People say that we are vulnerable, but the beast is always the strongest or the most dangerous when they’re vulnerable,” Jokic said. “Maybe he woke up the beast.”

Nikola Jokić filled up the stat sheet with his 32nd triple-double of the season against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night in the Denver Nuggets' first game since firing Michael Malone. Speaking to reporters after Denver's 124-116 win over the Kings, Jokić noted he did text Malone on Tuesday after learning of the coach's sacking.

Nikola Jokic and Michael Malone's NBA fates will forever be intertwined. Malone was the coach who decided to give an awkward pass-first center from Serbia the keys to the Denver Nuggets franchise.