Most NBA families are preparing for the upcoming holidays. The onset of Thanksgiving takes the festival into Christmas and the New Year. Usually, it’s the time to have a nice turkey, mashed potatoes, and look back at some of the fruitful memories of the year. But that’s for people who diligently celebrate the holiday. Nikola Jokic isn’t one of them.

After securing a win against the Memphis Grizzlies, the Joker was asked about some of the things he is thankful for with the holiday around the corner. Jokic isn’t startled by most high-pressure moments. Somehow, this question brought more emotion out of the Serbian center than after he had won a championship in 2023.

“What am I thankful for? Oh my god,” Nikola Jokic said, almost stressed from the question. But why? The answer is simple. Because in Serbia, Thanksgiving isn’t a celebrated holiday like it is in the USA. It’s not a part of the tradition, hence, it’s never really a frequent thought for Nikola Jokic.

But of course, there’s a lot for the Joker to appreciate in life. He loves his family and always goes back to Serbia in the offseason. His wife, Nataljia Jokic, and two children are raising a great family. And in the NBA, he’s on to historic heights. This season, he is averaging a triple-double while scoring a career-high 29.6 points. Literally and figuratively, there’s nobody like the Joker.

And as the Nuggets celebrate the holidays, they will be eternally thankful for Jokic.

Nikola Jokic has lit up Thanksgiving for the Denver Nuggets

For the first five games of the season, Nikola Jokic was playing like he regularly does. When the game called for it, he looked aggressive. His first thought was always to feed his teammates. But the Nuggets started sluggish, going to a 3-2 start. Since then, Nikola Jokic has been nuclear.

The Nuggets have only lost two games in 12 games since then. In that span, the three-time MVP is averaging 33.4 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 11.2 assists per game. His Nuggets average the most points per game in the league, Jokic’s scoring surge being a catalyst it. With the Joker leading the best offense in the league, the Nuggets have had the time to prioritize defensive growth.

Their offseason acquisitions, like Bruce Brown and Cameron Johnson, have contributed to their improvement as a defense. Their addition alongside already solid defenders like Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun, the Nuggets are recording a defensive rating of 112.5. No other teams aside from the Rockets and the Thunder record a greater net differential.

Most of the team is playing basketball at an elite level. But Nikola Jokic makes a lot of that possible. The Nuggets’ next two leading scorers, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon, have been assisted the most by the Joker. He’s the ultimate trump card in the league right now. Jokic has made sure the Nuggets and their fans are in high spirits going into the holidays.