Nikola Jokic reveals what he admires most about Dirk Nowitzki

The Nuggets will want to remember just one item from their debilitating 103-89 loss Monday in Dallas.

It didn’t come until after the final buzzer.

Following the Nuggets defeat, Nikola Jokic was asked what his memories were of legendary Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki, who’s getting his No. 41 jersey retired in Dallas on Wednesday. And in the house that Dirk built, Jokic spoke to what he respects most about the future Hall-of-Famer.

“He’s one of the few guys that played for one team in their whole career,” Jokic said. “He won a title. He won a ring, and I really, really admire him just because of that. He didn’t quit. He didn’t abandon the team. I really admire that.”

It’s the latest bit of insight into Jokic’s psyche. It’s another hint at what the reigning MVP truly values. The individual accolades look great on his mantle. The All-Star and All-NBA selections are gratifying. But most of all, Jokic just wants to win. And by now, seven years into his Nuggets tenure, it’s pretty clear that he wants to win in Denver and maybe nowhere else.

Like Dirk did in 2011.

Like Tim Duncan did in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014.

“I can be the Tim Duncan of Denver Nuggets,” Jokic said in 2019, rehashing a conversation he had with Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly.

Duncan rarely had to carry the Spurs like Jokic is currently carrying the Nuggets, but the San Antonio big man never had the privilege of playing through a pandemic-infiltrated regular season or a rash of injuries like Denver is currently experiencing.

Jokic did his part against the Mavs by finishing with 27 points, 16 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. But Nuggets not named Jokic or Aaron Gordon, who chipped in 15 points on 7-9 shooting and 7 rebounds, combined to shoot just 13-40 (32.5%) from the field. The Nuggets managed to score a grand total of two baskets in the 11 minutes that Jokic was resting on the bench during the competitive portions of Monday’s loss. One field goal came on a Bones Hyland layup late in the third quarter. The other basket was courtesy of a Will Barton drive early in the fourth.

As a team, the Nuggets tallied a season-high 26 turnovers in Dallas. It’s Denver’s most turnovers in a game since Jan. 6, 2018. The Nuggets also shot just 6-25 (24%) from 3-point range. Somehow, it was only Denver’s seventh-worst 3-point shooting performance of the season. Oh, and by the way, the Nuggets lost two rotation players to injury, Austin Rivers and Vlatko Cancar. Jokic said postgame that Cancar broke his right foot before quickly backtracking. We’ll likely know more about Cancar’s status on Tuesday.

Until Jamal Murray returns, and maybe even past that date on the calendar whenever it comes, it’s all on Jokic’s shoulders. If Jokic doesn’t have an A-level offensive game, Denver’s losing and probably not reaching the century mark. Currently, he’s having to elevate the Nuggets’ end-of-bench reserves and 10-day contract players who’ve been thrust into the rotation. You’ve seen that enormous amount of responsibility weigh on him throughout this season.

Jokic’s loyalty is so commendable, especially in an era when player allegiances to teams or cities are routinely sacrificed in pursuit of championships. He’s built the Nuggets up from nothing into a perennial playoff contender and the only Western Conference team to finish as a top-4 seed in each of the last three seasons. Jokic will have a chance to extend his commitment to the Nuggets next summer when he’s eligible to sign a supermax extension which would keep him under contract through 2027-28 and will total more than $240 million.

Deep down, you know he wants to one day finish the job with the only NBA head coach he’s ever known and the strength trainers and assistants that have been at his side since he stepped foot in the Nuggets’ practice facility for the first time in 2015.

“My personal opinion is I’d rather win it with the Nuggets than with another team,” Jokic said last March.

Loyalty and winning, that’s what Jokic has time and time again stated that he values most.

I bet Dirk and Tim would say the same.