Jusuf Nurkic says Nikola Jokic deserves MVP if Damian Lillard doesn’t win it

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article_body => "Jusuf Nurkic and Nikola Jokic have built up a strong camaraderie since their days of playing together in Denver.<\/p>\r\n\r\nNow, the two NBA bigs will face off against one another during the 2021 NBA playoffs. On Sunday, the Blazers came away with a 132-116 win over the Nuggets to claim a playoff berth and escape the league\u2019s postseason play-in tournament. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\nIn doing so, Portland also locked in the conference\u2019s six seed, and now knows its opponent in the first-round: the Denver Nuggets. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/talkin-blazers-frye\">Listen & Subscribe to the Talkin' Blazers podcast<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n<drupal-url data-embed-button=\"url\" data-embed-url=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/talkin-blazers-frye\/episodes\/1c3d6d67-fbfa-4fb1-8348-880bb2da2faf\" data-entity-label=\"Embed social\" data-timestamp=\"1621235002\" data-url-provider=\"ART19\"><\/drupal-url>\r\n\r\nAfter Sunday\u2019s game, Jokic spoke about his relationship with Nurkic and why the Bosnian Beast prevents a challenge for Denver, especially since he wasn\u2019t on the court when the two teams met in the 2019 Western Conference semifinals. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n \r\n\u201cWe knew there was option of course that we were going to play them, and he\u2019s a good guy,\u201d Jokic said. \u201cHe worked with us, seems like a while ago, and he\u2019s a talented player, man...<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<drupal-entity data-embed-button=\"pull_quote\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:paragraph.preview\" data-entity-type=\"paragraph\" data-entity-uuid=\"6b5c8081-2edb-4ec3-a564-d2f692ffbed8\" data-langcode=\"en\"><\/drupal-entity>\r\n\r\nThe Nuggets dealt Nurkic to Portland in Feb. 2017 in exchange for center Mason Plumlee. Denver\u2019s plan was initially to pair the two young seven-footers together with Jokic playing power forward next to Nurk, but the experiment soured and Nurkic became the odd man out. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\nDespite the unceremonious end to his tenure in Denver, Nurkic remained close with Jokic. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\u201cOur relationship has never been like cold or any media-stuff, when they do their part,\u201d Nurkic said. \u201cBut we talking, texting, obviously the COVID got in the way. We never, really much since the Bubble, we couldn\u2019t go out and dinners in stuff. Our relationship was even there when I was there, really good.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\nNurkic thinks so highly of his former Nuggets teammate that he believes Jokic is worthy of an Most Valuable Player of the Year nod. That is, if Bosnian Beast\u2019s current teammate, Damian Lillard, doesn\u2019t receive the prestigious award. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\u201cHe\u2019s playing on such a high level right now whole season,\u201d Nurkic explained. \u201cIf Dame not going to win MVP, I think he gonna win MVP. He should win MVP. I will not be mad at all. I\u2019ll be happy for him.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\nWhile the two bruising bigs have gone head-to-head throughout the regular season on numerous occasions, Nurkic has never suited up against Jokic in the playoffs. The Blazers seven-footer was sidelined in 2019 after sustaining a broken leg against the Brooklyn Nets in March 2019. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\nNurkic did play in the 2020 postseason, as the Blazers battled it out against the Grizzlies inside the NBA Bubble\u2019s play-in tournament. Portland was gassed by the playoffs, falling to the eventual NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers 4-1 in the first-round series. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\nUnlike last year\u2019s playoffs, where many of Portland\u2019s key players were either sidelined with injuries or playing through them, the Blazers are nearly at full strength heading into the postseason. Only Zach Collins was listed on Portland\u2019s injury report ahead of Sunday\u2019s game. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\nAfter battling through adversity, Nurkic is ready to make the most of his opportunity in the playoffs, starting with a game against his former team next weekend. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\u201cI\u2019m excited for playoffs and like I said that position was taken away from me, so I\u2019m definitely not going to take it for granted,\u201d Nurkic said. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<drupal-entity data-embed-button=\"pull_quote\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:paragraph.preview\" data-entity-type=\"paragraph\" data-entity-uuid=\"458768fd-bdbc-4c29-b892-082ad289d8de\" data-langcode=\"en\"><\/drupal-entity>\r\n"
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Trail Blazers

/ by Lindsey Wisniewski

Trail Blazers

Jusuf Nurkic and Nikola Jokic have built up a strong camaraderie since their days of playing together in Denver.

Now, the two NBA bigs will face off against one another during the 2021 NBA playoffs. On Sunday, the Blazers came away with a 132-116 win over the Nuggets to claim a playoff berth and escape the league’s postseason play-in tournament.

In doing so, Portland also locked in the conference’s six seed, and now knows its opponent in the first-round: the Denver Nuggets.

Listen & Subscribe to the Talkin' Blazers podcast

After Sunday’s game, Jokic spoke about his relationship with Nurkic and why the Bosnian Beast prevents a challenge for Denver, especially since he wasn’t on the court when the two teams met in the 2019 Western Conference semifinals.

“We knew there was option of course that we were going to play them, and he’s a good guy,” Jokic said. “He worked with us, seems like a while ago, and he’s a talented player, man...

He’s a big body. He’s a really good finisher…He’s getting into the open space. So, he’s really using his team really well. He’s a really good player.

- Nikola Jokic on Jusuf Nurkic

The Nuggets dealt Nurkic to Portland in Feb. 2017 in exchange for center Mason Plumlee. Denver’s plan was initially to pair the two young seven-footers together with Jokic playing power forward next to Nurk, but the experiment soured and Nurkic became the odd man out.

Despite the unceremonious end to his tenure in Denver, Nurkic remained close with Jokic.

“Our relationship has never been like cold or any media-stuff, when they do their part,” Nurkic said. “But we talking, texting, obviously the COVID got in the way. We never, really much since the Bubble, we couldn’t go out and dinners in stuff. Our relationship was even there when I was there, really good.”

Nurkic thinks so highly of his former Nuggets teammate that he believes Jokic is worthy of an Most Valuable Player of the Year nod. That is, if Bosnian Beast’s current teammate, Damian Lillard, doesn’t receive the prestigious award.

“He’s playing on such a high level right now whole season,” Nurkic explained. “If Dame not going to win MVP, I think he gonna win MVP. He should win MVP. I will not be mad at all. I’ll be happy for him.”

While the two bruising bigs have gone head-to-head throughout the regular season on numerous occasions, Nurkic has never suited up against Jokic in the playoffs. The Blazers seven-footer was sidelined in 2019 after sustaining a broken leg against the Brooklyn Nets in March 2019.

Nurkic did play in the 2020 postseason, as the Blazers battled it out against the Grizzlies inside the NBA Bubble’s play-in tournament. Portland was gassed by the playoffs, falling to the eventual NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers 4-1 in the first-round series.

Unlike last year’s playoffs, where many of Portland’s key players were either sidelined with injuries or playing through them, the Blazers are nearly at full strength heading into the postseason. Only Zach Collins was listed on Portland’s injury report ahead of Sunday’s game.

After battling through adversity, Nurkic is ready to make the most of his opportunity in the playoffs, starting with a game against his former team next weekend.

“I’m excited for playoffs and like I said that position was taken away from me, so I’m definitely not going to take it for granted,” Nurkic said.

Now, I’m just really excited to be part of something and this is a great opportunity for us to be as healthy as possible for the playoffs, obviously minus Zach, but this is a huge thing for me.

- Jusuf Nurkic