"Draymond would’ve been gone for 2 seasons": Fans erupt as Nikola Jokic escapes punishment for outburst at official
The Denver Nuggets took on the Dallas Mavericks today and, at one stage, trailed by as many as 24 points, making Nikola Jokic very frustrated. That was evident when he burst out at a referee late in the game. Jokic got in his face, yet he didn't get called for a technical foul.
Needless to say, it didn't take long before some fans took offense at that, calling him and the referees out for apparent double standards:
"Draymond would’ve been gone for 2 seasons," one Warriors fan account posted.
"LOL, Edwards gets a tech for looking at someone," another fan commented.
"Draymond would’ve suspended for the season," a fan added.
Others, however, took Jokic's side, as the Mavs were being a little too physical with him:
"Yooooo he got pushed and thrown down on the floor which would be 3 counts n free throw would make it tie game 119 with 7 seconds left so he has a reason to be mad about it," one fan said.
"Jokic was getting mugged without calls. Don’t blame him a bit," another one added.
"They are literally assaulting him," a fan said.
Nikola Jokic and Nuggets need more from Jamal Murray
The Nuggets haven't fared as well as the experts projected in the first stretch of the season, but Nikola Jokic is averaging a triple-double. He should be among the leading MVP candidates right now.
Having him miss some time has only made his impact and importance all the more evident. The Nuggets' offense has struggled mightily without him, and even getting him back on the court wasn't enough to return to their championship-caliber level.
Jokic needs more help from his teammates, and especially Jamal Murray. The Canadian guard hasn't been consistent all season long, and Jokic recently called him out for it:
“If he scored a little bit on the consistent, yes, that will help us," Jokic admitted. “I think he was taking good shots. So, you know, I think, like, 75% of them were open. So, if I mean, he gotta take it, so it’s not something that he is forcing.”
Murray also knows he's not playing up to his usual standards:
“I take full accountability,” Murray said after the win over the Denver Nuggets. “It’s not easy when you aren’t playing well. It hasn’t been easy with guys like Nikola (Jokic) and Aaron (Gordon) out. We were fully capable of winning these last games. But, for me, I have to play better. I have to take account for that. It starts with me.”
The Nuggets are now 8-6 and in sixth spot in the Western Conference, but there's still enough time to turn things around.