Jokic's teammates failed him...AGAIN.

[SweaterBae]

MPJ’s mental make up is not as tough as someone like Gordon or Braun, he needs to find a way to be useful when his shots aren’t falling (don’t Klay your way out of a slump). His talent is very similar to Brandon Ingram, why isn’t he dominating the 3rd best defender on the other team?

Because his handles make Jaylen Brown look like The Professor. BI averages almost 6 assists per game the last 3 seasons, and gets to the line 5-6 times a game. MPJ has career averages of 1.2 assists per game and 1.7 FTA.

So he should be learning things like movement off the ball, be disruptive on defense (bulk up a little helps). But it’s frustrating to watch him because he’s a real good talent.

At some point people are who they are, in his case a low IQ player who can't dribble.

[Johnny Firpo]

Joker wasn't great in this game. He was okay, certainly did not let his team down, but wasn't good enough for us to pin it all on his teammates. Yes, MPJ and Murray did not have a good series, but give Minnesota credit, they had a lot to do with that. Could the Nuggets have won if these two play better? Obviously, but it is what it is.

[Johnny Firpo]

and people scoffed at a DeRozen for MPJ idea. DDR can get buckets in 4th quarters and end of games

DeMar is a terrible idea. Even if we get to a conclusion that MPJ is the problem, there has to be better ones out there (but then again, I understand GMs will never really trust MPJ's back).

[Ben-N1ce]

Amusing when MJ 2.0 shot 6/24 to score 16 points and won..

[Flash4thewin]

Jamal Murray had the greatest game he ever had of the playoffs and Jokic missed how many 3s?

Gobert fouled out but soft doughy serbian man won’t post up like a dominant big?

There was like what a min and a half of game time left, they were down by 10. They needed 3s not 2s to stand a chance at stealing the game.

[Duke4life831]

This is the trouble that Denver put themselves into.

Jokic puts up 34/19/7 (on 28 shots) and one of the takeaways is Jokic didn’t play well enough and took too many 3s.

The thing is, I do agree with that take. You could tell he was trying to conserve energy because he was in line for a 47 minute game.

But that’s the thing 34/19/7 on just 54 TS% isn’t good enough. He needed that stat line but with like 65 TS%. We’ve seen him do it before, so we know he can do it.

But Jokic really is the only guy since probably early LeBron or that LeBron Cavs run when everyone got hurt, that we expect to put up these kinds of games.

That’s just not a winning formula. Ya Murray had a good game, but he still finished out these playoffs with more FGAs than points (47 TS% for the playoffs). Your banking on a non all star player to repeatedly step up to All NBA level each year in the playoffs. That doesn’t seem like the best gameplan. Again ya he had a good game tonight (mainly 1st half). But if he played better earlier in the series (like in game 1), good chance Denver doesn’t have to play a game 7.

I’ll say this. I don’t think Jokic’s teammates failed him. I think Minny had the level of defense where outside of Jokic, the rest of the players played like what you could expect from role players against a good defense in the playoffs.

The way this team was built is what failed them this playoff. And all the props to Minny and their defense for that. Denver didn’t have a true #2 star that could consistently put pressure on that defense and Minny just pressured them to death essentially.

[Showdown]

Bench scored 21 points, Murray scored 35, it would be enough in most games but not this time. Btw Jokić shot 8 threes in time when Timberwolves were coming back from 20 point deficit and he made only one 3 and also got outrebounded by Minnesota centers.

[Raps in 4]

and people scoffed at a DeRozen for MPJ idea. DDR can get buckets in 4th quarters and end of games

Derozan is one of the biggest playoff chokers around. His game completely falls apart when he's not getting calls and defences tighten.

[kveble]

Bench scored 21 points, Murray scored 35, it would be enough in most games but not this time. Btw Jokić shot 8 threes in time when Timberwolves were coming back from 20 point deficit and he made only one 3 and also got outrebounded by Minnesota centers.

