Jokic's teammates failed him...AGAIN.

[kveble]

Jokic was responsible for all those offensive rebounds that sealed the game though. And he was bailed out by some bad calls when he had lost the ball (the Naz Reid goaltend, Kat's 5th foul and one wrong out ball). All those would have been turnovers

Is he the only rebounder in his team?

[One_and_Done]

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.

Now we have Jokic's Game Score from Game 7 -- 29.1

To put that figure in context, compare it with MJ's 1991 Finals average Game Score -- 29.4

In that series MJ averaged 31/6/11 on 55/50/84.

That's the level we're talking about here.

And Jokic did it against the league's best defense. And he played 47 minutes. Etc.

Jokic was great in Game 7. He could have been better, but honestly even he looked out of gas in the second half IMO.

Or we could take the angle that Ant didn't even play well in game 7, and Jokic still couldn't beat him. Why is it that there's a big emphasis on MPJ having a bad shooting night, but zero emphasis on Ant shooting badly. It was a classic game 7; almost nobody shot well. It was brutal stuff. I don't think Jokic lacked for help, he just lost.

Let's not act like the Wolves are the 2017 Warriors. They were projected to lose in the first round by most pundits

[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.

Now we have Jokic's Game Score from Game 7 -- 29.1

To put that figure in context, compare it with MJ's 1991 Finals average Game Score -- 29.4

In that series MJ averaged 31/6/11 on 55/50/84.

That's the level we're talking about here.

And Jokic did it against the league's best defense. And he played 47 minutes. Etc.

Jokic was great in Game 7. He could have been better, but honestly even he looked out of gas in the second half IMO.

Or we could take the angle that Ant didn't even play well in game 7, and Jokic still couldn't beat him. Why is it that there's a big emphasis on MPJ having a bad shooting night, but zero emphasis on Ant shooting badly. It was a classic game 7; almost nobody shot well. It was brutal stuff. I don't think Jokic lacked for help, he just lost.

Let's not act like the Wolves are the 2017 Warriors. They were projected to lose in the first round by most pundits

Ant sucked and the Wolves won. That does say a lot about which Others showed up.

Denver was great but they ran out of gas.

I did the NBA Efficiency stats somewhere else. Denver had 3 guys with 10+ units and Minny had like 7. That pretty much says it all.

Jokic was the most efficient player in the game, but McDaniels and KAT were the next two, I think, and were solid.

Murray started strong but looked totally gassed in the second half IMO.

A great team beats a great player. Especially a tired great player with a tired team.

[art_tatum]

Murray played pretty well dropped 32
And the starting lineup was alright. They need to improve their bench but nuggets have a good team. Joker just didn't deliver against a team that might get slaughtered by the mavs.

Hell curry won with klay dropping like 5 points.
Lebron won with wade and bosh not contributing like Murray

[Edrees]

Can this 3 time MVP get at least ONE former all-star to help him?

They seriously have to tweak that roster.

His help was unbelievably bad in a game 7 at home.

Lakers will trade max DLO, trade him for MPJ and Aaron gordon. Nuggets get a former all star

[KyRo23]

I don't like to kick while people are down, but Denver/Jokic fans, get used to the Jokic blame. You want to appoint a player to be the next GOAT and have greatest peak standards, this is what you sign up for.

You cannot fully blame Jokic for this loss. This was a full on team loss, including Malone. You mean to tell me Denver had a 20 point 3rd quarter lead and there was no time to rest Jokic during this game? How is that even possible? I see some LeBron/Jokic comparisons in this thread and it does make sense in some ways. I remember LeBron playing entire games in the playoffs in Cleveland because teams would go on 13-0 runs in the 2 mins he sat. But in the end, if you're going to be called a GOAT, you gotta take it on the chin.

[hippesthippo]

Porter was bad and Murray was totally out of gas in the second half.

Booth has to get more depth this summer.

The game was still in reach with 2 minutes left and Murray couldn't even find someone to pretend to defend. Gobert was "guarding," Murray on defense. I have no idea why Malone didn't sub someone else in for him once it was clear he had nothing left to give.

The 4th quarter was awful to watch. Nobody had the legs to hit their catch and shoot jumpers. Nobody was moving to get open, or making the extra pass. I've never seen Jokic take so many awful, rushed shots.

The team straight up ran out of gas. I blame Malone for this more than anyone.

[MMyhre]

I don't like to kick while people are down, but Denver/Jokic fans, get used to the Jokic blame. You want to appoint a player to be the next GOAT and have greatest peak standards, this is what you sign up for.

You cannot fully blame Jokic for this loss. This was a full on team loss, including Malone. You mean to tell me Denver had a 20 point 3rd quarter lead and there was no time to rest Jokic during this game? How is that even possible? I see some LeBron/Jokic comparisons in this thread and it does make sense in some ways. I remember LeBron playing entire games in the playoffs in Cleveland because teams would go on 13-0 runs in the 2 mins he sat. But in the end, if you're going to be called a GOAT, you gotta take it on the chin.

