"Only Jokic Can Do This!" Serbian Ace Freezes Entire Lakers Defense as NBA Reacts /VIDEO/

Pulse Sports Team 07:16 - 17 October 2026

Preseason or the Finals—it makes no difference to Nikola Jokic because an artist is always an artist. In their final tune-up before the new NBA campaign, the Denver Nuggets cruised past the Los Angeles Lakers 121-106 at home, as the three-time league MVP put on a clinic and set social media ablaze with another unbelievable highlight.

The Serbian superstar finished the contest with 17 points, eight assists, six rebounds, and two steals while putting on an almost flawless shooting display. Nikola Jokic went a perfect 4-of-4 from two-point range and knocked down 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.

Yet among a flurry of highlight plays, one early sequence took the basketball world by storm, prompting the NBA's official channels to once again marvel at the Serbian maestro.

Freezing the entire Lakers defense with a behind-the-back dime!

Midway through the first quarter, the Nuggets pushed the tempo in transition, catching the Lakers completely off guard. Jamal Murray orchestrated the fast break, whipping a difficult pass to a sprinting Jokic.

What followed was pure magic!

In the blink of an eye, Jokic gathered the tough feed and, without the slightest hesitation, delivered a breathtaking behind-the-back pass on the run that sliced right through the Lakers defense.

The ball found Trevon Brazile in stride, leaving him with a clear path to the rim for an effortless slam.

Fans in the arena and viewers worldwide were left in awe, while the NBA itself shared the play with a nod to the fact that only Nikola Jokic could pull off such brilliance.

Strong performances from the supporting cast

As for the flow of the game, Denver controlled the pace for most of the night. Jamal Murray led the scoring for the winning side, finishing with 21 points and six assists.

Denver also received encouraging contributions across the rotation: Christian Braun tallied 16 points and six rebounds, Sandro Mamukelashvili supplied 15 points and eight boards, while veteran DeMar DeRozan added 14 points and five assists.

On the other side, Austin Reaves paced the Los Angeles Lakers with 19 points, while marquee star Luka Doncic recorded 15 points, four rebounds, two assists, a block, and a steal in 19 minutes of action.

With this commanding win, the Nuggets officially wrapped up their preseason schedule. Denver kicks off the regular season on November 23 with a tough road test against Oklahoma City, followed by matchups against New Orleans, Golden State, and Phoenix.

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