Jack Nicholson has had some grand times at Lakers games over the years, but Saturday night was not one of them.
After the Nuggets defeated the Lakers 119-108 to take a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference finals, Denver star Nikola Jokic’s brothers, Nemanja and Strahinja, heckled Nicholson.
“OMG the Jokic brothers exchanging pleasantries with Jack Nicholson on his way out. Jack was SALTY!” tweeted Denver-area sports reporter Vic Lombardi.
Video emerged of the one of Jokic’s brothers giving Nicholson the thumbs up sign, and the other yelling, “See you next year! Bye-bye! Bye-bye!”
It is unclear exactly how salty Nicholson was, because the video does not show his face.
The video does show a glimpse of Nicholson’s son, Ray, who appears to be laughing good-naturedly at the Jokic brothers’ heckling.
Nicholson resumed going to Lakers games in Game 6 of the first round against the Grizzlies, marking a rare public appearance for the legendary 86-year-old actor, who had last been seen at the Crypto.com Arena on opening night of last season.
When he made his triumphant return to the courtside seats he’s held for decades, he exchanged pleasantries with Larry David.
He was also there when the Lakers hosted the Warriors in the second round.
The Jokic brothers have previously gotten in a war of words with the Morris twins, Marcus and Markieff, spilling over from the basketball court.
“You should leave this the way it is instead of publicly threatening our brother! Your brother made a dirty play first. If you want to make a step further be sure we will be waiting for you!!” the brothers tweeted at Marcus Morris in 2021 in the fallout from a skirmish between Nikola Jokic and Markieff Morris.
The tweet has since been deleted.
The Lakers are three-point favorites against the Nuggets in Game 4 in Los Angeles on Monday night.
