Sports
How Nikola Jokić channeled Larry Bird to become even more dominant
Nikola Jokić’s dramatic leap as a shooter this season isn’t directly linked to the Denver Nuggets’ playoffs semifinal loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves last spring. But when one goes 2 for 14 from 3-point range over Games 6 and 7 as Jokić did, it certainly can be looked at as a turning point.
Jokić didn’t shoot the ball well enough. He knew it, and privately, it ate at him.
So one day during the offseason, Jokić went to his player development coach, Nuggets assistant Ogi Stojaković, and said almost every shot feels different to him. Did that lead Jokić to shoot 23 percent from 3-point range against Minnesota in that playoff series? Maybe, maybe not.
But Jokić is a perfectionist, a creature of routine. He felt something was obviously wrong with his shooting mechanics. And he wanted to fix it.
“I think it helps you so much when you are able to shoot the ball at a high level,” Jokić told The Athletic. “It helps you build. It gives you another thing that defenses have to respect on your game. If you can shoot the ball, teams are going to have to guard you differently, and that helps. It helps yourself, and it helps the team.”
Ultimately, Jokić wanted to become more difficult to guard, to keep adding to his game as all the great ones over the course of NBA history have. With Jokić now less than two months from his 30th birthday, longevity has become a focal point to him and those close to him.
“Once he came to me before the season, we talked about his shot and what we could do with it,” Stojaković told The Athletic. “We decided to try and put the ball closer to his body and eliminate negative motions. He tried it and felt good about that, and that’s helped a lot. From there, it was about general reps. What we want is for him to be more fresh for the playoffs, and what we are aiming for is longevity.”
Jokić has won three league MVP awards, spearheaded an NBA title run and established himself as the best passing center in history. But somehow, this season arguably has been the best version of Jokić we have seen. He’s averaging 30.7 points, 13 rebounds and 9.7 assists per game. And even with those numbers, the shooting numbers have metaphorically left Earth.
Jokić is shooting 49.2 percent from 3-point range this season. That would represent a career-high by leaps and bounds — his previous high was 39.6 percent in 2017-18 and he shot just 36 percent from 3-point range last year.
He’s always been a good shooter from distance, particularly for a big man. But this season, on volume, he’s become arguably the best shooter in the league. He and Stojaković did this with preseason repetition. Instead of using the time between the Olympics and the season to rest, Jokić came to Denver roughly a month before he normally would. And then, the two got into the gym daily and worked.
Jokić’s shot used to start lower, which means he had to put his legs more into the shot. The issue with that is Jokić takes so much contact during a game wrestling with opponents in the paint that the legs can go during the course of a game. By the end of a night, a lot of those 3-point attempts end up short and clang off the front of the rim.
Jokić now is starting his shooting motion higher, which means he uses less leg and more arm to get the shot off. The hitch that had been there previously is now gone. It looks a little like how all-time great Larry Bird used to shoot.
Nikola Jokić rebuilt his shot by starting his shooting motion higher up, relying more on arm strength. (Patrick Smith / Getty Images)
It’s worked. Jokić has been a more willing 3-point shooter this season. His volume — 4.6 attempts per game — is, by far, the highest of his career. If the numbers hold anywhere close to where they currently are, it could represent one of the greatest achievements of his career.
“What we like is that he’s taking less energy to shoot the ball,” Stojaković said. “He’s shooting the ball closer to his body. After the Olympic games, we realized that we needed to clean up his mechanics. He shoots it better now. It’s a cleaner shot, and it’s more confident.”
Jokić’s shot has become a bridge for what he’s done the entire season. Even as a good shooter in past seasons, opponents could at least hold out hope of not having to guard him the entire three levels of the floor. And ultimately, going back to the Minnesota series, that’s one of the things that allowed the Timberwolves to be somewhat successful in keeping him relatively in check.
But this season, there hasn’t been any recourse for opponents. He’s been as close to unguardable as any player in NBA history, and because of this, the Nuggets have been one of the best teams in the league offensively (fourth in offensive rating, 117.4).
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“I think there are a lot of factors into what he has been this season,” Stojaković said. “He played for the national team, and that was almost like playing an extra playoff series for him. Every possession and every game mattered, so there was good transfer for him. He came into the season in great shape, and he has continued that.
“But we have continually tried to keep adding things to his game. I think he’s been the best player in the world for the past five to seven years. What we want is to keep him happy and healthy. Every period of his career has had certain challenges. He’s a tactically better player than he has been, and now we are aiming to extend his longevity.”
