Page 15 - aruba-today-20220513

A15
sports Friday 13 May 2022
Nuggets big man Jokic rises from 41st pick to 2-time NBA MVP

By PAT GRAHAM in the world, they will know
AP Sports Writer them. They did everything
DENVER (AP) — To think, for the sport today. They
Nikola Jokic's entry into the were amazing. They won a
NBA was once overshad- lot of championships.
owed by the introduction "But just to have my name
of the "quesarito." be there, I think it's really
"Hopefully, I'm going to cool. Just one day some-
have some percentage one's going to say my
from Taco Bell," joked the name with those group of
Denver Nuggets' newly guys."
minted two-time MVP, In typical Jokic fashion, his
whose name scrolled celebration was far from
across the TV screen dur- elaborate: "Some music
ing the 2014 draft while and some beer," he said.
the fast-food chain aired "Pretty simple."
a commercial for its new Plenty of friends, family
product. and members of the Nug-
Much like the "quesarito" — gets joined him in Serbia,
a burrito wrapped in a que- including coach Michael
sadilla — the 7-footer is dif- Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic gestures after hitting a 3-point basket against the Golden Malone and president of
ferent. He has the vision of State Warriors in the first half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round Western Conference basketball operations Tim
a point guard and a wide playoff series on April 24, 2022, in Denver. Connelly. Some — includ-
array of low-post moves. Associated Press ing him — wore shirts with
He has plenty of range, too. a quote across the front:
The player nicknamed "Jok- "I was sleeping," Jokic said aged 27.1 points, 13.8 re- ever linked with the greats "Some people want to see
er" is one of a kind. That's Thursday in a Zoom call bounds and 7.9 assists on such as Michael Jordan, you fail. Disappoint them."
true right down to where from Serbia. a team that was missing Magic Johnson, Moses Jokic takes great pride
he accepted his second Now, he's inspiring a new two max players in Jamal Malone and Kareem Ab- in that sort of mantra, ris-
straight MVP title — at his generation of international Murray (ACL) and Michael dul-Jabbar. Jokic now has ing from a player whose
horse stable in Sombor, Ser- players to dream big. Porter Jr. (back). The ver- a chance at a three-peat, game was once maligned
bia. He even rode to the "I think I put an example satile center elevated his which would put him the — flopper, slow feet, poor
barn on a two-wheeled that you can do whatever game to become the first same company with Larry defender — to what he is
cart pulled by his horse. you want to do, if you work NBA player to eclipse 2,000 Bird, Wilt Chamberlain and today.
He was once the 41st pick, hard or if you try hard," points, 1,000 rebounds and Bill Russell. Through all his fame, he
and taken while the Taco Jokic said. "I think it's really, 500 assists in a season. "I can't compare myself remains a player of sim-
Bell commercial played. really a nice journey. Hope- As the 13th player to win to those guys," Jokic said. ple delights. Chief among
Not that he even knew that fully, it's not going to stop." back-to-back NBA MVP "They did a lot and if you them, his family.
day. The 27-year-old Jokic aver- titles, his name will be for- say those names anywhere His horses, too.q

Démare wins Giro 6th stage in photo finish, López keeps lead

SCALEA, Italy (AP) — mare when the results were land following three stages
French cyclist Arnaud Dé- confirmed and hugged the in Hungary and two in Sicily.
mare beat Caleb Ewan in a Groupama–FDJ rider. López maintained his
photo finish Thursday to win "It was very tight. I had the 39-second advantage
a second successive Giro feeling that I had won but it over Lennard Kämna. Rein
d'Italia stage, while Juan was hot so I waited for the Taaramäe was third, 58
Pedro López kept hold of photo finish," Démare said. seconds behind López.
the leader's pink jersey af- "A win is sometimes de- "I don't know why it was
ter the race's sixth leg. cided by very little. ... I only so slow today but for sure
In a contest between three had 100 meters to overhaul I enjoyed the day," López
of cycling's very best sprint- Cavendish. I threw my bike said. "For sure tomorrow is a
ers, Démare was behind on the line and it made the more hard stage but we're
both Ewan and Mark Cav- difference." ready with the team to de-
endish as they approached It was a seventh Giro stage fend the maglia rosa (pink
the finish. But Démare used win for Démare, more than jersey)."
the slip stream behind any other Frenchman. There was little action for
Ewan to perfection to pull "Many people underesti- most of the stage, with the Geoupama FDJ's Arnaud Demare, left, crosses the finish line in
alongside his rival just be- mate me but it's my 86th peloton cruising at a slower front of Lotto Soudal's Caleb Ewan, center, to win the 192 kilo-
meters 6th stage of the Giro D'Italia cycling race from Palmi to
fore the line and then threw (career) victory today, my pace than even the lowest Scalea in southern Italy, Thursday, May 12, 2022.
himself forward to edge his seventh at the Giro d'Italia. estimates of the race orga- Associated Press
rival by the smallest of mar- It counts. It's wonderful," he nizers.
gins. Cavendish was about added. Diego Rosa was the lone Contador and Ivan Basso. climbing and descending.
half a bike length behind in Most of the overall con- breakaway rider for al- The slow pace in the pelo- There are hardly any flat
third. tenders crossed the line most four hours although ton and the lack of ea- sections on the 196-kilome-
None of them celebrated safely in the peloton at the he knew he had almost gerness for a breakaway ter (122-mile) route from
immediately after cross- end of the flat 192-kilome- no chance to get the win. could be partly explained Diamante to Potenza and
ing the line, unsure who ter (119-mile) route from Rosa rides for Eolo-Kometa, by what awaits the riders four categorised climbs.
had got the victory. Cav- Palmi to Scalea as the race which is the second-division on Friday's seventh stage, The Giro finishes on May 29
endish was talking to Dé- moved to the Italian main- Italian team run by Alberto a day of almost continuous in Verona.q