Nikola Jokic spoke to the media ahead of the Nuggets vs. Lakers first-round playoff series. Jokic was asked about Lakers star LeBron James and the Serbian center made it clear he has nothing but respect for LeBron.

“The guy is amazing. The things he’s doing on the court are really… He’s in the game in so many different ways, not just scoring. He can score from any position basically. He’s a monster. I really appreciate him. I really respect him. I think he’s a very good basketball player, probably one of the best. I really respect him and enjoy playing against the best.”

Nikola Jokic today at practice on LeBron James: "He's a monster. I really appreciate him. I really respect him." pic.twitter.com/a8NwjbXXer

— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) April 17, 2024

Many have assumed that Jokic will feel comfortable heading into this series because of the Nuggets 7-0 record over the Lakers over the last year. However, the reigning Finals MVP made it clear that the Lakers have been their most competitive opponent over the last year and that the win-loss record is misleading.

“I think every game in the playoff series was really tough, it could have gone either way. It was probably the toughest series we had. Yes, we beat them 4-0, but they’re a really talented team. Well-built, they have a couple of guys. I have huge respect for them and I think it’ll be an interesting series/round.”

Jokic averaged 7.8 points, 14.5 rebounds, and 11.8 assists against the Lakers over the 2023 series. He’s averaging 29.3 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 9.0 assists in three games this season, so he’ll be confident and comfortable in his ability to handle the Lakers once again.

LeBron won’t make it easy for Jokic, but the Nuggets have proved themselves to be a class apart.

Michael Malone Is Confident About Another Series Win

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone also discussed the series during media interactions today. Malone was far more direct than Jokic about his belief that the Nuggets would win, calling LeBron James old and calling Jokic better than Anthony Davis.

“We swept them last year. We swept them this year. We swept them last year. We swept them this year. Darvin Ham said they not ducking no fades, but that doesn’t mean they won’t catch one. What can AD do with Jokic and LeBron is my age… They come in playing really well and hungry. They want to flip that script. Our players understand that. We know them, they know us. We know what to expect.”

This matchup won’t be easy for the Lakers but they will do everything in their power to make sure this season goes in their favor. The Nuggets match up really well against them, negating their size advantage while also having more consistent shooting around their stars.

Michael Malone has outcoached Darvin Ham before and will hope his magic touch stays over the franchise as they head into a campaign to become the first back-to-back champion in the NBA since the Warriors won the 2018 title.