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Kendrick Perkins has apologized to Shaquille O'Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon while criticizing Nikola Jokic following the Denver Nuggets' first-round playoff exit. The Nuggets lost 110-98 to the Minnesota Timberwolves despite the latter missing key players.
Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post
The Denver Nuggets endured a disappointing first-round playoff exit after failing to recover against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The knockout came after a 110-98 defeat on Thursday, despite Minnesota missing key players such as Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo since Game 4.
That context has intensified scrutiny around Denverâs leading figures. Nikola Jokic, widely regarded as one of the leagueâs most dominant players, has become the central focus of criticism.
His individual numbers remained strong across the series, but the overall outcome has shaped the narrative. Questions are now being raised about how his performances translate into postseason success.
Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images
Kendrick Perkins delivered a strong assessment of Jokic while speaking on ESPNâs First Take. The former NBA champion focused on accountability at the highest level of the sport.
He said: âWe got to hold him Jokic to a level of accountability like we would do with every âall-time greatâ. Over the past three years: second-round exit, second-round exit, first-round exit.
âAnd youâre telling me, without Anthony Edwards, without Donte, two starters and your best player, you couldnât pull out and go win this series?â
Perkins then shifted his focus to the broader historical context. He issued apologies to several legendary centres he once put below Jokic.
âI want to sit up here and apologize. Shaquille OâNeal, Shaq, I want to apologize to you and tell you Iâm sorry. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, I want to sit up here and tell you I apologize. Iâm sorry,â he added.
Kendrick Perkins apologized to Shaquille O'Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon while addressing criticisms surrounding Nikola Jokic after the Nuggets' playoff performance.
The Denver Nuggets were eliminated in the first round after losing 110-98 to the Minnesota Timberwolves, despite the Timberwolves missing key players.
The Minnesota Timberwolves were missing key players Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo during their playoff game against the Nuggets.
Nikola Jokic's performance has come under intense scrutiny following the Nuggets' disappointing playoff exit, raising questions about his impact in critical games.
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âI want to apologize to Hakeem âThe Dreamâ Olajuwon, because I jumped the gun just like everybody else when it comes down to disrespecting all-time greats.â
Perkins also questioned whether Jokic can add to his championship tally. He suggested expectations may have risen too quickly based on regular-season production.
âWe were so ready to crown this man and put him ahead of all-time greats because of certain things and numbers that he was putting up in the regular season.
âI get it. He has one NBA championship. And matter of fact, I donât think Jokic is going to win another NBA championship, to be honest with you,â Perkins stated.
He continued by placing Jokic within the historical rankings, but emphasised the need for further achievements and also mentioned how the Serb had a hard time being guarded by Gobert.
Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post
âIs he a top 10 center of all time? Absolutely. But he needs some more accolades. He needs some more championships on his rĂ©sumĂ© for us to start even considering that. And what Rudy Gobert did to him this series, he outplayed him. Rudy Gobert got a lot of apologies from a lot of people, because we criticized him over the past,â Perkins concluded.
Jokic averaged 25.8 points, 13.2 rebounds and 9.5 assists during the series. However, his 44.6% accuracy on field goal attempts added to concerns about his efficiency against Gobertâs defence.
Those figures underline the complexity of evaluating his performances. Individual output remained high, but the series result continues to dominate the conversation.
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