Nikola Jokić just dropped a truth bomb on Denver fans after their crazy comeback win against the New Orleans Pelicans, telling the booing crowd they’re “not welcome anymore.” Yeah, you read that right. Denver’s three-time MVP didn’t hold back, directly calling out the home crowd for raining boos down on their own team when they fell behind by more than 20 points in the first half.
Down 23, Boos Rained Down, Then The Jokić Show
It was a wild night at home for the Nuggets. They were already coming off a tough opener, a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder where they only managed 84 points, their fewest in a regular-season game since January 2024. So, when the Pelicans jumped out to a massive lead, stretching it to as many as 23 points, and still up 16 with just 7:24 left in the game, the home crowd turned on them. Loud boos echoed through the arena.
But this is the Jokić era, folks. This team has a history of these kinds of furious rallies. They held the Pelicans without a field goal attempt in the last 80 seconds of the game to force overtime. And once they got there? Forget about it. The Nuggets outscored New Orleans 15-9 in the extra period to seal an incredible 141-135 victory. And guess what? The same fans who were booing in the first half were suddenly serenading rookie Trevon Brazile with MVP chants in overtime. You gotta love the flip-flop, right?
Denver’s Window Fears Met With Jokić’s Wrath
Jokić, Denver’s actual MVP, was not having it. The wishy-washy behavior of his home fans clearly stuck with him. “We got booed at our first home game, and I think those fans who booed us, they don’t need to come anymore,” he said. He reminded everyone, “If you guys follow us, you know that we never quit and we’ve come back from much worse situations. So if they ask me, they are not welcome anymore.” That’s a pretty stark message from your franchise cornerstone.
Now, to be fair, the fans have been on edge. Denver lost its first-round playoff series last spring, even though they were facing a Timberwolves team riddled with injuries. Then, they signed and traded breakout forward Peyton Watson to the Cleveland Cavaliers, a move described as largely financial. There was a genuine fear coming into this season that Denver’s championship window around Jokić might be closing. A first-half beatdown by the “lowly” Pelicans probably felt like confirmation of those fears for some. But to boo your team, especially with a history of never quitting, and then cheer wildly for a rookie in overtime? Jokić isn’t going to let that slide.
Jokić does what he always does: he wins. As long as he’s on the team, Denver is always going to have a fighting chance. But fans might want to tread lightly when it comes to invoking his anger this season. After all, he can become an unrestricted free agent, and a pissed-off MVP is not what you want heading into contract years.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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