Bench scored 5 points Jokic had 19 rebounds

[Raps in 4]

The guy gassed hard down the stretch, but ya. Pretty wild the series even got to game seven with MPJ averaging 10 PPG on sub-40 shooting and Murray averaging 15 on 17 shots from games 1-6. The Nuggets FO should be ashamed of what they did last summer.

The sad thing is, they won't do anything again this summer.

[Raps in 4]

The third highest scorer on the team this game was MPJ with 7 points (on 12 shots). Absolutely embarrassing effort from the team.

[Tor_Raps]

Jokic put up 34/19/7 in an off game. Any other superstar would kill to have a performance like this. Anyone saying Jokic failed his team clearly doesn't know that basketball is a team sport.

There's a reason why his entire supporting cast has never made any allstar team, let alone all nba team. They're not even a friggin playoff team without Jokic. Calvin Booth failed Jokic.

[SweaterBae]

This is the trouble that Denver put themselves into.

Jokic puts up 34/19/7 (on 28 shots) and one of the takeaways is Jokic didn’t play well enough and took too many 3s.

The thing is, I do agree with that take. You could tell he was trying to conserve energy because he was in line for a 47 minute game.

But that’s the thing 34/19/7 on just 54 TS% isn’t good enough. He needed that stat line but with like 65 TS%. We’ve seen him do it before, so we know he can do it.

But Jokic really is the only guy since probably early LeBron or that LeBron Cavs run when everyone got hurt, that we expect to put up these kinds of games.

That’s just not a winning formula. Ya Murray had a good game, but he still finished out these playoffs with more FGAs than points (47 TS% for the playoffs). Your banking on a non all star player to repeatedly step up to All NBA level each year in the playoffs. That doesn’t seem like the best gameplan. Again ya he had a good game tonight (mainly 1st half). But if he played better earlier in the series (like in game 1), good chance Denver doesn’t have to play a game 7.

I’ll say this. I don’t think Jokic’s teammates failed him. I think Minny had the level of defense where outside of Jokic, the rest of the players played like what you could expect from role players against a good defense in the playoffs.

The way this team was built is what failed them this playoff. And all the props to Minny and their defense for that. Denver didn’t have a true #2 star that could consistently put pressure on that defense and Minny just pressured them to death essentially.

ehhh, it isn't good enough because MPJ and KCP scored 12 points on 19! shots. Credit where it is due, straight to Minnesota, but putting this on Jokic is just ridiculous. It's a team sport. Minnesota had the better team. We'll notice *nobody* is talking about "undisputed top 5 player in the league" Ant man with a TS% of 32.2 tonight. He was also 2-10 from three.

[HotRocks34]

Jokic was great in Game 7. His NBA Efficiency number was above 40. That's greatness and no one else played at that level in this contest, particularly on his team. Including Murray.

Minny won despite Ant going 6/24. That says a lot.

Denver needs more talented depth. They almost got away with skimming on that, but it caught up to them in the end.

[picc]

Jokic got clamped in bad times and played zero defense all game. Which he seems to skate on more than any other great player in history. Especially being a center.

Its not his fault they lost but lets not bull ****.

[SweaterBae]

Jokic was great in Game 7. His NBA Efficiency number was above 40. That's greatness and no one else played at that level in this contest, particularly on his team. Including Murray.

Minny won despite Ant going 6/24. That says a lot.

Denver needs more talented depth. They almost got away with skimming on that, but it caught up to them in the end.

I've made a huge deal about their bench, but Denver was healthy tonight. Bruce Brown had a career year last year and then went back to being a jag. If MPJ and KCP didn't crap down their legs this series, Denver probably wins. Sure they need a better bench, but their starters need to win the games. Gordon, KCP and MPJ scored 16 points on 24 shots and didn't attempt a free throw.

[HotRocks34]

Jokic was great in Game 7. His NBA Efficiency number was above 40. That's greatness and no one else played at that level in this contest, particularly on his team. Including Murray.

Minny won despite Ant going 6/24. That says a lot.

Denver needs more talented depth. They almost got away with skimming on that, but it caught up to them in the end.