If there is a negative to this, it’s that the Nuggets are relying on Jokić too heavily. He’s playing 36.9 minutes per game, which would be a career high by far (he’s twice logged 34.6 minutes per game over a season, including last year). It also could result in why his defensive performance hasn’t been as good.
But one reason the Nuggets have expressed strong interest in the trade market is that they want to find someone to help alleviate offensive pressure off Jokić. Denver’s goal is to be the last team standing, and that will always be the goal for the Nuggets as long as Jokić is playing at this level.
Currently, he’s playing at maybe his highest level ever, and it’s on Denver as an organization to maximize just how good a player he is. As for Jokić, he will keep fine-tuning to level up.
“His work ethic is through the roof,” Stojaković said. “That’s the reason he is who he is.”
(Photo illustration: Meech Robinson/The Athletic; photos: Patrick Smith/Getty Images; Kenny Giarla/NBAE via Getty Images; Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Sports
‘Demon’ Finn Balor settles score with Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 42
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LAS VEGAS – Finn Balor and Dominik Mysterio were once brothers in arms in the Judgment Day. The two helped the faction run “Monday Night Raw” for several years.
As championships and opportunities came and went, the rift between Balor and Mysterio grew. It came to a head when Balor caused Mysterio to lose the Intercontinental Championship to Penta. Balor leaving the Judgment Day left Mysterio and Liv Morgan as the leaders with JD McDonagh, Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez sticking around.
Finn Balor is introduced before his match against Dominik Mysterio during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The latter four chose to ride with Mysterio and attacked Balor on one episode of Raw.
The bitter war led to a match Sunday night at WrestleMania 42. To make matters more interesting, Raw General Manager Adam Pearce made the match a street fight hours before the show was set to begin.
Balor had vowed to bring the “Demon” out and he certainly did.
JACOB FATU PUTS DREW MCINTYRE IN THE ‘REAR VIEW’ IN UNSANCTIONED MATCH AT WRESTLEMANIA 42
Finn Balor is introduced before his match against Dominik Mysterio during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Balor made his way to the ring in his “Demon” gear, dripping with red and black paint. Mysterio was in a mask with other Mysterio supporters.
The two then proceeded to beat the crud out of each other.
Mysterio wrapped Balor’s head in between a chair and hit a 619 on him. He tried to pin Balor, but to no avail. At another point, Mysterio tossed Balor through a table set up in the corner.
As many have learned, it’s hard to keep your demons down. Mysterio learned the hard way.
Balor would not give up. Balor clotheslined Mysterio, hit him with a chair multiple times before wrapping his head in between the chair and drop-kicking him into the corner. Balor put Mysterio onto a table and hit the Coup de Grâce for the win.
Dominik Mysterio is introduced before his match against Finn Balor during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Balor excised his own demons, while Mysterio is still haunted.
Sports
Ryan Ward has a solid debut, but bullpen blows it again as Dodgers lose to Rockies
DENVER — What do you know? The once-stampeding Dodgers have been caged by the Colorado Rockies.
With a 9-6 loss Sunday at Coors Field, the two-time defending World Series champions lost back-to-back games for the first time this season. The Dodgers again couldn’t hold a lead, letting the Rockies tee off for 15 hits.
Nor could the Dodgers keep up offensively at the hitter-friendly park — though they put some pressure on in the ninth inning, when Shohei Ohtani led off with a ground-rule double and the Dodgers scored twice to cut the lead to three runs. Then the new guy, Ryan Ward, made the final out in his big league debut, robbed of a hit and a chance to keep chipping away by a diving Troy Johnston in right field.
Before that, the Rockies — who beat the Dodgers twice in 13 meetings all of last season — chased starter Roki Sasaki from the game in the fifth inning and then ruffled the Dodgers’ relievers. That included closer Edwin Díaz, who came on in the eighth and promptly gave up three singles, a walk and two runs before being pulled with the Dodgers trailing 8-4.
Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki gave up three runs on seven hits in 4-2/3 innings Sunday against the Rockies in Denver.
(David Zalubowski / Associated Press)
He and Blake Treinen combined to face eight batters without getting an out.
“They both weren’t sharp,” said manager Dave Roberts, who had theories but not many answers — though he did have real concern, especially about Díaz, who recently had his right knee checked out by the medical staff.
Roberts said the closer wanted to pitch after nine days off, even though it wasn’t a save situation. But his velocity was slightly down (95.4 mph vs. 95.8) and so, “today was a tough evaluation,” the manager said.
“It really was,” Roberts said. “Because, you know, I know what it’s supposed to look like, and when it doesn’t look like that, it gets a little concerning, really.”
