Nikola Jokić made a grand entrance on Saturday, donning an outfit reminiscent of Gru, the protagonist from “Despicable Me,” and played a pivotal role in the Denver Nuggets’ victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of their NBA playoff series.

The Serbian basketball sensation’s attire paid homage to his appearance in a teaser for the franchise’s fourth movie, where he humorously addresses comparisons of his outfits to those worn by Gru, jokingly suggesting that the Minions consider him their boss.

On the court, Jokić delivered an impressive performance, nearly achieving a triple-double with 32 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists. His stellar play fueled the Nuggets to a 114-103 triumph over the Lakers, giving them a 1-0 lead in the playoff series.

Despite facing an early deficit, trailing by as much as 10 points midway through the second quarter, the Nuggets rallied behind Jokić’s leadership, overcoming the challenge posed by Lakers’ star LeBron James, who scored 19 points in the first half.

However, the Nuggets staged a comeback towards the end of the second quarter and embarked on a 13-point scoring spree in the third, asserting their dominance in the game and maintaining their advantage in the fourth quarter.

“We’re not giving up. This is the playoffs,” remarked Denver coach Michael Malone to reporters afterward. “No playoff team would simply concede defeat if they fall behind by 12 points early on. We still have plenty of fight left in us, and we believe we can perform better than we did in the early stages.”

Anthony Davis led the charge for the Lakers with an impressive stat line of 32 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists, while LeBron James contributed 27 points. On the Nuggets’ side, Jamal Murray delivered a solid performance with 22 points, six rebounds, and 10 assists.

In other Western Conference action on Saturday, the Minnesota Timberwolves secured a 120-95 victory over the Phoenix Suns in Game 1 of their playoff series.

Meanwhile, in the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers triumphed over the Orlando Magic with a score of 97-83, and the New York Knicks emerged victorious against the Philadelphia 76ers with a final score of 111-104.

In the trailer, Jokic sits on a couch in a suit while talking with a therapist. He explains how everyone thinks he looks like “Gru.”

“I thought I looked really good that day. I put on this beautiful suit that said, ‘I mean business,’” Jokic tells the therapist.“Then what happened?” she wonders.

“They say I look like ‘Gru,’” Jokic responds.

“Why does that bother you?” she asks.

“It doesn’t,” Jokic insists.

“Then why bring it up? she inquires.

“Because they won’t leave me alone,” Jokic says.

Jokic then walks over to a window and pulls up a shade to reveal a handful of Minions cheering for “Gru” from outside.