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Nikola Jokic's love for horse racing is well-known, and it wasn't surprising to see the Denver Nuggets superstar use an analogy from the sport while describing the Game 4 loss to the LA Lakers on Saturday.
The Purple and Gold stayed alive in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs with a 119-108 win at the Crypto.com Arena. Anthony Davis' 25 points and 23 points were enough for LA to snap their 11-game losing streak against the Nuggets spanning 498 days.
Jokic, meanwhile, ended his evening with a triple-double, recording 33 points, 14 rebounds, and as many assists. When asked about the loss, he kept it simple:
“I learned in horse racing: it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.”
Jokic and the Nuggets were a cinch to close out the series in Game 4. They did the same to LA last season, sweeping them 4-0 in the Western Conference Finals. But with Anthony Davis and the Lakers fighting back to force a Game 5, the action now shifts to the Ball Arena, where the Nuggets will look to eliminate the Lakers for the second straight year.
"Winning is a lifestyle for us": Nikola Jokic keen on keeping the Nuggets success going
The Denver Nuggets are one win away from advancing to the second round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
With Game 4 not going their way, they have a chance to finish things off in Denver on Apr. 29. Ahead of the contest, the two-time NBA MVP spoke about how he was part of the Nuggets outfit that shaped their success over the last few seasons.
"Winning is a lifestyle for us. I was here when we were losing, so I don't want to go back to that."
Nikola Jokic has been a key force for the Denver Nuggets. The center is averaging 27.7 points on 63.5 percent shooting, 15.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists in the series.
He's also the frontrunner to win his third MVP award. The Nuggets are the favorites to defend their title. While the road to the NBA Finals doesn't seem easy, they are one of the better teams in the league with the right blend of offense, defense, size and game IQ.
Game 5 will tip off at the Ball Arena in Denver on Monday (Apr. 29) at 10 pm ET, and Nikola Jokic's horse racing analogy might just hold good.
