The Denver Nuggets entered the 2023-24 NBA season as one of the championship favorites, ready to defend their title from a year ago behind the leadership of Finals MVP Nikola Jokić. After a small slide in late November as the team dealt with injuries, they’ve been one of the hottest teams in the league since, and have won 11 of their last 13 games.
Nikola Jokić Has Missed 5 Shots In Last 4 Games
Jokic has missed only 5 shots in the last 4 games 🤯
(h/t @BleacherReport) pic.twitter.com/tvvnsTGJIB
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 5, 2024
The most recent may have been the most impressive, and the current tear that Jokić is on has him back as the early MVP favorite.
The Nuggets entered Thursday’s game at Golden State as three point favorites, a seemingly short line for a matchup between the #2 and #11 seeds in the Western Conference. But the odds makers ended up being spot on, though it looked like the Warriors were going to win outright in the second half.
Steph Curry and company built up an 18 point lead with less than 7 minutes remaining on the clock, but Denver mounted a massive comeback that was capped off by a miracle heave by Jokić from just inside half court, winning the game for the Nuggets on a buzzer beater by a score of 130-127.
It got Jokić up to 34 points on the evening, as he went 13 for 16 from the field throughout the contest. And those three misses are more than he had in the previous three games combined.
Nugget Surging In The Western Conference
Kenny Smith: “Everyone is still chasing you. Do you feel there is anyone you’re chasing as the Denver Nuggets right now?”
Jokic: “Oh, we are chasing the Denver Nuggets, too.”
Inside the NBA Crew: “Ooo, 👀.”
Jokic is gonna be a GOAT, man. pic.twitter.com/SawxgQHh0g
— Swipa (@SwipaCam) January 5, 2024
In fact, Nikola Jokić has missed just five total field goal attempts in the last four games. He was a perfect 11 for 11 last week against the Grizzlies (and achieved a triple double), and went 9 for 10 the very next night in Denver’s loss to the Thunder. Then there was a 6 for 7 effort against Charlotte, followed by last night’s game against the Warriors.
The Nuggets are one of three teams that are a head above the rest at the top of the West. The Timberwolves still remain in first place, but both the Thunder and Nuggets are within a single game, and Denver was able to close their gap to a half-game with their finish last night.
For the season, Nikola Jokić is averaging 26 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 9.1 assists per game. He is listed as the favorite to win MVP via BetOnline, currently coming in with a designation of +200.
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