On May 5, Beijing time, the NBA playoffs continued. In the first Western Conference semifinals G1, the Nuggets lost 99-106 at home to the Timberwolves, trailing their opponents 0-1 in the series.
In this game, Jokic, the star of the Nuggets, did not perform very well. In the whole game, Jokic played a total of 41 minutes, shooting 11 of 25, including 2 of 9 three-pointers and 8 of 8 free throws, with a total of 32 points, 8 rebounds and 9 assists for a quasi-triple-double, as well as 3 steals.
However, Jokic's play today wasn't as perfect as the stats suggest. You know, Jokic had a total of 7 turnovers today, and the plus/minus was only -12. This game was Jokic's lowest shooting percentage and most turnovers in the playoffs this year. You know, in the first-round series against the Lakers, Jokic averaged 59.1% shooting per game and 3.2 turnovers per game.
Regarding Jokic's performance today, the famous commentator Barkley said: "I don't think you should let Jokic play 45 minutes against three big men, Jokic consumes a lot of energy in front of them, so they have to figure out how to play. I'm not familiar with the player named Najib, of course DeAndre Jordan is old, but they have to figure something out. ”
In fact, there was one scene in the game that really highlighted Jokic's predicament. With three and a half minutes left in the final quarter, the Nuggets trailed by four points and Jokic stepped to the free-throw line. It took him a very long time to straighten his pants and he was taking deep breaths and wiping sweat, and Jokic's expression showed that he was exhausted. Once all the preparations were in place, Jokic made a free throw.
According to the schedule, the Nuggets will face the Timberwolves again at home on May 7, and whether the Nuggets can equalize the total score?