The Joker was not joking. In another chapter in the saga of Nikola Jokic vs. fans, the 3x MVP issued a stern message to Denver Nuggets fans following a dramatic 141–135 overtime victory against the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night. Rather than basking in the team’s historic 23-point comeback or his personal record-setting performance, Jokic immediately called out the home crowd at Ball Arena for booing the team during a disastrous first half.

The tension reached a boiling point at halftime when the Nuggets walked off the floor down 73–57 to the Pelicans. Disgruntled Denver fans rained down jeers and heckles as players entered the tunnel.

During the post-game presser, when asked about the reserve unit that sparked the second-half rally, Jokic redirected the conversation directly toward the home crowd’s hostility.

“Yeah, I’m actually so glad that you mentioned that because we got booed in the first home game,” Jokic told reporters. “I think those fans who boo us, they don’t need to come anymore. Because if you guys follow us, you know that we never quit, and we came back from much worse or similar situations. So if you ask me, they’re not welcome anymore.”

He’s right about history. In 2019, they came back off a 25-point deficit. Since then, Nuggets Nation had a running joke about how wide the score gap had to be for the Joker to check in.

When pressed later on whether fans at Ball Arena should support the roster through difficult stretches, Jokic reinforced his stance without hesitation. “Yes,” Jokic stated. “If they’re Nuggets fans, they should support us.”

The Joker has a history of being blunt or snubbing fans even though the same fanbase was anxious about him leaving if Denver didn’t build a strong rotation around him. As recently as September, he addressed his contentious behavior stating on the Jao Mile podcast, “If people can’t understand me, I understand everything, but it’s been 11-12 years and enough is enough.”

Tonight, the frustration from the home crowd reflected lingering disappointment following a first-round playoff exit last season and a sluggish season-opening loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Fans’ anxieties peaked during Saturday’s home opener as New Orleans shot efficiently from the field, leading 108–89 heading into the fourth quarter.

“Nothing goes your way, and they’re making shots. You’re not making shots, so it was just bad energy,” Jokic said, addressing the early-game funk. “You need a couple minutes to go by so you can get out of that bad … I don’t know how to say, energy, whatever it is.”

However, Denver mounted a furious 37–18 fourth-quarter run to force overtime. Jamal Murray drove the offense with 42 points, including eight three-pointers, and hit two free throws late in regulation to tie the game at 126–126.

In overtime, Jokic took control, scoring eight of his 35 points to seal the win. He finished with an additional 15 rebounds and 10 assists to secure Denver’s first victory of the 2026–27 campaign. The effort also marked a major milestone for Jokic, who passed Russell Westbrook’s record for most regular-season and playoff combined triple-doubles with his 222nd career triple-double tonight.

Despite the friction between the franchise cornerstone and the home crowd, Jokic praised Murray for maintaining belief on the bench when Denver trailed by double digits.

“Even like we were down 16 … he said we can win this,” Jokic said.

With the Nuggets now sitting at 1–1, Jokic and company look to build momentum on Monday night when they host the Golden State Warriors at Ball Arena.