The Nuggets took the Christmas Day snub personally.
It was just the latest example, in their eyes, of the NBA’s disrespect toward Nikola Jokic, last season’s MVP. That bled into national attention on Jokic, narratives and perceived assumptions about Denver’s franchise superstar and yielded a remark Tuesday night that had no doubt been brewing within Nuggets coach Michael Malone.
“We don’t ever take him for granted in Denver,” Malone said ahead of the Nuggets’ matchup against the Clippers. “I think he is one of the more disrespected reigning MVPs that I can think of in terms of the attention that he gets.