Kevin Durant calls Nikola Jokic a ‘top-10 player of all-time’ after Christmas Day win

In one of the best matchups of the NBA’s Christmas Day, the Suns defeated the Nuggets 110 to 100 after a very successful run in the fourth quarter. Despite the victory, Kevin Durant praised their rivals, especially holding Nikola Jokic in the highest regards, calling him the player to beat in the league. 

The remarks came during the post-game interview with ESPN, when KD was asked about Russell Westbrook and his Denver teammates. The Phoenix veteran said the Serbian was,  “arguably the best player in the world and a top-10 player of all-time.”

The 36-year-old forward led the charge this Wednesday with his co-star guard Bradley Beal, who combined for 27 points. With this victory, the Suns cut a three-game skid and improved their season record to 15-14.

"It's not just [me, Steph and LeBron], you see Jokic tonight. You see a hall of famer, an icon in Russ tonight. … It was an amazing day for basketball, I'm grateful I was able to play."

—Kevin Durant wraps up NBA Christmas in the perfect way 🏀 pic.twitter.com/wPKcXEk4D9

— ESPN (@espn) December 26, 2024

As for the Nuggets, Nikola dropped a team-high 25 points and 15 rebounds. The current league MVP has been averaging a career-high 30.7 points, while shooting 56.7% from the field and a career-best 50% from beyond the three-point line. The European has also been putting up averages of 12.6 rebounds and 9.4 assists per game.

Even though the versatile big man has been excelling in his individual stats, the Denver team has been struggling to find their pace after a strong start of the season. After a 7-3, they are now 16-12 and ranking fifth in the Western Conference standings.

Now the Colorado club hopes to bounce back with a victory on Friday when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team with the current-best record (26-4) in the NBA.

After the victory, the Phoenix veteran asked fans to ‘stay invested in game’ after the news about the NBA dropping in viewership

After beating Denver, KD was asked about the NBA viewership falling down this campaign. Fortunately, the league just delivered the most-watched Christmas Day in 5 years, and increased its viewers in 84% compared to last season. Durant didn’t hesitate to answer this question.

“It’s a weird dialogue around the league and the viewership and I see a lot of people blaming the players for it,” the 36-year-old said. “Something that big, it’s not just one component in why it’s going that way.”

Since the start of the 2024-25 season, the Front Office Sports reported ESPN’s NBA viewership had decreased 28% a month into the campaign. However, the forward knows things will look up. “Today was a step in the right direction to get people excited again for the game of basketball.

“Hopefully, it’s not just because it’s Christmas. Hopefully they stay invested in the game and invested in each player and each team throughout the rest of the season, not just the playoffs or the finals. Games in January, I want to see the viewership get back up,” he concluded.