The NBA announced the finalists for its regular season awards for the 2023-24 season, including Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year, and Rookie of the Year. 

The list of finalists for the MVP award includes Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic, Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic, and Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Jokic is looking for his third MVP award, while Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander are the first-time finalists.

Minnesota Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert is looking to add another DPOY award to his resume, having claimed the honor three times so far. He will be challenged by Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo and San Antonio Spurs’ rookie Victor Wembanyama.

Wembanyama is also in the running for the ROY award and is the overwhelming favorite to win it. OKC’s Chet Holmgren and Charlotte Hornets’ Brandon Miller are the two other finalists.

OKC’s Mark Daigneault, Timberwolves’ Chris Finch, and Orlando Magic’s Jamahl Mosley are in the running for the Coach of the Year award. Daigneault led his team to a 57-25 record and the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, while Finch and Timberwolves finished just one win behind OKC with a 56-26 record. Mosley, on the other hand, guided the Magic to the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference with a 47-35 record and the first playoff appearance since 2019–20.

The finalists for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award are Malik Monk (Sacramento Kings), Bobby Portis (Milwaukee Bucks), and Naz Reid (Timberwolves). Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers), Alperen Sengun (Houston Rockets), and Coby White (Chicago Bulls) are in the running for the Most Improved Player award, while the Clutch Player of the Year award will go to either Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), DeMar DeRozan (Bulls) or Gilgeous-Alexander.

The winners for each award will be announced during the NBA playoffs.

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There is no lack of optimism in the Denver Nuggets’ camp as the team prepares to start their campaign as the defending NBA champions. Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, stars Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic said they believe the Nuggets can go all the way in 2023-24 as well.

“I just think we can do it again,” Murray said. “I think that’s the biggest thing, just being able to repeat and go through the adversity and ups and downs of this season. Just be ready by April and going to June.”

Jokic, who won the NBA Finals MVP honors in a 4-1 routing of the Miami Heat, has a similar opinion as Murray.

“Go get the opportunity to win another one. Probably, that’s going to be the next step for us,” said Jokic. “… Like Jamal said, like why not win again?”

Despite the Nuggets’ optimism, their road to the NBA title will likely be much harder this season than it was in 2022-23. Several of the championship contenders have significantly improved this offseason. The Phoenix Suns traded for All-Star Bradley Beal, while the Milwaukee Bucks pulled off a blockbuster trade for superstar Damian Lillard.

The Nuggets, on the other hand, remained pat. While maintaining the majority of their core players, they only signed several rotational pieces, including veteran forward Justin Holiday. On the other hand, they have seen the likes of Bruce Brown and Jeff Green leave elsewhere.

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The Denver Nuggets took back control of the NBA Finals series against the Heat in an impressive fashion. The Nuggets dominated the Heat in a 109-94 win in Game 3, with their star duo of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray making history in the process.

Jokic and Murray both had 30-point triple-doubles, becoming the first duo to achieve the feat in the NBA playoffs. Jokic had 32 points, 21 rebounds, and 10 assists, while Murray finished the game with 34 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds to give Denver a 2-1 lead.

Nuggets’ head coach Mike Malone was full of praise for Jokic and Murray in the post-game conference.

“By far, their greatest performance as a duo in their seven years together,” Malone said.

Malone was particularly impressed with Murray, who struggled in Game 2 and missed the game-tying basket at the buzzer.

“I felt Jamal’s presence, his energy, and he was here in the moment,” Malone added. “For him and Nikola to do what they did tonight in a game that we needed to take, regain the home-court advantage of the series, was special to watch.”

Jokic and Murray will now look to do it all over again in Game 4, knowing how important it is to keep the momentum and don’t let the resilient Heat team get their grove back. The series stays in Miami, with the next game scheduled for Friday night.

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The Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic delivered another signature performance on Tuesday night to lift his team to a 118-102 win over the Phoenix Suns in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals. Jokic finished the contest with 29 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists and managed to make some history in the process.

The game against the Suns was the 10th time that Jokic had double-digits in points, rebounds, and assists in the postseason. With this, he became the center with the most triple-doubles in NBA Playoff history, surpassing legendary Wilt Chamberlain.

Jokic’s 10 triple-double in the playoffs also ranks him at No. 5 for all positions, sharing the position with Larry Bird, Draymond Green, Jason Kidd, and Rajon Rondo. 

After the game, Jokic was asked by reporters whether he would like to have a triple-double or a prolific scoring night. The Serbian scored 53 points in Game 4, which was the second-most by a center in NBA Playoffs. 

