Troy Renck: Nikola Jokic is authentic and yet faux outrage remains over his performance in a fake game. Seriously? Jokic has done endless things to make people care about the beauty of basketball. So, when Kevin Durant spits heat and alleges Jokic does not care about an exhibition game, are we suddenly supposed to be upset? After more than a decade of embarrassing displays, the NBA saved the All-Star Game on Sunday with a new format that created a watchable product. Does it matter that Jokic was barely part of it, playing only five minutes as a concession to his knee recovery? Should it? Ever?
Sean Keeler: Nope. I want to see that competitive juice as much as the next guy. More, in fact. I want to see the bite that makes the NBA playoffs the second-best postseason bracket in North American sports after the holy war that decides the Stanley Cup. But this is a different time, man. In the ’80s and ’90s NBA, the All-Star Game was the only chance we got to watch an Alex English or Fat Lever shine on a national stage. The Nuggets were practically invisible to most of the country back then. You had to represent. To show out. That’s not the case anymore. And certainly not the case with the Joker. Thanks largely to ESPN, these guys are everywhere now. Jokic was two weeks removed from his first game back after the most serious in-season injury of his career. The NBA was lucky he showed up.
Renck: The reality is that the All-Star Game is catnip for 48 hours because it represents our first Sunday without the NFL. For those of us who grew up watching the game in the 1980s and 90s, seeing it devolve into a depressing state that included Kevin Hart on a mic and effort-free defense was disappointing. Do I wish the game mattered more to Jokic? Yes. Only because his underwhelming box score colors the narrative about him. No all-time great has been more miscast for an All-Star game. Jokic plays below the rim, accents the margins, makes the right play, everything that runs contrary to the selfishness rewarded in this exhibition. In the days leading up to the game, Kevin Durant did not take kindly to being asked about the lack of competition, firing a dart at the Europeans. “Luka (Doncic) and Jokic, they don’t care about the game at all. These dudes be lying on the floor, shooting from half-court, but you got to worry about the old heads playing hard.” Nice try, KD. Under LeBron James’ direction, the game dissolved. Never saw this under Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, did you?
Keeler: Some teams would’ve told Jokic explicitly not to play. Steph Curry didn’t. Giannis Antetokounmpo didn’t. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t. Cooper Flagg didn’t. Luka Doncic was on a pitch count. Why wouldn’t the Joker be on one, too? Load management doesn’t just apply during those back-to-backs in late January. Look, I’ve often hoped Jokic would embrace more of the me-first, look-at-me stuff that’s defined the league over the last 25 years. I also accepted a long time ago that it was never, ever gonna happen. Is there an obligation for the Joker to put on a good show for the league? Yes. Is it more important than his long-term health and winning another championship? Heck, no.
Renck: The All-Star game became a joke starting in 2017. So, let’s not assign blame to Jokic, who did not make his first appearance until 2019. Would it be cool if Jokic set the tone as Victor Wembanyama did on Sunday? Sure. But it is not his thing. His best shot Sunday was a polite jab at Durant. “I think it was, what is the word, competitive, what they are asking from us. Probably because I didn’t play, so. … I am joking.” Truth is, a contrived event will never enhance Jokic’s legacy. He is as real as it gets. The All-Star game can just deal with it.
Keeler: The NBA loves honesty, and players speaking their minds — unless they’re telling tales about what goes on behind the curtain. Jokic has no filter. It’s part of the package, part of the charm. If he doesn’t care, he tells you. If he cares, he might tell you. Actually, he’ll just show you. It’s always been about actions, not words, when it comes to the best player in the world. And his lack of action Sunday said an awful lot.
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