And losing for the second time to the Rockies, who are now 9-13? Being in danger of losing their four-game series, after arriving in Denver without having lost to a National League opponent, against a club that hasn’t made the postseason since 2018?
It’s well below the bar the Dodgers have set, and it added a bitter note to Ward’s otherwise sweet debut.
Ward punched a big league clock for the first time wearing No. 67 and cranked his first hit off Rockies starter Michael Lorenzen in the fourth inning, lining a changeup to right field for a single that scored Andy Pages, made it 3-0 and got the 20-some members of Ward’s party up, jumping in place, hugging and high-fiving.
“When I was on first base, I got to see them all jumping around up there,” Ward said. “That was a pretty special moment.”
He also singled in the sixth and swung on the first pitch in his first at-bat, a fly out in the third inning.
The Dodgers gave Sasaki a 2-0 lead in the third. Alex Freeland drove in Hyeseong Kim, and Shohei Ohtani doubled in Freeland — and extended his career-best on-base streak to 51 games, moving past Willie Keeler into third place in Dodgers history.
Sasaki went 4-2/3 innings, threw 78 pitches and gave up three runs on seven hits, striking out two and walking two. His ERA after his fourth start: 6.11, worst in the six-man rotation.
The Dodgers fell behind 6-5 in the seventh when Treinen — who was cleared Friday after he was struck in the head by a batted ball during batting practice — gave up four consecutive hits, including a two-run home run by Mickey Moniak.
The result likely will be a minor detail when Ward tells the story years from now about getting the call after first baseman Freddie Freeman was placed on the paternity list.
The Dodgers’ No. 19 prospect and reigning Pacific Coast League MVP spent the last seven years in the minors. Last season, he hit 36 home runs and drove in 122 runs with a .937 on-base-plus-slugging percentage for triple-A Oklahoma City, and he has a 1.020 OPS and four homers this year.
Ward made it a point to improve his chase rate, draw more walks and get on base more frequently, everything the Dodgers asked of him. He also passed the broadest patience test.
“The plate discipline, being a better hitter … he’s done all that,” Roberts said. “He’s improved his defense. But honestly, for me, just not to let his lack of opportunity in the big leagues deter him. That’s easy when you get frustrated and let it affect performance, and he hasn’t done that.”
If anything, Ward said, the waiting made him better.
“I used it to keep going. ‘OK, if I’m not there yet, what do I have to do to get there?’” he said. “‘What part of my game do I need to work on to keep getting better?’
“I used it as fire to keep working.”
That will be the Dodgers’ assignment too.
In the finale of the four-game series Monday, the Dodgers are expected to start left-hander Justin Wrobleski (2-0, 2.12) against Colorado left-hander Jose Quintana (0-1, 5.63).
Sports
ESPN’s Stephen A Smith hears boos from WrestleMania 42 crowd
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LAS VEGAS – Danhausen’s curse may be real after all – just ask Stephen A. Smith and the New York Mets.
While the latter dropped their 10th game in a row, Smith got his share of the curse on Saturday night during Night 1 of WrestleMania 42. Smith was in attendance for WWE’s premier event of the year and heard massive boos from the crowd.
Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)
Smith was sitting ringside to watch the action. The ESPN star appeared on the videoboard above the ring at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. He appeared to embrace the reaction and smiled through it.
The boos came after Danhausen appeared on “First Take” on Friday – much to the chagrin of the sports pundit. Smith appeared perplexed by Danhausen’s appearance. Smith said he heard about Danhausen and called him a “bad luck charm.”
Danhausen said Smith had been “rude” to him and put the dreaded “curse” on the commentator.
WWE STAR DANHAUSEN SAYS METS ‘CURSE’ ISN’T EXACTLY LIFTED AS TEAM DROPS NINTH STRAIGHT GAME
Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)
Smith is far from the only one dealing with the effects of the “curse.”
Danhausen agreed to “un-curse” the Mets during their losing streak. However, he told Fox News Digital earlier this week that there was a reason why the curse’s removal didn’t take full effect.
“I did un-curse the Mets. But it didn’t work because, I believe it was Brian Gewirtz who did not pay Danhausen. He did not send me my money so it did not take full effect,” Danhausen said. “Once I have the money, perhaps it will actually work because right now it’s probably about a half of an un-cursing. It’s like a layaway situation.”
Danhausen enters the arena before his match against Kit Wilson during SmackDown at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on April 10, 2026. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
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On “Friday Night SmackDown,” WWE stars like The Miz and Kit Wilson were also targets of Danhausen’s curse.
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