Nikola Jokic pointed to Oklahoma City’s defensive physicality and his own missed opportunities as key factors in the Denver Nuggets’ 92-87 loss in Game 4 on Sunday.
The reigning MVP, who finished with 27 points on 7-of-22 shooting, acknowledged that the Thunder’s swarming defense has disrupted his rhythm across multiple games in the series.
“They’re really into my body, handsy, physical,” Jokic said postgame. “I think I missed like two, three open looks tonight… I need to do a better job, of course, but it’s part of the game.”
Denver’s offense sputtered early, scoring just eight points in the first quarter, a frame Jokic described as physically taxing but not insurmountable.
“They scored 17, so our defense was kind of good too,” he noted. “We had open looks… some of them were open. They were physical, of course.”
Despite briefly regaining the lead, the Nuggets faltered in the fourth quarter, where they were outscored 29-18 and committed several costly errors, including a critical five-second violation.
“That was a big, big play,” Jokic said of the inbound turnover. “We couldn’t rebound the ball… That cannot happen.”
Jokic emphasized that the Thunder’s perimeter defense has made his job as a facilitator more difficult, especially with their aggressive help and willingness to gamble in the passing lanes.
“They’re not getting back. They’re going to steal the ball,” he said. “Even the passing lanes—they’re playing the pass lanes. They’re not afraid to [get beat] because Chet is going to be there.”
Denver shot just 31.3% from the field and 24.4% from beyond the arc, with Jokic missing two key free throws late that could have cut the Thunder’s lead to a single possession.
“I had an open hook, I missed it. Two free throws, big two free throws I missed,” Jokic admitted. “We had the chances. We just didn’t make shots.”
When asked about the team’s effort and adjustments, Jokic defended their defensive approach but said the offense must improve.
“I think our defense is not a problem. I think the shooting was,” he said. “We shot 31% from the field. It’s really hard to win against that team if you don’t shoot the ball well.”
With the series now tied 2-2, Jokic acknowledged Oklahoma City’s momentum but stressed that the Nuggets must remain aggressive to have a chance.
“We need to play physical. We need to be more physical to them,” he said. “They’re favorites… but we need to give ourselves a chance to win a game.”
Game 5 is scheduled for Tuesday night at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