“I mean, to be honest, I just like to win the game,” Jokic responded. “So whatever it takes. I opened the game today; I think really badly; maybe I was forcing it. And then I just slow it down, relax and let the game come to me. It’ll come to me, and that happens.”

The Nuggets now hold a 3-2 lead in the series against the Suns and need just one win to punch their ticket for conference finals. They will have an opportunity to finish the job on Thursday when the two teams meet again for Game 6.

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The start of 2022 NBA free agency on Thursday wasn’t all about bringing in new players into the building. Instead, some teams like the Denver Nuggets, the Phoenix Suns, and the Minnesota Timberwolves also used the opportunity to lock their star players to long-term extensions.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Nuggets made good on their word and gave back-to-back NBA MVP Nikola Jokic a five-year, $264 million supermax contract extension. The deal, which includes a 2027-28 player option for $60 million, is the richest in the history of the NBA.

The Suns also entered the supermax territory, giving their All-Star Devin Booker a four-year, $224 million extension. Booker’s new deal will start in the 2024-25 season and puts him on track to earn $295 million in the next six years. 

Booker’s college teammate Karl-Anthony Towns received an identical supermax extension from the Minnesota Timberwolves. He also adds four-year, $224 million to his deal and is now under contract through the 2027-28 NBA campaign.

It was a great day for several young stars as well. Memphis Grizzlies’ guard Ja Morant, who won the NBA Most Improved Player award in 2021-22, received a five-year, $193 million designated rookie extension. His deal could reportedly end up being worth around $231 million with incentives.

Zion Williamson, who was the New Orleans Pelicans’ first overall pick in 2019, is reportedly getting the same deal as Morant.

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Back-to-back NBA MVP Nikola Jokic is staying committed to the Denver Nuggets despite the franchise’s lack of playoff success and failure to keep Tim Connelly in the building. According to The Athletic‘s Shams Charania, Jokic recently reassured the Nuggets about his future and confirmed he plans to sign a supermax extension when the team offers him one.

When the Minnesota Timberwolves poached Connelly, who drafted Jokic back in 2014, some people believed that the Serbian center might have reservations about staying in Denver long-term. However, Charania reports that this isn’t the case and that the 27-year-old player remains all in with the organization. This comes after his representatives and Nuggets’ brass discovered they share a common vision about the franchise’s future.

The Nuggets can offer Jokic a five-year, $260 million supermax extension in July and plan to do that as soon as possible. Jokic also intends to ink the deal without hesitation when the offer gets presented to him. When all is said and done, he will be the highest-paid player in the history of the league.

Nikola Jokic, the second-round pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, is currently considered one of the best basketball players in the world. He made the All-Star team in each of the past four seasons and has been selected as NBA’s Most Valuable Player in the past two campaigns. Jokic’s career stats include 19.7 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game.

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The NBA recently announced its 2021-22 All-NBA First Team and it’s safe to say that there were few surprises in store. The Milwaukee Bucks’ superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets highlight the list that also features young stars in Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks), Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), and Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics).

Antetokounmpo was the only player to get in unanimously and receive all 100 first-team votes. This was the fourth-consecutive season that the “Greek Freak” was a unanimous selection to the All-NBA First Team. Jokic and Doncic got 88 first-team votes each, while Booker had 82. Tatum barely got in with less than 50 percent of first-team votes (49).

Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers had more first-team votes (57) and more points (415) than Tatum but was relegated to the 2021-22 All-NBA Second Team due to the league’s decision to have the position-based selection. Aside from Embiid, the second team also has Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies), DeMar DeRozan (Chicago Bulls), Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets), and Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors.

Finally, the 2021-22 All-NBA Third Team features Suns’ Chris Paul, Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young, Pascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors, Minnesota Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns, and LeBron James of Los Angeles Lakers. This was the 18th time in James’ career that he made an All-NBA team; by far the most in league history. He is also the only player to make the team in Season 19 or later.

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The Denver Nuggets star center Nikola Jokic is adding another NBA’s Most Valuable Player award to his resume. According to multiple reports, Jokic was voted the NBA MVP for the 2021-22 season. The 27-year-old player was the MVP last season as well.

Jokic is the 15th player in the NBA to get multiple MVP awards. He beat out the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid and the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo, who were the remaining two finalists for the award. The league is expected to officially confirm the news at some point this week. 

Nikola Jokic had a career year in 2021-22 that saw him average 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, 7.9 assists, and 1.5 steals. He also became the first player in NBA history to rack up 2,000 points, 1,000 boards, and 500 assists in a single season.

Thanks to his performances, the Nuggets finished as a sixth seed in the Western Conference with a 48-34 record. This was despite the fact that All-Star guard Jamal Murray missed the entire season, and their talented forward Michael Porter Jr. played only nine games. However, Jokic couldn’t do much in the playoffs, where Denver was handed a gentleman’s sweep by the Golden State Warriors in the first round.

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Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic continues to show why he should be in consideration to win the NBA MVP award for the second straight season. The reigning MVP delivered a historic stat line on Sunday night that helped his team the Nuggets get a 138-130 win in overtime against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Jokic finished the night with 46 points, 12 boards, and 11 assists while adding four blocks and three steals. According to ESPN, no one ever managed to get these numbers in an NBA game since the league started tracking blocks and steals in the early ’70s. The 27-year-old Serbian also became just the second player in history to get a 45+ points triple-double while shooting 70 percent from the floor. The first one was Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain.

What makes Jokic’s night even more impressive is that the majority of his points came when Denver needed him the most. He scored 30 out of his 46 points in the fourth quarter and overtime.

“My teammates were looking for me. I was making shots and being aggressive. Just a really good period,” Jokic said after the game.

Nikola Jokic is currently averaging 25.8 points, 13.8 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. His performances not only made him one of the favorites for this season’s MVP award but also helped the Nuggets stay afloat without some of their key contributors. Denver is currently sixth in the Western Conference with a 38-26 record.

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Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic was forced off the court late in the second quarter of his team’s 110-122 loss to the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night. It was later determined that Jokic had suffered a knee contusion after bumping into Jazz center Rudy Gobert.

In an attempt to drive on Jokic, collided with the reigning NBA MVP. After the two players’ knees banged together, Jokic went down immediately, clutching at his right knee. He left the court almost immediately after the incident.

While the rest of the team expressed much concern at the time of the incident, Jokic remained convinced that the knee injury was not serious. Despite this belief, Denver coach Michael Malone decided it best to bring the player off in order to avoid the risk of further aggravating the injury.

“What I have learned about Nikola is, if you leave it up to Nikola, he is going to play every game,” Malone explained. “So sometimes I have to make decisions for him, and it makes no sense for me when he told me it feels a little weak for him to play in the second half.”

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The NBA announced the finalists for its regular season awards for the 2023-24 season, including Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year, and Rookie of the Year. 

The list of finalists for the MVP award includes Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic, Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic, and Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Jokic is looking for his third MVP award, while Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander are the first-time finalists.

Minnesota Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert is looking to add another DPOY award to his resume, having claimed the honor three times so far. He will be challenged by Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo and San Antonio Spurs’ rookie Victor Wembanyama.

Wembanyama is also in the running for the ROY award and is the overwhelming favorite to win it. OKC’s Chet Holmgren and Charlotte Hornets’ Brandon Miller are the two other finalists.

OKC’s Mark Daigneault, Timberwolves’ Chris Finch, and Orlando Magic’s Jamahl Mosley are in the running for the Coach of the Year award. Daigneault led his team to a 57-25 record and the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, while Finch and Timberwolves finished just one win behind OKC with a 56-26 record. Mosley, on the other hand, guided the Magic to the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference with a 47-35 record and the first playoff appearance since 2019–20.

The finalists for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award are Malik Monk (Sacramento Kings), Bobby Portis (Milwaukee Bucks), and Naz Reid (Timberwolves). Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers), Alperen Sengun (Houston Rockets), and Coby White (Chicago Bulls) are in the running for the Most Improved Player award, while the Clutch Player of the Year award will go to either Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), DeMar DeRozan (Bulls) or Gilgeous-Alexander.

The winners for each award will be announced during the NBA playoffs.

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There is no lack of optimism in the Denver Nuggets’ camp as the team prepares to start their campaign as the defending NBA champions. Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, stars Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic said they believe the Nuggets can go all the way in 2023-24 as well.

“I just think we can do it again,” Murray said. “I think that’s the biggest thing, just being able to repeat and go through the adversity and ups and downs of this season. Just be ready by April and going to June.”

Jokic, who won the NBA Finals MVP honors in a 4-1 routing of the Miami Heat, has a similar opinion as Murray.

“Go get the opportunity to win another one. Probably, that’s going to be the next step for us,” said Jokic. “… Like Jamal said, like why not win again?”

Despite the Nuggets’ optimism, their road to the NBA title will likely be much harder this season than it was in 2022-23. Several of the championship contenders have significantly improved this offseason. The Phoenix Suns traded for All-Star Bradley Beal, while the Milwaukee Bucks pulled off a blockbuster trade for superstar Damian Lillard.

The Nuggets, on the other hand, remained pat. While maintaining the majority of their core players, they only signed several rotational pieces, including veteran forward Justin Holiday. On the other hand, they have seen the likes of Bruce Brown and Jeff Green leave elsewhere.

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The Denver Nuggets took back control of the NBA Finals series against the Heat in an impressive fashion. The Nuggets dominated the Heat in a 109-94 win in Game 3, with their star duo of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray making history in the process.

Jokic and Murray both had 30-point triple-doubles, becoming the first duo to achieve the feat in the NBA playoffs. Jokic had 32 points, 21 rebounds, and 10 assists, while Murray finished the game with 34 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds to give Denver a 2-1 lead.

Nuggets’ head coach Mike Malone was full of praise for Jokic and Murray in the post-game conference.

“By far, their greatest performance as a duo in their seven years together,” Malone said.

Malone was particularly impressed with Murray, who struggled in Game 2 and missed the game-tying basket at the buzzer.

“I felt Jamal’s presence, his energy, and he was here in the moment,” Malone added. “For him and Nikola to do what they did tonight in a game that we needed to take, regain the home-court advantage of the series, was special to watch.”

Jokic and Murray will now look to do it all over again in Game 4, knowing how important it is to keep the momentum and don’t let the resilient Heat team get their grove back. The series stays in Miami, with the next game scheduled for Friday night.

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The Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic delivered another signature performance on Tuesday night to lift his team to a 118-102 win over the Phoenix Suns in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals. Jokic finished the contest with 29 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists and managed to make some history in the process.

The game against the Suns was the 10th time that Jokic had double-digits in points, rebounds, and assists in the postseason. With this, he became the center with the most triple-doubles in NBA Playoff history, surpassing legendary Wilt Chamberlain.

Jokic’s 10 triple-double in the playoffs also ranks him at No. 5 for all positions, sharing the position with Larry Bird, Draymond Green, Jason Kidd, and Rajon Rondo. 

After the game, Jokic was asked by reporters whether he would like to have a triple-double or a prolific scoring night. The Serbian scored 53 points in Game 4, which was the second-most by a center in NBA Playoffs. 

“I mean, to be honest, I just like to win the game,” Jokic responded. “So whatever it takes. I opened the game today; I think really badly; maybe I was forcing it. And then I just slow it down, relax and let the game come to me. It’ll come to me, and that happens.”

The Nuggets now hold a 3-2 lead in the series against the Suns and need just one win to punch their ticket for conference finals. They will have an opportunity to finish the job on Thursday when the two teams meet again for Game 6.

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The start of 2022 NBA free agency on Thursday wasn’t all about bringing in new players into the building. Instead, some teams like the Denver Nuggets, the Phoenix Suns, and the Minnesota Timberwolves also used the opportunity to lock their star players to long-term extensions.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Nuggets made good on their word and gave back-to-back NBA MVP Nikola Jokic a five-year, $264 million supermax contract extension. The deal, which includes a 2027-28 player option for $60 million, is the richest in the history of the NBA.

The Suns also entered the supermax territory, giving their All-Star Devin Booker a four-year, $224 million extension. Booker’s new deal will start in the 2024-25 season and puts him on track to earn $295 million in the next six years. 

Booker’s college teammate Karl-Anthony Towns received an identical supermax extension from the Minnesota Timberwolves. He also adds four-year, $224 million to his deal and is now under contract through the 2027-28 NBA campaign.

It was a great day for several young stars as well. Memphis Grizzlies’ guard Ja Morant, who won the NBA Most Improved Player award in 2021-22, received a five-year, $193 million designated rookie extension. His deal could reportedly end up being worth around $231 million with incentives.

Zion Williamson, who was the New Orleans Pelicans’ first overall pick in 2019, is reportedly getting the same deal as Morant.

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Back-to-back NBA MVP Nikola Jokic is staying committed to the Denver Nuggets despite the franchise’s lack of playoff success and failure to keep Tim Connelly in the building. According to The Athletic‘s Shams Charania, Jokic recently reassured the Nuggets about his future and confirmed he plans to sign a supermax extension when the team offers him one.

When the Minnesota Timberwolves poached Connelly, who drafted Jokic back in 2014, some people believed that the Serbian center might have reservations about staying in Denver long-term. However, Charania reports that this isn’t the case and that the 27-year-old player remains all in with the organization. This comes after his representatives and Nuggets’ brass discovered they share a common vision about the franchise’s future.

The Nuggets can offer Jokic a five-year, $260 million supermax extension in July and plan to do that as soon as possible. Jokic also intends to ink the deal without hesitation when the offer gets presented to him. When all is said and done, he will be the highest-paid player in the history of the league.

Nikola Jokic, the second-round pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, is currently considered one of the best basketball players in the world. He made the All-Star team in each of the past four seasons and has been selected as NBA’s Most Valuable Player in the past two campaigns. Jokic’s career stats include 19.7 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game.

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The NBA recently announced its 2021-22 All-NBA First Team and it’s safe to say that there were few surprises in store. The Milwaukee Bucks’ superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets highlight the list that also features young stars in Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks), Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), and Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics).

Antetokounmpo was the only player to get in unanimously and receive all 100 first-team votes. This was the fourth-consecutive season that the “Greek Freak” was a unanimous selection to the All-NBA First Team. Jokic and Doncic got 88 first-team votes each, while Booker had 82. Tatum barely got in with less than 50 percent of first-team votes (49).

Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers had more first-team votes (57) and more points (415) than Tatum but was relegated to the 2021-22 All-NBA Second Team due to the league’s decision to have the position-based selection. Aside from Embiid, the second team also has Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies), DeMar DeRozan (Chicago Bulls), Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets), and Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors.

Finally, the 2021-22 All-NBA Third Team features Suns’ Chris Paul, Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young, Pascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors, Minnesota Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns, and LeBron James of Los Angeles Lakers. This was the 18th time in James’ career that he made an All-NBA team; by far the most in league history. He is also the only player to make the team in Season 19 or later.

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The Denver Nuggets star center Nikola Jokic is adding another NBA’s Most Valuable Player award to his resume. According to multiple reports, Jokic was voted the NBA MVP for the 2021-22 season. The 27-year-old player was the MVP last season as well.

Jokic is the 15th player in the NBA to get multiple MVP awards. He beat out the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid and the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo, who were the remaining two finalists for the award. The league is expected to officially confirm the news at some point this week. 

Nikola Jokic had a career year in 2021-22 that saw him average 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, 7.9 assists, and 1.5 steals. He also became the first player in NBA history to rack up 2,000 points, 1,000 boards, and 500 assists in a single season.

Thanks to his performances, the Nuggets finished as a sixth seed in the Western Conference with a 48-34 record. This was despite the fact that All-Star guard Jamal Murray missed the entire season, and their talented forward Michael Porter Jr. played only nine games. However, Jokic couldn’t do much in the playoffs, where Denver was handed a gentleman’s sweep by the Golden State Warriors in the first round.

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Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic continues to show why he should be in consideration to win the NBA MVP award for the second straight season. The reigning MVP delivered a historic stat line on Sunday night that helped his team the Nuggets get a 138-130 win in overtime against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Jokic finished the night with 46 points, 12 boards, and 11 assists while adding four blocks and three steals. According to ESPN, no one ever managed to get these numbers in an NBA game since the league started tracking blocks and steals in the early ’70s. The 27-year-old Serbian also became just the second player in history to get a 45+ points triple-double while shooting 70 percent from the floor. The first one was Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain.

What makes Jokic’s night even more impressive is that the majority of his points came when Denver needed him the most. He scored 30 out of his 46 points in the fourth quarter and overtime.

“My teammates were looking for me. I was making shots and being aggressive. Just a really good period,” Jokic said after the game.

Nikola Jokic is currently averaging 25.8 points, 13.8 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. His performances not only made him one of the favorites for this season’s MVP award but also helped the Nuggets stay afloat without some of their key contributors. Denver is currently sixth in the Western Conference with a 38-26 record.

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Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic was forced off the court late in the second quarter of his team’s 110-122 loss to the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night. It was later determined that Jokic had suffered a knee contusion after bumping into Jazz center Rudy Gobert.

In an attempt to drive on Jokic, collided with the reigning NBA MVP. After the two players’ knees banged together, Jokic went down immediately, clutching at his right knee. He left the court almost immediately after the incident.

While the rest of the team expressed much concern at the time of the incident, Jokic remained convinced that the knee injury was not serious. Despite this belief, Denver coach Michael Malone decided it best to bring the player off in order to avoid the risk of further aggravating the injury.

“What I have learned about Nikola is, if you leave it up to Nikola, he is going to play every game,” Malone explained. “So sometimes I have to make decisions for him, and it makes no sense for me when he told me it feels a little weak for him to play in the second half.”

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