“I told Luka to move Steph a little closer to the basket,” Nikola Jokic said in reference to their scheme to fool and make fun of Steph Curry at the All-Star Game.

Because Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic saw the All-Star Game more as a display than a real competition, they opted to play it out like a game show.

The All-Star Game, the West All-Stars, Luka Doncic, and the Dallas Mavericks

Steph Curry, a player from the Western Conference, was seen dunking on Nikola Jokic during pregame shooting lines at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday night. Curry had his back to Jokic.

It was found that there was another party engaged with the Nuggets centre.

“Have you had a chance to look at that?” Joyfully, Jokic remarked. “It’s a really important video.” Luka was instructed to move Steph away from the basket by someone.

The two closest friends, Slovenia’s Doncic and Serbia’s Jokic, are very close. They joked with each other for the majority of their team’s 211-186 defeat. They passed the ball and went coast to coast without ever touching it.

“That Luka is awful,” Jokic said. “He has trouble playing the game.”

Steph Curry (30) of the Golden State Warriors, Luka Doncic (77) of the Dallas Mavericks, and Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets warm up before the NBA All-Star game on Sunday, February 18, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Aaron Ontiveroz from The Denver Post)

Jokic’s teammates appreciated the fun and boisterous attitude he brought to his sixth All-Star Game. Despite the fact that most players in his league are natural English speakers, the two-time MVP hasn’t always been so fortunate.

As he left the game, Jokic gave a high five to every player on the Western Conference bench. He not only gave East coach Doc Rivers a high five but also drained a corner 3-pointer right in front of Rivers’ bench. Everyone laughed as he laid it up during the transition instead of dunk. Defenders moved to give him space to try a slam in the last two minutes. After he struck one with his right fist, Karl Anthony-Towns and he both flexed in response.

“The Mavericks: Why?” Luka Doncic was willing to stand aside and give others the opportunity to shine during the 2024 NBA All-Star Game.

After the incident, Jokic said, “Actually yes, I feel a lot better.” I feel like I know everyone by now. You can see how different individuals think when you have a chat about something other than this game, like basketball or anything else. “I’m glad I spend so much time here.”

Jokic grinned in front of the cameras as he saw the footage of Curry’s picture.

“I think he was really mad at me,” the NBA Finals MVP said in response to a question about why he wouldn’t go to sleep today.