Jokic had his chance to have his LeBron in Boston moment, and he whiffed it. He just ain`t that good and that`s fine, he can`t force his will on the game because he is limited in many ways (defense, athleticism - harder to get easy looks, force things etc).

[Sedale Threatt]

This thread is wild. Jokic got a grand total of 21 points from teammates not named Murray (on 8 for 28 shooting) and pulled down almost as many rebounds as the rest of the starting lineup by himself. But it’s his fault. Sure.

[Johnny Bball]

This thread is wild. Jokic got a grand total of 21 points from teammates not named Murray (on 8 for 28 shooting) and pulled down almost as many rebounds as the rest of the starting lineup by himself. But it’s his fault. Sure.

People in this thread wanting Murray shipped out, people in this thread wanting the rest of the entire team shipped out... crazy. Jokic is all that but blaming all of his his teammates isn't right either.

Maybe people just need to understand just how hard it is to repeat when every other team that's close builds to try and beat you. If Denver learned anything, its the fact that they shouldn't have been sitting on all their picks and they should be trading for the right very now last year to improve even further. Like every other team. People hated the Durant move to the Warriors, but without that there would have been NO dynasties in the last decade without it.

Blame management if you need to blame anyone, but the lesson here is that even champions need to continually improve. Management on teams tend to not want to trade the players that got them there after a championship, those that helped them win a championship. I get that, that's loyalty and that's important, and its also a risk that can make you look stupid. But then again, adding a Kukoc or Rodman or Pau or even Horry becomes almost necessary to continue to win, and you need to already have that one player or person that's going to have an insane inhuman amount of drive to get back there.

It ain't easy. And things did line up pretty well for Denver last year, and they did not this year. Even if they got past the Wolves, going to 7 and then facing another likely long series and two very good teams in the next two rounds wasn't going to help them win it all more than last year. They weren't as close as people might like to console themselves with right now.

[Message Boar]

Oh and Murray, while he definitely played well for stretches and did some good in game 7, single-handedly cost his team any real chance of saving their season with about 3 minutes left.

First, he just stood there like a statue while Reid (his man) strode right by him for the empathic uncontested putback dunk.

Then, bringing the ball up the court right after, he got stripped like a bum at midcourt, leading straight into an uncontested Edwards three in the corner. 10-point game, blouses.

[hauntedcomputer]

Instead of blame just give credit.
Wolves' D.
On the back of RealGM Whipping Boy Rudy Gobert, who "can't be on the floor in the playoffs." Personally I said "Game over" when Rudy hit that wild, off-balance turnaround from about 10 feet with the clock dying.

By the fourth quarter, Murray and Jokic were starting their pick-and-rolls against the half court line. Getting into the lane was a death sentence. And none of the other guys were getting open looks.

[Sedale Threatt]

This thread is wild. Jokic got a grand total of 21 points from teammates not named Murray (on 8 for 28 shooting) and pulled down almost as many rebounds as the rest of the starting lineup by himself. But it’s his fault. Sure.

People in this thread wanting Murray shipped out, people in this thread wanting the rest of the entire team shipped out... crazy. Jokic is all that but blaming all of his his teammates isn't right either.

Maybe people just need to understand just how hard it is to repeat when every other team that's close builds to try and beat you. If Denver learned anything, its the fact that they shouldn't have been sitting on all their picks and they should be trading for the right very now last year to improve even further. Like every other team. People hated the Durant move to the Warriors, but without that there would have been NO dynasties in the last decade without it.

Blame management if you need to blame anyone, but the lesson here is that even champions need to continually improve. Management on teams tend to not want to trade the players that got them there after a championship, those that helped them win a championship. I get that, that's loyalty and that's important, and its also a risk that can make you look stupid. But then again, adding a Kukoc or Rodman or Pau or even Horry becomes almost necessary to continue to win, and you need to already have that one player or person that's going to have an insane inhuman amount of drive to get back there.

It ain't easy. And things did line up pretty well for Denver last year, and they did not this year. Even if they got past the Wolves, going to 7 and then facing another likely long series and two very good teams in the next two rounds wasn't going to help them win it all more than last year. They weren't as close as people might like to console themselves with right now.

I’m not necessarily looking to play the blame game. But if I was, I’m looking at Gordon and Porter, and to a lesser extent KCP, before I’m even thinking about Jokic. They aren’t expected to do nearly as much and they couldn’t even manage that in a home Game 7. Sixteen combined points on 7-24 FGs is a complete horror show.

[Johnny Bball]

Spoiler:

This thread is wild. Jokic got a grand total of 21 points from teammates not named Murray (on 8 for 28 shooting) and pulled down almost as many rebounds as the rest of the starting lineup by himself. But it’s his fault. Sure.

