Nikola Jokic Says Nuggets 'Don't Care' That They Don't Receive Proper Respect

The Denver Nuggets erased a 3-1 deficit in the Western Conference semifinals last season, knocking the Los Angeles Clippers out of the playoffs in a stunning result. 

The framing of that series in its aftermath, however, has been more about how the Clippers choked and had chemistry issues in the locker room. Perhaps that is in part because the Clippers came into the season as title favorites, or that head coach Doc Rivers was fired this offseason and the Clippers made some roster changes.

But Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets have noticed they aren't a prominent part of the discussion, as he told reporters Thursday:

"Even now, they are talking about how Clippers lost, they don't think about how Nuggets won. We don't care that nobody gives us some kind of whatever, respect. We're going to be there. We were in tough situations last year. We fight. Just [because] someone doesn't give us respect doesn't mean that we take their opinions. We know what we are capable of."

That followed Clippers forward Marcus Morris Sr. saying that last year's Clippers team was better than those Nuggets, despite the series loss, among other comments he made.

"I think it hurt people being up 3-1," he said. "It's not about the losing, it's about how we lost. And I think that's the biggest motivation for this team, because at the end of the day, that team wasn't better than us. We all knew that. To be up and to lose, I think that put an extra sting in our mentality."

And then there was JaMychal Green appearing to take a swipe at his former Clippers teammates while talking about why he joined the Nuggets.

"Blowing the 3-1 lead, you know they had heart," he told reporters about his new teammates. "It wasn't a tough decision."

OK, so we're all really, really looking forward to the first time the Nuggets and Clippers play this season after all these remarks, right? It's definitely going to be spicy. 

Fans may enjoy the back and forth, however tame, but Denver has one goal in mind—win a title. 

"It is not like we won the championship last year," Jamal Murray told reporters. "We are going to keep grinding and keep going through kinks."

And pushing through the disrespect, however manufactured.