Nikola Jokić watched his team get absolutely drilled by the Golden State Warriors on Monday night, a brutal 134-114 blowout loss. But what he said after that dismal performance might be even more shocking than the score: fans who boo their team, he said, “are not real fans.” This is just one week into the NBA season, and the Nuggets’ franchise player is already drawing a line in the sand with the paying public.
Another Loss, No Mercy From Jokić
Think about this: the Warriors rolled into Ball Arena winless and frankly, looking “mostly feckless.” Yet, they absolutely steamrolled Denver. Nuggets head coach David Adelman pulled his starters, including Jokić, with three and a half minutes left after a Gui Santos three-pointer pushed Golden State to a 21-point lead. The numbers tell a rough story: the Warriors drained 22 of 44 three-pointers and outrebounded the Nuggets a staggering 45-32. Denver never even sniffed a lead after halftime. Young rookie Yaxel Lendeborg went off for 31 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists, while Stephen Curry dropped 24 points in just 27 minutes, shooting a perfect 8-for-8. And the Denver crowd? Mostly silent. They sat on their hands. Turns out, that’s exactly how Jokić wants it.
Where the ‘Not Real Fans’ Talk Began
This whole “real fans” debate started Saturday night during the Nuggets’ home opener. After getting “roundly beaten” by the Oklahoma City Thunder on opening night, Denver was down by as many as 23 points to the lowly New Orleans Pelicans. That’s when the “fusillade of boos” rained down from the stands. The Nuggets actually pulled off a fourth-quarter comeback to win in overtime, but Jokić wasn’t forgetting those boos. He told Bennett Durando of the Denver Post, flat out, “I think those fans who booed us, they don’t need to come anymore.” He added, “If they ask me, they are not welcome anymore.”
After Monday’s 1-2 start to the season and another defensive struggle, Jokić stuck to his guns. He said he’s “not used to the fans booing their own team,” having played in “much worse environment[s] [in Europe].” He doubled down, saying, “I think they are not real fans.” And here’s the kicker, something that just hangs in the air: Jokić isn’t under contract beyond next season.
This is a wild start to the season for the Nuggets, sitting at 1-2 with their superstar already throwing shade at the fanbase. What happens the next time they’re down big at Ball Arena? Does the crowd stay quiet, or do they decide to tell Jokić exactly what *they* think about ‘real fans?’ This story is only just getting started.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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