Nuggets role player calling himself team's 'vocal leader' is massive indictment of Nikola Jokić
Nikola Jokić might deserve even more criticism for the Nuggets' first-round collapse than we thought.
When you look at the Denver Nuggets roster, on paper, you see a lot of guys who probably should be leaders. There's Aaron Gordon, the versatile Swiss Army Knife. There's Jamal Murray, the All-NBA-caliber guard.
Above all, there's three-time MVP Nikola Jokić, the man who sets the table for the Nuggets and is the main reason anyone takes them remotely seriously. But apparently, none of these esteemed gentlemen is the Nuggets' "vocal leader. " No, no, that role apparently belongs to Denver's fifth starter, Christian Braun, an average defender and mediocre shooter best known for thriving in offensive transition.
Honestly, I'm starting to see why Jokić's Nuggets looked so weak and so soft in a convincing first-round playoff defeat to the shorthanded Minnesota Timberwolves. More from the Denver Post's Bennett Durando : “It’s just unacceptable [the Nuggets' playoff loss]. Especially with the talent we have on this roster,” Braun said.
“I think when we come here every single year, we talk about championships. That’s our mindset and our goal. And obviously, we fell short.