Nikola Jokic is not fair.
The Warriors entered the fourth quarter up 13 at home on the Nuggets and watched that fade away in a wash of missed Golden State shots (3-of-14 shooting outside the paint in the fourth) and Denver hitting seemingly everything that mattered. Jokic had tied the game with :26 seconds left, then after Jamal Murray steal of a Stephen Curry pass, this happened.
What. Just. Happened……….. pic.twitter.com/4KKkknkMLR
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 5, 2024
The shot of 2024 might have happened four days into the year. The look on Curry’s face says it all.
Jokic admitted in his walk-off interview that he didn’t call bank. It still counts.
The Warriors — 16-18 on the season and sitting as the 11 seed in the West — lead the NBA with four blown leads of at least 17 points this season. For Golden State and its fans, trying to adjust to the reality that the championship window closed, this was a punch to the gut in a series of punches to the gut. Klay Thompson was inconsistent (as he has been for much of the season), Steve Kerr trying anything while searching for rotations that work, and the Warriors could have used Draymond Green’s defense in this one.
Jokic finished the night with 34 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, just one short of a triple-double. Aaron Gordon scored 30 and Jamal Murray 25. Curry led the Warriors with 30 on the night.
