Nuggets Survive Nikola Jokic’s Worst, Serve Thunder Cold Dose of Reality

Nikola Jokic slumped onto the bench and screamed toward the heavens, frustration pouring from the face of a two-time MVP who could not buy a shot — and yet had still managed to command the moment.

The Denver Nuggets, as they so often have, had his back.

Despite a clunky, uncharacteristic 8-for-25 night from their superstar, Denver blitzed the Oklahoma City Thunder in overtime, 113-104 on Friday, taking a 2-1 lead in their Western Conference semifinal series. Jokic missed all 10 of his 3-point attempts and wore a protective sleeve over his nagging right elbow — but his team didn’t miss the chance to pounce.

Jamal Murray scored 27 points with eight assists and four steals, while Michael Porter Jr. buried five of his six 3-point attempts on the way to 21 points. It was Murray’s on-the-money pocket pass to Jokic for a floater that essentially sealed it, putting Denver up seven late in overtime and smothering OKC’s last gasp.

“I was awful,” Jokic later admitted. “But we won.”

That’s putting it gently. The Serbian center, widely regarded as the game’s steadiest hand, was rattled from the jump. Two early fouls, five first-half turnovers, and just one assist in the opening 24 minutes — a stat line more befitting a rookie than a reigning Finals MVP. He didn’t grab a single offensive rebound before halftime, while the Thunder dominated the glass and battered the Nuggets inside, winning the paint 56-32.

Still, Denver survived. Even thrived.

Aaron Gordon’s cold-blooded corner 3 with 26.7 seconds left in regulation tied it at 102, and from there, the Nuggets ripped off seven straight points to open OT. Oklahoma City managed just two in the extra frame — a stunning reversal for a young team that had appeared poised to steal one on the road.

Jalen Williams, not Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, carried the Thunder. The second-year swingman exploded for 32 points and nailed a massive 3 after an offensive rebound gave OKC a 100-99 lead inside the final two minutes. Gilgeous-Alexander, meanwhile, labored to 18 points on 7-of-22 shooting in what felt like a missed opportunity to leave his mark on a signature playoff stage.

“We’ll take that fight from our guys,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “But that wasn’t our best in overtime.”

It was, however, a rare slog for Jokic, who looked out of rhythm and out of sorts all night. Even when the Nuggets opened the third quarter by dialing up a catch-and-shoot 15-footer to jumpstart him, it didn’t last. He missed an uncontested layup shortly thereafter and was visibly frustrated, his body language tight, his expression tightrope-walking between simmer and seethe.

Yet somehow, the Nuggets found daylight — thanks largely to Murray’s tenacity and Porter’s bounce-back effort after a quiet start to the series.

There was a moment in the third that summed up the chaos: layups missed in succession by Porter, Russell Westbrook, and Alex Caruso — the latter briefly moonlighting as a flamethrower from deep. Still, the Nuggets led 71-69 as Ball Arena came to life, and though the Thunder responded to take an 83-80 edge into the fourth, Denver had finally reestablished its footing.

By overtime, the body blows from Denver’s veterans had worn OKC down.

This wasn’t vintage Jokic. It wasn’t clean or pretty. But it was resilient — and for the Nuggets, it was more than enough.