Carmelo Anthony Praises Nikola Jokic, Nuggets for Hot Start

Carmelo Anthony gave Nikola Jokic his due credit for the Denver Nuggets' strong start.

Mar 8, 2023; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks former player Carmelo Anthony sits courtside during the second half between the Villanova Wildcats and the Georgetown Hoyas at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Denver Nuggets, through the first portion of their 2025-26 campaign, have gotten off to a rock-solid start to a championship-level season.

Just three weeks into the season, the Nuggets are sitting towards the top of the Western Conference mountain at a 9-2 record, have managed to sustained themselves as one of the best offenses in the NBA, have some added depth from this summer brought in the fold, all while being led by the MVP-caliber talent of Nikola Jokic.

It's hard to hate what Denver has put on the table through the first three weeks of the new season. Such a strong start even has former Nuggets All-Star Carmelo Anthony applauding what he's seen on both Jokic's part, and for the team as a whole.

"Joker got them boys locked in," Anthony said of the Nuggets on NBA Showtime, "Everything goes through Joker. He initiates the offense. He makes guys better around him. Again, all you've got to do is be in your spots."

Carmelo Anthony Likes What He's Seen From Denver

Nov 8, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas (17) subs out center Nikola Jokic (15) in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

During his first three weeks of the season thus far, Jokic is averaging his usual triple double worth 28.8 points, 13.1 rebounds, and 10.9 assists as the generator that makes this Nuggets offense run.

For anyone playing in the same jersey as Jokic, the task becomes just a bit simpler on any given night on the offensive end. Not just for his otherworldly passing ability to get his teammates involved when they're in their right spots, but also the attention he demands for himself as a scorer, as he's currently scoring his usual 25-plus a night.

It's an added bonus when his surrounding talent with the likes of Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon are firing on all cylinders as they have been. And Melo, an offensive specialist himself, can see that potency on full display.

Bruce Brown Gets Some Shine

Anthony, along with his praise for the star talent of Jokic, also gave a special nod to the depth that the Nuggets have shown in their first few games; more specifically, Bruce Brown, mentioning the comfortability he's shown that's paid off for the Nuggets' offense in a big way.

"Then, you get somebody like Bruce Brown, who's been in Denver before," Anthony continued. "He's comfortable, he's coming in, he's shooting pull-up treys. Like, this is what you want to see from the Denver Nuggets, man.

Melo: “Joker got them boys LOCKED in.” 🔒🔥 pic.twitter.com/m0UaXoiyk8

— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) November 12, 2025

It's a nice confidence booster when one of the NBA's best scorers in recent memory gives the stamp of approval to your team's star talent and collective offense. Melo, among many, clearly has some Nuggets stock bought for this season, and it comes for a good reason based on their early sample size.

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