The Dallas Mavericks faced the Denver Nuggets in the NBA In-season Tournament delivering a spectacular match to the audience. The Mavericks fell short towards the end of the game, bringing their season-opening winning streak to an end.
The Nuggets put up a tough fight and emerged as the victors that night. After the game, during a moment of sportsmanship, Nikola Jokic surprised everyone by hugging Luka Doncic, an unexpected gesture from the Nuggets’ current top star.
Jokic hugs Luka at NBA In-season Tournament
The Mavericks had a challenging game against the Nuggets in the NBA In-Season Tournament. Hoops Central posted a video of the post-match proceedings on their official X (formerly Twitter) account, showcasing an unusual act by Jokic. In the video, Jokic can be seen expressing gratitude to everyone, and when he encounters Luka Doncic, they share a hug and have a chat.
Jokic is not known for hugging other players after a game, so his gesture toward Luka demonstrates the immense respect he has for him. Doncic and Jokic have been close friends for some time now, both hailing from the Balkans (Slovenia and Serbia, respectively), and quickly bonded over their shared love for basketball and similar cultures. Doncic has referred to Jokic as his big brother, and Jokic has confirmed this by calling Luka his little brother at one point.
Nuggets trash Mavs at NBA In-Season Tournament
The Denver Nuggets thrashed the Mavs in the NBA In-Season Tournament ending the win streak of the Mavericks. The Mavs had to play in the absence of their head coach Jason Kidd who could not attend the game because of illness. Sean Sweeny was tasked to manage the game as the acting head coach for the match. Sweeny had a record of 3-1 as an acting head coach in similar situations and was expected to pull through.
However, things didn’t unfold as he might have envisioned. The Nuggets managed to establish an early lead and strove to maintain it throughout the game. Nikola Jokic spearheaded Denver’s offense and succeeded in building a substantial lead (40-24) by the end of the first period. The Mavericks’ defense encountered significant challenges and couldn’t capitalize on missed shots. Overall, it was a disappointing night for Mavericks fans, but the hug between Jokic and Doncic provided a silver lining.
What do you think of this warm gesture by Jokic towards Doncic? Which NBA In-Season Tournament games are you excited about? We are eager to know your thoughts, so drop them in the comments section below and let us know.
