Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic pays some massive respect to former NBA champion and Lakers center Marc Gasol.
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The Lakers are in a bit of a mess right now. Their stars in LeBron James and Dennis Schroder, as many know, are sidelined due to injury. And, it doesn’t help that the franchise has only won 1 of its last 5 games. But one thing that has often slipped under people’s noses, is why Marc Gasol is potentially unhappy with the franchise right now.
The former Raptors man was brought in this past off-season to bolster the roster to win another championship. However, with Andre Drummond, Montrezl Harrell, and Anthony Davis also functioning as the five in different lineups, playing time has been hard to come by far Big Marc.
After losing to the Lakers in their recent game, Nikola Jokic paid some massive respect to his opponents. But among his praises, he may have just thrown some massive shots at Lakers head coach, Frank Vogel, about the use of his most experienced center.
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“I think we all forget who Marc Gasol is.”: Nikola Jokic
Coming into this game, the Nuggets were considered to be the heavy favorites to win. The Lakers were in the middle of a three-game losing streak at the time, and were overall in a bit of a mess.
However, at the final buzzer, the score stood at 93-89 in favor of the reigning champions.
Grabbing a win, despite Jokic having yet another MVP caliber performance (32 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists) will prove to be a massive boost for the franchise. But while fans of the winning team cried out in joy, it was the Nuggets superstar who reminded everyone about Marc Gasol.
The only thing Nikola got wrong here is that Big Marc has only been Defensive Player of the Year once in his career.
The impact of the Spanish man on both ends can’t be overstated. Even in this game, in just 16 minutes, the 36-year-old had 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists. He also scored 9 of those 10 points off 3 threes, while also playing some incredible defense on the defensive end.
As a player, Marc Gasol is exactly what the Lakers need right now. And we hope Nikola Jokic’s comments will be enough for the franchise to give Gasol the minutes he deserves.
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