I've made a huge deal about their bench, but Denver was healthy tonight. Bruce Brown had a career year last year and then went back to being a jag. If MPJ and KCP didn't crap down their legs this series, Denver probably wins. Sure they need a better bench, but their starters need to win the games. Gordon, KCP and MPJ scored 16 points on 24 shots and didn't attempt a free throw.

Yeah, MPJ and AG weren't there.

I think the team was gassed and Malone said so afterwards.

They got up 20 and then the tank hit "E." It can happen.

They need more playable depth and less volatility from their top non-Jokic options IMO. I agree with Duke on that.

[Johnny Bball]

How does he need more help than having a previous championship roster?

[Duke4life831]

This is the trouble that Denver put themselves into.

Jokic puts up 34/19/7 (on 28 shots) and one of the takeaways is Jokic didn’t play well enough and took too many 3s.

The thing is, I do agree with that take. You could tell he was trying to conserve energy because he was in line for a 47 minute game.

But that’s the thing 34/19/7 on just 54 TS% isn’t good enough. He needed that stat line but with like 65 TS%. We’ve seen him do it before, so we know he can do it.

But Jokic really is the only guy since probably early LeBron or that LeBron Cavs run when everyone got hurt, that we expect to put up these kinds of games.

That’s just not a winning formula. Ya Murray had a good game, but he still finished out these playoffs with more FGAs than points (47 TS% for the playoffs). Your banking on a non all star player to repeatedly step up to All NBA level each year in the playoffs. That doesn’t seem like the best gameplan. Again ya he had a good game tonight (mainly 1st half). But if he played better earlier in the series (like in game 1), good chance Denver doesn’t have to play a game 7.

I’ll say this. I don’t think Jokic’s teammates failed him. I think Minny had the level of defense where outside of Jokic, the rest of the players played like what you could expect from role players against a good defense in the playoffs.

The way this team was built is what failed them this playoff. And all the props to Minny and their defense for that. Denver didn’t have a true #2 star that could consistently put pressure on that defense and Minny just pressured them to death essentially.

ehhh, it isn't good enough because MPJ and KCP scored 12 points on 17 shots. Credit where it is due, straight to Minnesota, but putting this on Jokic is just ridiculous. It's a team sport. Minnesota had the better team. We'll notice *nobody* is talking about "undisputed top 5 player in the league" Ant man with a TS% of 32.2 tonight. He was also 2-10 from three.

I’m not putting it on Jokic. I’m putting it on the front office. That was my entire point. Jokic having what kind of feels like an off night while still putting up 34/19/7 and it only felt like an off night because he did that on 54 TS% not some freakish high efficiency like we’ve seen him do before. In reality that shouldn’t be considered an off night, especially in a game 7 against the best defense in the NBA.

But that is kind of the window we view with Jokic right now. He’s almost expected to go supernova in these games. I also can’t really blame the rest of the team. Minny is the best defense in the league. Not shocked a catch and shoot guy like MPJ struggled in this series. Not shocked an energy guy like Gordon couldn’t be a consistent threat on offense. Not shocked KCP didn’t do much. And not shocked Murray looked like a non all star for the vast majority of the series. That’s what Minny’s defense did to them.

Denver didn’t have that 2nd star that could consistently put pressure on Minny’s defense. It was basically, double Jokic and just close out hard on the kick out and force someone else to make a play. And no one could consistently. Not even getting to the point where Denver couldn’t even act like they could compete with Minny whenever Jokic sat.

I think this was the series where Jokic being 9 years in and never playing with another all star showed. Murray couldn’t come close to being that guy in these playoffs. He couldn’t even dribble against Minny’s defense.

I think it’s time the front office stops relying on Jokic having to go supernova to be a top team and relying on a non all star to magically turn into an All NBA guy once the playoffs come along. I think it’s time they find a true dynamic star to pair with Jokic.

[Castle Black]

Laker fans in here circle-jerking each other over Denver’s loss . Gotta love it.