Michael Malone and Nikola Jokic (Image Source: GettyImages)
Nuggets star Nikola Jokic had yet another stellar night against the Los Angeles Lakers, possibly his favorite postseason opponent. HC Michael Malone was all giddy after the game and showered huge praise on his superstar.

Nikola Jokic was impressive last night and performed outstandingly in the 114-103 win against the Purple and Gold, playing a total of 39 minutes. Speaking of Jokic’s performance, Malone sang praises of the Serbian in the post-game presser.

“Nikola is a great player. And the bigger the stage, the brighter the lights, he just continues to shine,” Michael Malone was candid.

Nikola Jokic seldom fails to deliver against the Lakers, and he did not disappoint last night either. Scoring a massive 32 points, he made 15 of 23 field goal attempts, resulting in a commendable 65.2% shooting accuracy. From beyond the arc, Jokic connected on 1 three-pointer out of 3 attempts, maintaining a decent shooting rate. His free-throw shooting stood at 50.0%, contributing to an overall shooting percentage of 67.0%.

Jokic’s presence was felt in scoring and rebounding, as he grabbed 12 rebounds, including 3 offensive and 9 defensive rebounds. His playmaking abilities were evident with 7 assists, 2 steals, and no turnovers, as he created opportunities while maintaining possession.

While Malone is all proud of his star center, Lakers HC Darvin Ham is not one to back away from the fierce competition.

Lakers HC believes it will be a hard fought series’

As impressive as the Nuggets were, much came down to the Lakers’ lack of performance from their supporting cast on the opening night of their playoff series. The evident gap of dominance between the two sides puts the Lakers on the backfoot after the game. However, Lakers HC Darvin Ham feels the series is going to be toughly conteste3d one.

In the post-game briefing, Ham said, “I truly believe this is still gonna be a hard fought series.”

“It’s a matter of going back to the drawing board. We did a lot of good things out there tonight,” he added.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis came up big for the purple and gold on the night, but Nikola Jokic had much help from his supporting cast from Denver. LeBron even issued a warning to his fellow teammates after the loss. Given Ham is still optimistic about winning the series, there is enough silver lining for the Lakers nation. Remains to be seen which side comes out on top at the end of the series.