Nikola Jokic gets ULTIMATE PRAISE from Shaquille O’Neal after Nuggets star drops 53 points

The Denver Nuggets just conceded a narrow defeat to the Phoenix Suns yet Nikola Jokic still managed to impress Shaquille O’Neal.

Nikola Jokic gets ULTIMATE PRAISE from Shaquille O’Neal after Nuggets star drops 53 points

Shaquille O'Neal and Nikola Jokic

The Denver Nuggets suffered a narrow 129-124 loss defeat in Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinal series against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday. The loss erased their 2-0 lead in the series and tied it at 2-2. Despite the Nuggets’ loss, Nikola Jokic’s performance in the game was hailed as one of his best. He singlehandedly carried his team throughout the game and almost led them to victory.

Jokic led the Nuggets’ side with a whopping 53 points, 11 assists, and four rebounds in 39 minutes on the court. The Nuggets superstar, who has already been awarded the MVP award two times, drew tremendous appreciation for his performance. One of the people to credit his mettle was Shaquille O’Neal. The NBA Hall of Famer and one of, if not the most dominant center in NBA history, doesn’t shy away from giving bold opinions on players, gave Jokic the ultimate compliment.

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During the halftime show on TNT, Shaq said, “The command of Big Man… Nikola Jokic is the best center in the game. You heard it from me.”

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In the past three seasons, Jokic has averaged over 26 points, 8.7 assists, and 9.5 rebounds, making him one of the best in the league. He led the Nuggets to the #1 seed in the West and almost averaged a triple-double. Despite putting together an incredible body of work this season, Jokic had to be content with the runner-up spot in the MVP race, as Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid won the award. The Nuggets superstar may have missed out on becoming only the fourth player to win three straight MVP awards, but O’Neal’s acknowledgment is a decent consolation prize.

Related: Nikola Jokic CREATES HISTORY, equals Wilt Chamberlain’s incredible playoff record

Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets along with their 129-124 loss to the Phoenix Suns

Malone and Nikola Jokic
Malone and Nikola Jokic

Game 4 between the Nuggets and the Suns resulted in a close loss for the former. The pressure put on by Kevin Durant and Devin Booker was too much to handle for the Nuggets. Their dependence on Jokic, which worked throughout the season, wasn’t highly successful this time.

Durant and Booker scored 36 points each, leading the Suns to a crucial win. Booker also had 11 assists and six rebounds while Durant managed six assists and 11 rebounds. Landry Shamet proved to be a key contributor with 19 points as the Suns leveled the series at 2-2.

Jokic was ably supported by co-star Jamal Murray, who scored 28 points, dished seven assists, and grabbed five rebounds. Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon had underwhelming outings, scoring 11 points each as the Nuggets eventually failed to extend their lead to 3-1.

Jokic has been spectacular so far in the playoffs. Through nine games, he’s averaging 28 points, nine assists, and 11.3 rebounds this postseason. His consistency over the past three seasons and continued brilliance in the playoffs have earned him O’Neal’s respect. However, MVP awards and compliments are secondary to Jokic, who has repeatedly said that his only aim is to win the championship with the Nuggets. There’s still a lot of work for the Serbian superstar to do if he wants to fulfill his dream of getting his hands on the NBA title at the end of the season.

The Nuggets will now head home for Game 5 but may not have Jokic available after his fight with Suns owner Mat Ishbia. But if he escapes any punishment for his involvement in the altercation, he’ll be expected to lead his team to a 3-2 series with a win in Denver.

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