That Game 4 was box office. After such a topsy-turvy 48 minutes, the Thunder finally emerged victorious. But from a Nuggets perspective, it was a night of forgettable lows. Not only did they set a playoff-low of 8 first-quarter points, it took them 14:07 minutes to get to double digits. That’s not what you want as an aspiring championship team. But there’s more to worry about. It seems like Nikola Jokic has been having a series straight from hell, suffering from his own success.
Jokic had a 14/7/2 statline and three steals while shooting 3/12 from the field and 2/5 from deep in a very dreadful opening 23 minutes. But it’s odd to see the Joker out of his element – especially considering his shooting. He’s 17/53 from the field in the last three games, which is 25.6% less than his season average of 57.6%.
It seems like the Joker’s fatigue has gotten the better of him. And it’s not due to playing extra games, no no. It’s just that the Thunder lineup is deeper than Elon Musk’s pockets, and their relentless physicality has overpowered the 6’11 Serbian center.
“I think he’s exhausted. He’s averaging five turnovers a game. I think he’s exhausted. Now I know that his exhausted doesn’t look like the average player is exhausted. But guys, they’re playing six players,” said Brian Windhorst on his podcast. And that’s not due to injuries.
According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, it’s their over-reliance on their ace in the hole. “Like they have had injuries throughout the year and Jokic himself has had some injuries, which typically hasn’t had and has played through stuff and has been unbelievable all season. Right. And like, I think it’s a cumulative effect of all of that stuff.”
But you have to give credit where credit’s due – the Thunder did an amazing job of guarding him. It wasn’t easy, but Mark Daigneault figured out the perfect system. If you cut off passing lanes and do not allow Jokic’s creativity to shine, wonderful things can happen. To limit the “greatest passing center ever” to just 21 assists over four games when he averaged 10.2 a game is evidence of OKC’s defensive brilliance.
Mar 7, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) looks to pass the ball in the second half against the Phoenix Suns at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
“I think OKC is just done a good job putting him in a position where’s he’s just a scorer. They’ve taken away his playmaking abilities. As you can see, his assists are down, especially last night- he only had 3 assists. That makes this team successful. When he can get everybody involved in their offense, get guys going, being able to create a second and third option that’s gonna help him throughout the course of a basketball game,” said Lou Williams on Run It Back.
But the fatigue factor played in elsewhere. “So he might be dealing with some fatigue in the sense of him having to score the basketball. That’s such a high clip. Putting the ball in his hands and telling him ‘yo you gotta score to keep us in the game’- that’s gonna wear anybody down. But you gotta give credit to OKC. They’ve adjusted, they’ve made sure they’re taking away passing lanes, they’re not letting these guys backcut, they’re taking away assist opportunities from him, for his passing, and they’re just sitting down and they’re playing really great defense.”
This is when you need your leaders to step up. Leaving Nikola Jokic, that leader is the flair of the team – Jamal Murray. The Blue Arrow himself had a quiet game, but he knows this series is far from over.
Jamal Murray’s focus is only on the next game, not the previous one
“Yeah, it’s best out of three. It’s not a funeral, guys. It’s best out of three. We lost the game. On to the next,” said Murray in his postgame press. And after a woeful performance in front of an electric fanbase, that’s exactly the mentality you’ll need. But their next game is just two days away, on the 13th of May. They barely even have time to recover. So what’s their plan of action, heading into a court where the Thunder were 35-6 over the regular season?
“Like how we do any other games. We’re used to it. We’re used to it. We get a day off. It’s an early game, so we’re good tonight. Travel tomorrow, get our minds right, and I’d be ready to go for game five.” To be honest, Murray knows all about it. Going through such a gruelling NBA season prepares you for any situation. But winning at the Paycom isn’t such an easy feat. In fact, they have to play two of the next three games there. If they struggled against their opponents on home turf, what makes Murray think they can repeat their success in the City?
“Because we’ve done it before and we believe in the group.” Short and simple – yet effective in all regards. We mustn’t forget – the teams were 2-2 heading into the playoffs. That included a 140-127 blowout by the Nuggets over the table toppers. They need to repeat that over the course of the next 3 games to qualify. No pressure.
Mar 23, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) controls the ball during the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
The Thunder have to capitalize on a fatigued Nikola Jokic. Keeping him at bay for 3 games might’ve been doable, but you can’t keep the Joker out of the fray for too long. And if you’re a Mile Higher, you’d hope Murray’s confidence boost to the locker room gives Jokic what he needs to show up now.
The post Alarming Nikola Jokic Concern Emerges After Jamal Murray Issues Bold Game 5 Admission For Nuggets Fans appeared first on EssentiallySports.