People in this thread wanting Murray shipped out, people in this thread wanting the rest of the entire team shipped out... crazy. Jokic is all that but blaming all of his his teammates isn't right either.

Maybe people just need to understand just how hard it is to repeat when every other team that's close builds to try and beat you. If Denver learned anything, its the fact that they shouldn't have been sitting on all their picks and they should be trading for the right very now last year to improve even further. Like every other team. People hated the Durant move to the Warriors, but without that there would have been NO dynasties in the last decade without it.

Blame management if you need to blame anyone, but the lesson here is that even champions need to continually improve. Management on teams tend to not want to trade the players that got them there after a championship, those that helped them win a championship. I get that, that's loyalty and that's important, and its also a risk that can make you look stupid. But then again, adding a Kukoc or Rodman or Pau or even Horry becomes almost necessary to continue to win, and you need to already have that one player or person that's going to have an insane inhuman amount of drive to get back there.

It ain't easy. And things did line up pretty well for Denver last year, and they did not this year. Even if they got past the Wolves, going to 7 and then facing another likely long series and two very good teams in the next two rounds wasn't going to help them win it all more than last year. They weren't as close as people might like to console themselves with right now.

I’m not necessarily looking to play the blame game. But if I was, I’m looking at Gordon and Porter, and to a lesser extent KCP, before I’m even thinking about Jokic. They aren’t expected to do nearly as much and they couldn’t even manage that in a home Game 7. Sixteen combined points on 7-24 FGs is a complete horror show.

I think Aaron Gordon is irreplicable/untouchable for them. But yeah the other two to some and different degrees.

[Sedale Threatt]

Spoiler:

People in this thread wanting Murray shipped out, people in this thread wanting the rest of the entire team shipped out... crazy. Jokic is all that but blaming all of his his teammates isn't right either.

Maybe people just need to understand just how hard it is to repeat when every other team that's close builds to try and beat you. If Denver learned anything, its the fact that they shouldn't have been sitting on all their picks and they should be trading for the right very now last year to improve even further. Like every other team. People hated the Durant move to the Warriors, but without that there would have been NO dynasties in the last decade without it.

Blame management if you need to blame anyone, but the lesson here is that even champions need to continually improve. Management on teams tend to not want to trade the players that got them there after a championship, those that helped them win a championship. I get that, that's loyalty and that's important, and its also a risk that can make you look stupid. But then again, adding a Kukoc or Rodman or Pau or even Horry becomes almost necessary to continue to win, and you need to already have that one player or person that's going to have an insane inhuman amount of drive to get back there.

It ain't easy. And things did line up pretty well for Denver last year, and they did not this year. Even if they got past the Wolves, going to 7 and then facing another likely long series and two very good teams in the next two rounds wasn't going to help them win it all more than last year. They weren't as close as people might like to console themselves with right now.

I’m not necessarily looking to play the blame game. But if I was, I’m looking at Gordon and Porter, and to a lesser extent KCP, before I’m even thinking about Jokic. They aren’t expected to do nearly as much and they couldn’t even manage that in a home Game 7. Sixteen combined points on 7-24 FGs is a complete horror show.

I think Aaron Gordon is irreplicable/untouchable for them.

I’m not making any value judgment about him. I’m saying he had an objectively dog sht performance in a must-win game and, along with a few teammates, should be getting way more heat than the guy who put up 34-19-7.

[nikster]

Murray played pretty well dropped 32
And the starting lineup was alright. They need to improve their bench but nuggets have a good team. Joker just didn't deliver against a team that might get slaughtered by the mavs.

Hell curry won with klay dropping like 5 points.
Lebron won with wade and bosh not contributing like Murray

Lebron and Curry won without their teammates delivering, they also failed without their teammates delivering.

You think Currys supporting cast in 2022 was any worse than Jokic last year? And what happened the next season...eliminated in play-in...

[HotRocks34]

At the end of the WCSF, Jokic leads the playoff field in:

PER
WS48
BPM


In the Minny series, he led or tied as the leader for both teams in the following categories:

PPG
RPG
APG
SPG (tie)


Great work. Now off to Sombor, I guess, for some rest and relaxation.

[Bash1676]

Can this 3 time MVP get at least ONE former all-star to help him?

They seriously have to tweak that roster.

His help was unbelievably bad in a game 7 at home.

The fault itself involves management too. When a team wins a championship,you had to the key players and not subtract from them. You give them an opportunity to defend their title. Green and brown should've been resigned.

[Pelly24]

Not sure this Nuggets team makes it past round 1 with a top 20 player in Jokic's place TBH. These teammates have been *bad*.

[Jedi32]

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

Folks comment on the Lakers it's fair game, but as soon as laker fans say something about another team it's hating or a circle jerk. Comical, then they try and hide their tears with an lol. Pathetic.