The Denver Nuggets have two goals this postseason: Win games and keep star center Nikola Jokić healthy. They’ve been successful on both ends thus far, but the latter is definitely becoming a concern.
Jokić has been a target for physical play throughout the playoffs, and the Oklahoma City Thunder have leaned in to that strategy. Following Oklahoma City’s 149-106 win over the Nuggets on Wednesday, Denver star Aaron Gordon called out the Thunder’s physical play on Jokić and asked officials to stop missing calls on the Nuggets’ star.
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Gordon’s full quote read:
“If they’re going to let them push him and shove him or put two hands on him, root him out, the knees, elbows, and all types of stuff they’re doing to him that’s not necessarily legal, there’s not much that you can do. Jok got to play through it. If they’re not going to call it, then they’re not going to call it.
“They’re fouling the guy … They’re calling the second foul almost every time. They’re fouling Joker first, and then Jok is reactionary, and they do get the second guy a lot of the time. But they’re fouling him — point blank, period — throughout the game. It’s a thing where you can’t call every foul or you’d be calling a foul every single play, but they are fouling him.”
Gordon wasn’t wrong about officials catching Jokić in the act. The Nuggets’ big man fouled out of the contest in the third quarter, essentially ending any hope of a Denver comeback. Jokić finished the game with 17 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists.
Overall, the refs called the game fairly evenly between both teams. The Nuggets were whistled for 29 fouls, while the Thunder picked up 24 fouls in the contest. The difference wasn’t enough to alter the outcome, especially considering the Nuggets lost by more than 40 points.
Gordon acknowledged that last point after the loss.
It’s not the first time this postseason a member of the Nuggets asked officials to pay more attention to the way defenders are treating Jokić. Nuggets interim coach David Adelman did exactly that during the team’s first round series against the Los Angeles Clippers. After Game 6, Adelman said the Clippers were “allowed to do whatever they want” to Jokić and called the lack of fouls “absolutely crazy.” The Nuggets managed to pull out a win in Game 7 of that series, setting up their meeting with the Thunder.
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Wednesday’s game provided the Nuggets with yet another reason to express that frustration, though it wasn’t the reason Denver lost the contest. Gordon realized as much, though Adelman probably summed up Denver’s performance the best.
“We got punked,” he told reporters after the game.
With the series now tied 1-1, the Nuggets will look to reclaim the series lead in Game 3 on Friday. As long as Jokić can stay on the court, they have a chance.
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