"I Never Relax": Nikola Jokic Channels His Inner Peaky Blinders Mentality With Strong Statement

"I Never Relax": Nikola Jokic Channels His Inner Peaky Blinders Mentality
"I Never Relax": Nikola Jokic Channels His Inner Peaky Blinders Mentality (Credits: Getty and Imagn)

Speaking to the media on Saturday, Nikola Jokic cited the words of a famous TV show character, Thomas Shelby, portrayed by Cillian Murphy on the Netflix show “Peaky Blinders.” Jokic led the Nuggets to victory in the team’s home opener against the Phoenix Suns.

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The Nuggets won 133-111 as Jokic led the charge with a triple-double. He finished with 14 points, 15 assists, 14 rebounds and three steals, shooting 5-for-8. Jamal Murray was also key, recording a team-high 23 points with five assists and six rebounds.

After the game, the media questioned Jokic about his mentality when Jonas Valanciunas takes the court. The Nuggets center gave a light-hearted answer, citing fictional character Thomas Shelby’s example.

“I never relax and breathe easy, my friend,” Jokic said. “Tommy Shelby said there is no rest in this world.”
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The Nuggets acquired Valanciunas this summer via trade with the Sacramento Kings. Fans expect the center to provide calm in the paint during the team’s non-Jokic minutes. He had an efficient outing against the Suns, finishing with 12 points and seven rebounds in 13 minutes.

Denver has grabbed its first win of the season, driven by a tremendous team effort that saw seven players reach double figures in points. The Suns, meanwhile, relied on Devin Booker, who finished with a game-high 31 points.

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Nikola Jokic joins legendary list next to Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson with back-to-back triple-doubles

While the Nuggets have split their first two games to start the season, Nikola Jokic has been in fine form, recording a triple-double in both games. He finished Thursday's OT loss against the Golden State Warriors with 21 points, 10 assists and 13 rebounds.

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After his performance against Phoenix on Saturday, Nikola Jokic is only the fifth player in NBA history to open the regular season with back-to-back triple-doubles. He joins Russell Westbrook, Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson and Jerry Lucas as the only other players to do so.

He is averaging 17.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and 12.5 assists through the first two games, shooting 41.9%. After finally getting a win on the board, the Nuggets will look to keep their solid run going in their next game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Nuggets-Timberwolves game will tip off on Monday from Target Center.

Nuggets Fan? Check out the latest Denver Nuggets depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.

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Edited by Sameer Khan
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