Nick Young Sounds Off After Nikola Jokic’s Christmas Day Explosion - But the Nuggets Just Keep Winning
Christmas Day games are supposed to be about marquee matchups and memorable moments - and this year, Nikola Jokic delivered one for the history books. The Nuggets star dropped a jaw-dropping 56-point triple-double in a 142-138 win over the Timberwolves, and while most of the NBA world was in awe, one former player wasn’t quite as impressed.
Nick Young, the former Lakers guard known as much for his unfiltered takes as his on-court flair, took to Instagram with a fiery rant aimed squarely at Jokic and the Nuggets. In a video shared on his account, Young accused the league of favoritism and even claimed the game was “rigged,” suggesting the officiating tilted in Denver’s favor.
“Merry Christmas but I’m tired of this sh** NBA 😂😂😂😂😂😂,” Young wrote in the caption.
In the clip, he didn’t hold back.
“This rigged s**t, oh my god, they love their Joker so much,” Young said. “They cheat like that on Christmas? Oh my god this is amazing how they get everything they want.”
Young even went as far as comparing Jokic’s style of play - particularly his ability to draw fouls - to that of Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has been scrutinized for how often he gets to the line.
“We talk about flopping - this nga out here like a whale on land,” Young continued. “Please stop cheating like this, okay, Joker is great, but stop, you don't have to cheat. All this st they talk about Shai like ‘oh he fouled,’ Joker does the same thing at 7-foot, 350 (lbs) … He flopped more than Shai.”
Now, let’s be clear - the numbers from Jokic’s performance don’t lie. The reigning Finals MVP torched one of the league’s top defenses for 56 points, 16 rebounds, and 15 assists.
That’s not just a triple-double - that’s a Christmas Day masterpiece. And it wasn’t empty stats, either.
Denver needed every bit of Jokic’s brilliance to hold off Minnesota in a high-scoring, back-and-forth thriller.
This wasn’t just another win for the Nuggets - it was a statement. Coming off a tough one-point loss to the Mavericks, Denver bounced back in a big way and improved to 22-8 on the season. The victory also kicked off a critical stretch, as the Nuggets now hit the road for a seven-game East Coast swing that’ll test their depth and stamina heading into the new year.
As for Jokic, he’s not one to get caught up in the noise - whether it’s praise or criticism. After the game, he kept the focus on the team, not his stat line.
“I think in the first half we were up 10, then they came back,” Jokic said. “In the second half we were up 15, and they came back again.
The guys stayed focused, played with a lot of energy, and were sharp. They all contributed to this win.”
Still, Jokic’s performance wasn’t just big - it was historic. With 56 points, he now sits third all-time for most points scored on Christmas Day, trailing only Bernard King (60) and Wilt Chamberlain (59). That’s elite company for a player who continues to redefine what it means to dominate a game from the center position.
So while Nick Young may be calling foul, the scoreboard - and the record books - tell a different story. The Nuggets are rolling, Jokic is putting up video game numbers, and if this is what he’s doing in December, the rest of the league should be watching closely come spring.