JOKIĆ CAN’T DO EVERYTHING ALONE! Another powerful triple-double, but Denver loses in the final seconds after blowing a +17 lead (VIDEO)

With such a porous defense, an unserious approach, and an inadequate coach, Denver will hardly achieve anything more in the playoffs this year. That is the impression after the lost game in Orlando, in which the Nuggets had a 17-point lead in the third quarter, only to be defeated in a photo finish – 127:126!

It is useless to have the dominant best basketball player in the world, Nikola Jokić, on your team when there is a draft blowing through the defense and only one player (Spencer Davis) plays “bone to bone” and breathes down the opponent’s neck.

Criticism also goes toward Nikola Jokić, who after the Christmas spectacle and numerous records against Minnesota, despite another great offensive performance – 34 points (11-of-22 shooting, 12-of-13 free throws), 21 rebounds, 12 assists (180th triple-double of his career!) – in the other phase of the game at times looked completely lost.

Thus, he allowed the until-then completely out-of-form Banchero, who was shooting free throws 0-for-4, to lay the ball into the basket several times with ease, without Jokić even attempting to foul him.

A special story is the head coach of the Colorado team, David Adelman, who calmly watched as Orlando like a fury devoured their big lead and did not think to respond to a 21–6 run with at least a timeout. Far too nonchalant, inexperienced, and disastrously unserious. It seems Adelman is not an authority for the team, especially with Jokić on the floor, which will bring Denver nothing good when playoff time and the battles for the much-desired title arrive.

The Nuggets brought Denver back into the game, allowed them to gain momentum, which, along with catastrophic referee decisions, contributed to them losing their first game (out of 7) on the Eastern road trip.

On the visitors’ team, Murray was solid (24 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists) and also missed the game-winning shot in the final second, while solid performances were delivered by Hardaway (20), Watson (15), Jones (14), and Strawther (13).

On the winning team, which like Denver was weakened by injuries to several starters, the young Black shone with a career-high performance (38 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists), with the greatest support coming from Bane with 24 points (6 assists), Carter (18 points, 7 rebounds), and German Da Silva (17 points, 5 rebounds).

The Nuggets will remain in third place in the West with a record of 22–9, while Orlando is fourth in the East at 18–14.

The Nuggets’ next game on the tour is in Miami on Monday.