BREAKING: Nikola Jokic Has Taken Another Leap For Nuggets, Insider Claims

The Denver Nuggets superstar might still be getting better.

Perhaps the Denver Nuggets were really onto something when they decided to fire Michael Malone. The end result is proving to be an even better version of Nikola Jokic. That is the sentiment, at least, from one NBA insider.

The Nuggets will head into Thursday night’s matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers with an opportunity to wrap up the four-five series in the Western Conference. That is a pretty good position to be in with interim head coach David Adelman.

 Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic in a game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Ball Arena.

Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Jokic reaching new heights, according to Nuggets

Between the Nuggets and the Memphis Grizzlies, it is more than fair to say Denver has faired much better with their puzzling decision to move on from their head coach so late into the 2024-25 campaign.

Shams Charania recently took to The Pat McAfee Show to deliver a statement of the sentiment behind closed doors in Colorado.

“When I talk to people on Denver they say Nikola Jokic is finally comfortable with the power, with the influence, with who he is as a player. Before I think we hadn’t seen him as maybe demonstrative or as vocal, but right now, he’s showing it.

I don’t think it’s like the power that he feels like he can yield, right? Like it’s not like I’m gonna fire this coach. I’m gonna trade this player. It’s like, how can I influence my teammates like this is the first time?

I think we’ve seen Nikola Jokic in his career where he is going about it every night and he’s trying to influence how his teammates are behaving, how they’re playing. … He is as vocal as we’ve ever witnessed.”

-Shams Charania

 Adelman has joked in the past about Jokic taking his clipboard and dialing up the plays for Denver. Perhaps that is where Charania sees the new comforts for the Joker.

The Nuggets superstar is averaging 25.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, 11.0 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game for his team in the postseason.

If Denver manages to get past the Clippers in the first round, this improved version of Jokic will be put to the test against the best team in the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder.