BOSTON — Nuggets coach Michael Malone passed along a message from Steve Kerr to Nikola Jokic on Wednesday, offering support at a moment of mourning that was both collective for the worldwide basketball community and personal for Jokic.
Dejan Milojevic, the beloved Golden State Warriors assistant who coached Jokic in Serbia, died Wednesday after suffering a heart attack during a Warriors team dinner the previous night. He was 46. Nicknamed “Decky,” he remained close with Jokic after playing a major role in the center’s development with the Serbian club Mega Basket before and after the Nuggets drafted Jokic. In 2014-15, under Milojevic, Jokic was MVP of the Adriatic League.
Milojevic, who also earned the nickname “The Serbian Charles Barkley” during his playing days, was Mega Basket’s head coach from 2012 to 2020. He was in his third season with the Warriors.
“When we knew he was in the hospital, I reached out to Steve Kerr, and he got right back to me. He was at the hospital with Decky and his family,” Malone said after Denver’s off-day practice at Emerson College. “And when he ultimately passed, Steve let me know that he had passed. And he wanted me to know how much Decky loved Nikola, and how proud he was of him. And that’s what I just tried to share with Nikola. I just went through this with my father (former NBA coach Brendan Malone, who died last October). Losing somebody you care about is really hard, and the most important thing for Nikola to know is that Decky did love him.
“And now it’s up to Nikola to carry on his legacy. On the court, off the court, how he lives and to make sure that Decky’s name continues to be talked about.”
Golden State’s games against the Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks this week were postponed by the NBA. Malone reiterated the message from a Nuggets statement that was issued Wednesday, expressing that the team’s thoughts are with Milojevic’s family as well as Warriors players and coaches.
Jokic didn’t speak with media, but he was in attendance for Nuggets practice ahead of their matchup with the NBA-best Celtics on Friday (5:30 p.m. MT, ESPN).
“He meant a lot to a lot of people,” Malone said. “Left behind an amazing legacy. He impacted lives. And it’s just tragic at that young age to have that.”
Denver trying to snap intimidating streak
One of the most memorable moments of Malone’s nine-year tenure in Denver was March 18, 2019, when he punched a ticket to the playoffs for the first time as the Nuggets’ coach with a 114-105 win in Boston.
“The excitement and the celebration that we had,” Malone reminisced Thursday, “and then more importantly, the after-party. It’s always about the after-party.”
As chance would have it, that’s also the most recent time the Nuggets have won at TD Garden.
Five years later, they’re trying to snap one of the most intimidating current streaks in the NBA: The Celtics are 20-0 in Boston this season. After Friday’s matchup, they will have played more than half of their home games on the schedule.
Denver’s focus between games after a 126-121 loss to the 76ers on Tuesday was defending the 3-point line, where Boston shoots at a high volume (first in attempts, first in makes) and a high efficiency (sixth in percentage). The Nuggets are usually sturdy at limiting 3-point attempts, but Malone acknowledged that a lack of discipline from both a game-planning and execution standpoint allowed Philadelphia to shoot over 40% beyond the arc.
However, there’s a chance the Celtics will be short-handed. They were without starting center Kristaps Porzingis (right knee inflammation) and starting point guard Derrick White (left ankle sprain) in their win over the Spurs on Wednesday.
“They just have so much talent, and they play the game the right way,” Malone said. “So it’ll be a great opportunity for us to go out there and compete against one of the best teams in the league.”
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