At perhaps the most important time in franchise history, Nikola Jokic endured the longest shooting slump of his career. In one three-game stretch, he was literally just 21-for-63, or 33.3 percent shooting. In Game 4 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, he was especially poor. The latter led to him failing to score a single point in the first quarter, which played a role in the Nuggets being edged out 92-87.
Jokic already had a great performance in the series opener, going for 42 points. His shooting struggles continued to plague him in the later rounds. Instead, in Game 4, he bricked two or three WIDE-open looks to help sink his team’s offensive efforts even further. The Nuggets managed to score only eight points in the first frame, a stark contrast to Jokic’s earlier performance and indicative of the team’s overall struggle.
Jokic’s horrendous Game 4 performance was a bit mitigated by Isaiah Hartenstein’s, although not because of Jokic’s superior size and skill. The Thunder was able to throttle Jokic’s scoring chances, a major positive sign on the defensive end for OKC after their past few games. That change would prove to be key as the series became tied 2-2 after Game 4.
Yet for the Nuggets, who just played their seventh game in a 13-day span, a long week looms. Interim head coach David Adelman admitted that it was time for Jokic to regain his swag. Unlike during his earlier shooting funk, when the team was still able to win games without him, this time it proved too costly.
“When I play, I don’t think about that,” – Nikola Jokic
Jokic really wants to get better, especially as a shooter. His commitment to the team really comes out here, particularly as they start getting more and more heat. The Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been the most important player in clutch time. In fact, he out-scored OKC’s total deficit during pivotal runs in both of their two defeats in the series.
“I always feel like those are the moments where the guy on the team earns his buck,” – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
As both teams prepare for Game 5, the Nuggets must strategize to improve their execution and capitalize on scoring opportunities. Hartenstein noted how critical it was for a united team to use creativity, passion, and preparation to weather external challenges.
“We’re just really just focused on how to execute as a team,” – Isaiah Hartenstein
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