Nuggets news: Nikola Jokic question draws hilarious quip Michael Malone

Sought on how he motivates Nikola Jokic to continue piling up the points, Nuggets head coach Mike Malone had a hilarious response.

So far, Nikola Jokic is averaging a career-high in points dropping 25.0 per game. This has raised the eyebrows of some people as they view Jokic as a playmaker more than a scorer. Sought on how he motivates Nikola Jokic to continue piling up the points, head coach Mike Malone had a hilarious response.

Per Mike Singer of the Denver Post, Malone shared how he motivates Jokic to score:

Michael Malone, very, very sarcastically, on how he motivates Nikola Jokic to score.

“I locked him in my office one day and I beat him with a pillowcase full of soda cans..”

— Mike Singer (@msinger) January 20, 2021

While a lot can still happen throughout the course of the 2020-21 NBA season, averaging 25.0 points per game is an impressive feat. What makes it interesting is that Jokic has never been the most athletic guy on the floor. And so he gets his buckets by pure skill and strong fundamentals.

In their latest win, a 119-101 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, Jokic scored a game-high 27 points. He also had 12 rebounds and six assists. Monte Morris, who chipped in 15 points off the bench, believes Jokic isn't receiving a lot of praise because of his earth-bound style of play. But in his eyes, Jokic is one of the best to ever do it.

“He doesn't get a lot of credit as he should, maybe because he (isn't) flashy with the dunks,” said Morris, per the Associated Press via ESPN. “He's got a touch I've never really seen. He's definitely a future Hall of Famer.”

Thanks to Nikola Jokic's newfound scoring touch, the Nuggets are now 7-7 after a dismal start to the season. They will face the Phoenix Suns on Friday and Saturday as part of their five-game road trip.