBA FINALS: HEAT VS. NUGGETS

June 11, 2023

Nikola Jokic

Denver Nuggets

Practice Day

Q. Nikola, after Game 4, we saw coach Mike Malone go up in the stands and he was kind of embracing your family and had kind of a moment there. I was wondering, when did you become -- like your family became close to him in that aspect for him to go up right after a big win like that, and can you describe your personal relationship with your coach?

NIKOLA JOKIC: I mean, I always say, he came to visit me a couple times back home in Serbia and he came to visit me even when I play with the national team in Lithuania -- was it Lithuania? Yeah, so he came around a couple times. My whole family just getting to know him. We got together. We did a couple fun things.

For the relationship, for the whole eight years, we have grown so much, not just on the court. He's a good guy. He always likes to visit me and we always appreciate him.

Q. How important has that been for your growth as a player within the Denver organization?

NIKOLA JOKIC: I really don't know. Probably it's good. I think it's good when you have a good relationship with your coach (laughter). So I think it was good.

Q. Coach was saying communication is important for a successful defense. How have you seen that grow with this core unit over the years, and how much pride do you take in being a communicator on defense?

NIKOLA JOKIC: I think it means a lot, especially in the Playoffs. You can see the plays before. You can talk to it and know what's coming. Even in the first game, from the first game, you can see how we are as a team better in communication and maybe reading the plays and knowing when to help and when not to help.

I think we are growing even now in the Finals. Every game, we are better and better. I think that's probably the first and most important thing in defense.

Q. Coach was just talking about how you guys need to approach this as though it were a must-win and you were down 3-1. Curious how important the vets' voices are in the locker room right now with instilling that? Obviously, they know how rare these opportunities are. So guys like D.J., Jeff, Ish, how important have their voices been right now?

NIKOLA JOKIC: We are going to approach it as a must-win game. I know it's a big opportunity, and I think everybody knows. By reflection of the practice today, how everybody was locked in, I think we are going to be ready for tomorrow. Vets are there to do their job and keep us not relaxed, keep us tight. They are doing a really good job.

I think vets in this league are really important for our team, for whatever team. You need to have good vets.

Q. Monte Morris was there in Game 3. Gary was there in Game 4. I don't know if you got to see Gary at all. But what did it mean to have Monte there? I saw you celebrate and hug it out after the game?

NIKOLA JOKIC: I played with Monte a long time. Then when Jamal got hurt, we had really good connection on the court, I was always good with him on the court. Even my family, he was always around. He's a guy who I really like as a friend. Really funny guy. You can talk to him about anything. I like Monte.

Q. Have any of your other former teammates reached out to you after this run, texted you or called you or anything?

NIKOLA JOKIC: Wilson (Chandler) texted me. I saw Mike (Miller) in Miami. Jameer (Nelson) texted me a couple -- I think when we get in the Finals. A bunch of guys, but those are the guys I can remember. All my Serbian comrades -- I'm going to say like that -- they all reach out.

Q. With Toronto hiring Darko Rajakovic, how well do you know him and what's that say about the game?

NIKOLA JOKIC: Yes, I love it. He's a great guy and I really appreciate him. He's here for a long, long time. I'm going to say ten years from a G League coach to a head coach in the NBA. It's a lot of respect for him and for his work. I think he deserves it. He's been seeing a lot. He's been through a lot. I think he deserves everything. I think he's going to do a great, great job there.

Q. What does it say about (off microphone)?

NIKOLA JOKIC: Yes, he is the second Serbian coach, being as NBA head coach. Igor (Kokoskov) first, he is second. The NBA is growing and people in the front office, I'm trying to see, maybe some other guys are willing to step up, and they are going to do a good job.

Q. Guys like Felipe (Eichenberger), guys like Sparky (Gonzales) who have been with you for most of your journey, what does it mean to you to get to this point, people who have been with you throughout most of your time in Denver?

NIKOLA JOKIC: Yeah, there is always Felipe who has been with me since day one. Jason Miller, a trainer, who was literally with me through everything, every injury, every pain. Sparky, who is working with me, came to Serbia a bunch of times. Sparky is always in the background.

I'm just happy that I have the same guys around me the whole time. I'm going to do my best to keep them as much as possible around me because I like to stick with my people who have been with me from the beginning.

Q. Tomorrow at home, the championship on the line, possibly the most important moment in franchise history. What's the most challenging part and what's going to be the most important part about dealing with those emotions during the game and that part of human nature of just being on that stage?

NIKOLA JOKIC: I think it's not going to be emotional. It's going to be a job that we need to do to be done. I think we are ready. I think we are going to be locked in and ready to go. It's just going to be a game that we need to win.