Nikola Jokic FULL Media Availability Ahead of Game 5 | #NBAFinals presented by YouTube TV

Nicola, how are you? Paul Antunes, ESPN Brazil. After game four, we saw coach Mike Malone go up in the stands and he was kind of embracing your family and had kind of a moment there. I was wondering, when did your family became close to him in that aspect for him to go up right after a big win like that? And can you describe your personal relationship with your coach? I mean, I always say he came visit me a couple times back home in Serbia and he came visit me when I played for national team in Lithuania. Was it Lithuania? So yeah, he came around a couple times. So my whole family just get him to know him and we got together, we did some couple fun things. So, you know, and for relationship for a whole eight years, we grown so much, like not just on the court. So, you know, he's a good guy and he always likes to visit me and we always appreciate him. How important has that been for your growth as a player within the Denver organization? I really don't know. Probably it's good. I think it's good when you have a good relationship with the coach. So I think it was good. Next question over here on the left. Aleksandar Dzikic, FTS Television, Serbia. It's gonna be a very exciting night in Serbia. Monday night, a couple questions actually in Serbian. Nikola, first of all, as you can see, Novak Djokovic has won. Second, how are you preparing mentally and physically for such an important game? Do you consider it particularly important? And third, what does it mean for you to support your family, to be in contact with your family and friends? Yes, it's a win. I don't know how many times I've won it. It's the 23rd time, so it's a lot. I'm looking forward to it. He's really a man who... I don't think there's a word to describe him. Everyone has already said everything, but he's a master of his craft and probably one of the best who will play that sport. We're preparing for the game, just like we prepared for the past three or four games. Without a break, the focus was on the training today. No one took a break. Everyone focused, everyone was in the training, which makes me very happy. Because if we're relaxed, we won't do well. And yes, of course, family is something that follows me through my whole life and means a lot. Next question on the right side, second row. Nikola Shane with Fork Sports. Coach was saying that communication is probably the biggest and important key for a successful defense. I guess, how have you seen that grow with this core unit over the years? And I guess, how much pride do you take in being a communicator on defense? I mean, I think it means a lot. Especially in the playoffs, you can see the plays before you can talk to it, know what is coming, even the first game. From the first game, you can see how we are as a team better in communication and maybe reading the plays and knowing when to help and when not to help. I think we are growing even now in the finals. Every game, we are better and better. And I think that's probably the first and the most important thing in defense. Melissa. Hey, Nikola. Melissa Rowland, Fork Sports. Coach was just talking about how you guys need to approach this as though it were a must win and you were down 3-1. I'm curious how important the vets' voices are in the locker room right now with instilling that. Obviously, they know how rare these opportunities are. So guys like DJ, Jack, Ish, how important have their voices been right now? I know. It's not if we're going to approach it as a must win game. I know it's a big opportunity and I think everybody knows. And by the reflection of the practice today, how everybody was locked in, I think we're going to be ready for tomorrow. And vets are there to do their job and to keep us not relaxed, keep us tight, and they're doing a really good job. And I think the vets in this league are really important for the Argonne team, for the whatever team. You need to have good vets. Mike, here in the second row. Mike Singer, Denver Post. Nikola, Montae was there in game three. Gary was there in game four. I don't know if you got to see Gary at all, but what did it mean to you to have Montae there? I saw you guys celebrate and kind of hug it out after. I played with Montae a long time and then when Jamal got hurt, me and him got really good connection on the court. And I was always good with him on the court. He's a really, really... Even with my family, even he was always around and he is a guy who I really like as a friend and a really funny guy. You can talk to him about anything and I like Montae. Have any of your other, sorry, teammates reached out to you throughout this run? Like texted you, called you or anything or no? I saw Wilson texted me. Mike, I saw Mike in Miami. Jameer texted me a couple of times. I think when we get in the finals, I think he texted us, texted me and a bunch of guys, but those are the guys that I can remember. All my Serbian comrades, I'm gonna say it like that. They'll reach out. Back left. Nicola, Pac-Ram Associated Press. I guess with Toronto hiring Darko, I just wanna know, how old do you know him? And what's that say about the game? Back left. Sorry, what's that say about the game? Where the game's at when Toronto hires Darko? Yes, I think I love it. You know, he's a great guy and I really appreciate him and he's here for a long, long time. And I'm gonna say in 10 years from the G League coach to the head coach in NBA, I think it's a lot of respect for him and for his work. And I think he deserves it. He's been seeing a lot. He's been through a lot and I think he deserves it and I think he's gonna do a great job there. Of what? Uh-huh, yeah. I mean, yes, he's a second coach, a Serbian coach that I think coached the NBA, being as an NBA head coach. And Igor was first, he was second. So I'm just, you know, NBA's growing and the people in front office, I'm trying to see maybe some other guys are willing to step up and they're gonna do a good job. Last row, back left. Hey, Nikola Harrison, Windy NPR. Guys like Felipe, guys like Sparky who have been with you for most of your journey. What does it mean to you to get to this point with a couple guys? And there are more throughout the organization, but people who have been with you for throughout most of your time in Denver. Yeah, yeah. You know, I mean, there is always Felipe who has been with me since day one. Jason Miller, who is a trainer who was little with me through everything, every injury, every pain. So Sparky, Augie, who is working with me. I came to Serbia a bunch of times. So Sparky, who is always there in the background. And, you know, I'm just happy that I have the same guys around me the whole time. And I'm gonna do my best to keep them as possible as much as possible around me, you know, because I like to stick with my people who has been with me from the beginning. In the center. Hi, Nikola. Tomorrow at home, the championship on the line, possibly the most important moment in franchise history. What's the most challenging part or what's gonna be the most important part about dealing with those emotions during the game and that part of human nature of just being on that stage? I think it's not gonna be emotions. It's gonna be a job that we need to be done, you know. I think you're ready. We're gonna be locked in and ready to go. It's just gonna be a game that we need to win. Thank you. Thank you guys. Bless you like always.