Watch Grizzlies @ Nuggets via a free live stream on skysports.com, the Sky Sports app and Sky Sports' YouTube channel on Saturday night at 10pm
Saturday 28 December 2019 10:07, UK
Nikola Jokic said the Denver Nuggets need to strive to be consistent if they are to better last year's run to the Conference semi-finals in this year's postseason.
Speaking ahead of the Nuggets' NBA Primetime clash with the Memphis Grizzlies, a game you can watch for free on skysports.com, the Sky Sports app and Sky Sports' YouTube channel on Saturday at 10pm, Jokic said: "We are young but we have a couple of older guys who keep us together. If we continue to play like this, we can go really deep in the playoffs.
"I don't like to watch the future too much. Win the next game, win the next game, that's going to help us a lot.
"You need to be consistent. Every game is important for you and your team. A win in November is as important as a win in May. We have to keep pushing each other."
Jokic believes the experience the Nuggets acquired in the 2018-19 playoffs has been beneficial to the team. Denver beat the San Antonio Spurs 4-3 in the opening round of the postseason before falling to the Portland Trail Blazers in the deciding seventh game in the Western Conference semi-finals.
"We are just growing, we are growing as a group," Jokic said. "Experience is really nice just because we won a seventh game and lost a seventh game playing at a really high level. For me personally, I played really good. Playing against teams seven times - and winning and losing the most important games - meant a lot for this young team."
Denver have a deep roster but Jokic remains central to their hopes of going even further in the playoffs this season, according to Nuggets development coach Ognjen Stojakovic
"Jokic is special because his skill level is unbelievable, his feeling for the game, his basketball IQ and so on. But also his personality is part of who he is [as a player]. The mix of those two things makes him unique and special," he said.
"Nikola is an unbelievable person and one of the best players in the world. He is [all about] hard work and very professional. Add to that his talent and continuity. He makes us better.
Watch Grizzlies @ Nuggets via a free live stream on skysports.com, the Sky Sports app and Sky Sports' YouTube channel on Saturday night at 10pm
