"7-foot Luka Doncic": NBA Fans Ridicule Nikola Jokic Over Conditioning and Questionable Defense vs Warriors 

"7-foot Luka Doncic": NBA Fans Ridicule Nikola Jokic Over Conditioning and Questionable Defense vs Warriors (Image Source: GETTY)
"7-foot Luka Doncic": NBA Fans Ridicule Nikola Jokic Over Conditioning and Questionable Defense vs Warriors (Image Source: GETTY)

Nikola Jokic didn't escape harsh criticism from NBA fans on Thursday after the Denver Nuggets lost 137-131 in overtime to the Golden State Warriors. Jokic and Denver held a seven-point lead with 3:50 left in the fourth, but Steph Curry's unmatched run in the clutch altered things in Golden State's favor.

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Despite Jokic recording his 165th triple-double with 21 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, most of his struggles were noticeable. He didn't attack the paint as much, settling for 13 3-pointers. To make things worse, Jokic only converted two of his shots from deep, impacting his overall efficiency to 34.8%.

Aaron Gordon had a career night with 50 points and eight rebounds on 10 of 11 3-pointers, so a better effort offensively from Nikola Jokic could have helped the Nuggets fend off Golden State in the clutch.

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However, the three-time MVP had key misses down the stretch as Denver's lead evaporated. Jokic missed a hook shot, one free throw that could have put the Nuggets up four with 1:36 left and the game-winner off a finger roll in regulation.

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He missed four consecutive shots to close overtime. Jokic's miss from deep with 32 seconds left went viral. Not only did he miss the chance to get the Nuggets within three, but he looked gassed and walked back on defense as Curry blazed past him to score a layup, stretching the lead to eight.

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That play led to Nikola Jokic drawing flak from NBA fans on X for his conditioning and defense. Here's how they reacted:

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Nikola Jokic Assesses Unusual Shot Profile in Nuggets' Loss

It was unlike Nikola Jokic to spend most of his time on the perimeter during Denver's season-opening loss to the Warriors. However, the Nuggets center wasn't losing sweat over it. He was happy with the opportunities he had despite missing 11 out of 13 3-pointers.

"I think I need to mix it up," Jokic said after the game. "I am happy with the 3-pointer, I was open and most of them seemed like they were going in, but it didn't. I mean, I'm happy with the shots."
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Jokic found significant success from beyond the arc last season. He made a career-high 41.7% of his shots from 3 on 4.7 attempts. It was among the keys to Denver's offensive success.

However, it was also a need of the hour. The Nuggets lacked spacing last year, especially with the second unit. This year, Denver has better options from the arc across the board. Jokic has the luxury of trimming his 3-pointers and focusing on attacking the paint.

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Edited by Arhaan Raje
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