Nikola Jokic Has Strong Praise for LeBron James After Lakers Game

For the first time since January, the Denver Nuggets have won consecutive games. After dropping nine of their previous ten games against current playoff teams, the Nuggets desperately needed a win over the star-studded Los Angeles Lakers. Luckily, they were able to defend their home court in a 120-113 win.

During the game, Lakers superstar LeBron James officially passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA's all-time leader in field goals made. James finished with 16 points, five rebounds, eight assists, and three steals on 7-11 shooting, and earned some high praise from Nuggets star Nikola Jokic after the game.

"This is like my seventh time saying he's a really, really, really legendary player in this league," Jokic said about James. "What he did and how consistent he is through his career. He still influences the game, and teams are still preparing for him, even in whatever year he is in. He is still pushing the pace and still leading the league, probably, in transition points. He's definitely a legendary player."

Passing the torch?

Jokic, as usual, has the utmost respect for the "legendary" Lakers forward, but the Serbian superstar has taken over the position as the best player in the NBA. While Jokic might not be the "face of the league" like James was for many years, he has won three MVP awards in the last five years and finished second in voting both years he did not win.

James has been quick to praise Jokic in the past, saying, "Jokic is one of the greatest players to ever play this game" after the last meeting between the Nuggets and Lakers.

In Thursday's win, Jokic led the Nuggets with 28 points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists on 10-15 shooting from the field, adding some more fuel to his MVP case as the season winds down. Of course, we have to take the bad with the good, as Jokic also committed nine turnovers to nearly record a quadruple-double, and not the spectacular kind.

Still, Jokic has earned his respect as one of the greatest ever, even though he is not on James' level in the GOAT conversation.

LEBRON JAMES.

MOST FIELD GOALS MADE IN NBA HISTORY.

👑 pic.twitter.com/yCj3h4j6rO
— NBA (@NBA) March 6, 2026

Jokic and the Nuggets sent James and the Lakers home in back-to-back postseasons in 2023 and 2024, with a combined series record of 8-1 in those series. At this point, the two superstars are well adjusted to each other, and there is a great chance the two teams meet again in the first round of this year's playoffs.

While James did not speak on Jokic after the game, Lakers superstar Luka Doncic was asked about the challenges of slowing down the three-time MVP.

"I mean, it was very hard. There's a reason he's the MVP. It's very hard to stop him," Doncic said (via Spectrum SportsNet) about Jokic. "You've just got to try to make it difficult on him."

Lakers coach JJ Redick had similar words, saying Jokic is a "fantastic player," but credited his guys for doing a good job defending him.

The Nuggets and Lakers always have good battles, largely because of this superstar matchup between Jokic and James, and there seems to be nothing but respect between the two sides. After the Lakers won the first game of their season series, the Nuggets were fortunate to tie things up with Thursday's win.