"That's too much" - Nikola Jokic says the Nuggets' defense in the fourth quarter was the reason for Game 2 loss in the NBA Finals
Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets blew a 15-point lead in Sunday's 111-108 Game 2 loss in the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat. The Nuggets lost their grip on the game in the fourth quarter. Denver leaked 36 points in the final frame that swayed the game in Miami's favor.
The Heat started the fourth quarter hot behind Duncan Robinson's 10-point burst in the opening two minutes of that period. The Heat overturned an eight-point deficit into a 3-point lead in no time at that stage.
The Nuggets' defense broke down at that point on as the Heat's shooters got it going and never looked back. Denver made their lives difficult after they failed to make shots on the other end at the same time. Their defense could've been better at that juncture, something Nikola Jokic pointed out in his post-game presser, saying:
"They scored 36 points in the fourth quarter, that's too much, of course. They got couple of offensive rebounds. It just happened to be like that."
The Heat went on a 29-10 run to grab an 11-point lead with five minutes left. The Nuggets' offense got going late, and they managed to trim the lead to three points with a minute left, but the Heat didn't let up at that point. Jamal Murray missed the game-tying shot on the final possession, and Denver lost by three points.
Unlike Game 1, the Miami Heat were scorching hot from distance as they knocked down 17-of-35 shots from deep (48.6%). Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets went 11-of-28. Nikola Jokic and Co. lacked the effort down the stretch that was crucial in them fending off the Heat's fourth-quarter run in Game 1. They will hope they don't let up easily moving forward as the series shifts to Miami for Games 3 and 4.
Nikola Jokic lone bright spot in Denver Nuggets' Game 2 loss in NBA Finals
Nikola Jokic was on fire in Game 2 of the 2023 NBA Finals. He bagged 41 points, 11 rebounds and four assists, shooting 57.1%, including two triples and 7-of-8 from free throw line.
The rest of the group heavily struggled with their efficiency. Jamal Murray had 10 points until the fourth quarter. He finished with 18, shooting 46.5%, including 3-of-8 from deep, while Michael Porter Jr. never got into a rhythm, going 2-for-8 to score only five points.
Nikola Jokic (41 PTS, 11 REB) with a remarkable Game 2!
Denver will look to bounce back in Game 3 and secure a 2-1 series lead 🍿
DEN/MIA Game 3:
Wednesday, 8:30 PM ET on ABC https://t.co/z2LryrxZe6
Meanwhile, the Heat had three players scoring 20+ points, including Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Gabe Vincent. The Nuggets will need Murray, and especially Michael Porter Jr., to rediscover their form ahead of Games 3 and 4 on the road. The Heat have come out with a 3-1 lead in each of their previous rounds, propelling them to a series win on all occasions.