Why Nikola Jokic Was OKC’s TOUGHEST Challenge | “We Were on the Ropes”

Why Nikola Jokic Was OKC’s TOUGHEST Challenge | “We Were on the Ropes”

Throughout the NBA playoffs, I think everyone was just looking at Indiana like, are they really about to advance? Like, they’re going to they’re not going to win this game, then they’d win. They make a comeback. They make it to the NBA finals. Talk to me a little bit about their team. Were they the real deal this year? I think they’re really impressive. I mean, um, they play their style no matter what. I think the biggest one, I mean, just playing against him, I think Rick Carla, I think he was like the main the main thing for them is just the timely timeouts, the timely adjustments. Um, I think that was the most impressive thing. I mean, we were there was a lot of times where we were about to go on a run or we’re like up 15 and like if we go on another run, the game’s done. And I think he just called timely just in general had a great coaching I mean playoffs in general. Yeah. And then the whole team plays the same way. I mean, they’re just never stopping. They’re just going the whole time. And no, it was definitely a tough series. Um, I think we in general, we were always confident throughout the series. I think the only series where we were kind of a little bit on the ropes was Denver. I think Denver was the only series where I mean that yoke just yicage. I mean, the way they play, they’ve been there before. And that was the probably the only series where we were like, even if we do everything right, they probably still have a chance. Every other series, we were like, if we do the right things, we’re good. So, you never want to see anyone get hurt, but when Tyrese goes down in that game seven, uh, what was what was the energy like? Like, did you guys have any conversation about it? And I also want to know, was there a difference? Because I think Tyrese, he got a little bit of criticism not being as aggressive early and in that game seven, he’s battling an injury. He came out aggressive and I think he knocked down three or four threes. So, I’m just kind of curious the difference of the energy. Like you guys had to have noticed like, all right, Tyrese is coming to he’s going to, you know, be a scoreer today or that’s a priority. He’s coming out aggressive and then he turns around and gets injured. That’s just such a big swing. What kind of emotions were going on from the start of that game and then after he got injured? I think first of all, you feel for him. I mean, you never I mean, as competitive you are, you never want to see someone go through something like that. Um, but just for us, we had a timeout after. We were just trying to get back to back to zero as we call it, back to where we want to be mentally. And so, just just trying to get back to us. I mean, we were he was being really aggressive at the beginning, but we were still confident. I think that’s what makes us really good is we’re never too high or too low throughout the game. We’re just focus on possession by possession and that just I think that’s what been making us good, but it was sad to see. I mean, you never want someone to have an injury like that and that’s not an easy injury to have for sure. Yeah. You mentioned being a wing now having to change your role in your play style. At any point did you like doubt you would stick in the NBA or I think the only time I really did that was probably my time in Denver. I think for me for most of the guys that were backups to Jokic that might be like one of the hardest jobs to do. I mean you’re playing you know your minutes is you’re playing 10 minutes and don’t matter what you do in your minutes. You’re not right do doing what Jokic is doing. I think and that probably was the hardest time for me where after that I started really working on the mental game and that after that it kind of just went like I was good. I mean went to the Clippers after that and it was straight after that but just the Denver was probably the only time where I kind of doubted it a little bit. What’s the biggest thing you picked up from Joker? Like watching all his greatness up close. He passing, he dribbling down the court, point guard, he doing it all. What did you learn? Please tell me. I think just his passing. I think I learned a lot. I mean, I could always pass before, but just the little details of kind of looking off guys with your eyes. Um, if a defender is not looking at you, you can kind of still throw in in front and they can still catch the ball. Those were just like little details where I was a good passer, but kind of took me to another level where I see the game differently and I know how to manipulate the game to in kind of my benefit in that aspect. But he’s so smart in the game. I mean, his IQ is off the charts. Even playing against him in the playoffs, it felt like he was coaching like like to like he’ll he’s like the coach on the court. I mean, he’ll tell people where to go. He’ll tell what what kind of players to what to do. And so he’s just his IQ is often chased. You know why he got the nickname Joker? Who he got it from? No. Who was it? That was it. Wasn’t him. What’s it? What’s his name? They gave me Mike Miller. About to say do you know? I know. How about I know you remember what he was? I just Mike Miller actually gave him the nickname because he couldn’t pronounce his name and he was doing all this crazy stuff so he just called him a joker. It’s a good name. It’s great names. [Music]

Isaiah Hartenstein explains why Denver, not Indiana, was OKC’s toughest playoff battle — and what he learned from Nikola Jokic during his time with the Nuggets.
.
.
.
New episodes drop WEEKLY.

Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts and follow the show on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok for all the best moments from the show.

Download full podcast here:
Spotify:

Apple:

Follow Podcast P on Social Media: https://hoo.be/podcastpshow

Podcast P Merch: https://podcastpshop.com/