Nikola Jokic Battled Severe Illness in Serbia's Win Over Italy, Coach Reveals
Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic posted a muted eight-point stat line on Monday as head coach Dusan Alimpijevic commended his effort through sickness.
Nikola Jokic had an unusually quiet offensive night during Serbia's FIBA World Cup Qualifiers victory over Italy on Monday, but his head coach quickly put the performance into context.
The Denver Nuggets superstar and Serbian national team captain finished with just eight points in 24 minutes of action. Following the matchup, Serbia head coach Dusan Alimpijevic explained why his franchise center was far less assertive than usual.
Speaking in his postgame press conference, as reported by BasketNews, Alimpijevic commended Jokic's commitment to the team, revealing that the big man had been dealing with a severe illness ahead of the contest and pushed through it to help secure the win.