We can’t say that Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets don’t have a flair for the dramatic.
For much of the second half, Thursday night’s game against the Golden State Warriors looked like it would be a fairly convincing defeat for the Nuggets. Denver trailed 107-94 after three quarters and 123-105 after Golden State’s Andrew Wiggins made a basket with 6:51 remaining. From there, it was all Nuggets.
Denver rallied to tie the game in the final seconds. With 3.6 seconds left, Aaron Gordon inbounded the ball to Jokić. The two-time league MVP dribbled against Kevon Looney and pulled up for a deep three. While it was a long shot, Jokić had a clean look at it. His shot was on target and rattled around the rim before dropping to give the Nuggets a dramatic 130-127 win.
"IT'S GOOD. JOKIĆ GOT IT OFF IN TIME. AND THE NUGGETS WIN IT."
"Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me?"
Brian Anderson and Stan Van Gundy on the call as Nikola Jokić buries a 39-footer at the buzzer to beat the Warriors.
Nuggets trailed by 18 with 6:30 to go. pic.twitter.com/0OlXuifY1o
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 5, 2024
The near midcourt buzzer-beater got NBA fans buzzing.
the best hooper on the planet.
NIKOLA JOKIC. pic.twitter.com/1Sw6mMsmdJ— Kyron Samuels (@kyronsamuels) January 5, 2024
"okay but does nikola jokic even enjoy playing bask—" pic.twitter.com/PUTCrkBtCT
— Dan Favale (@danfavale) January 5, 2024
How Jokic looking at the Warriors dynasty pic.twitter.com/mtOXAjaNIc
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) January 5, 2024
I recorded myself watching the final play because I thought why not who knows and it’s now 2024 and what I learned is I still don’t know what to do with my hands and NIKOLA JOKIĆ IS FROM ANOTHER PLANET pic.twitter.com/3wFHwpcD8a
— Katy Winge (@katywinge) January 5, 2024
jokic plays basketball like a bullied kid in a disney movie who made a wish to have magical basketball powers and it came true pic.twitter.com/QRAkRh55dv
— claire de lune (@ClaireMPLS) January 5, 2024
Jokić even had fun talking about the shot. When TNT’s Charles Barkley asked him if he called glass on the final shot, he replied “My friend, it went in. I’m happy.”
Did Nikola Jokić call glass on his game-winning three?
"My friend, it went in. I'm happy."pic.twitter.com/sX2sdn0Jqc
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 5, 2024
That shot was not only set up by a great comeback but also a tremendous defensive play from Jamal Murray. With the score tied at 127, the Warriors had the ball in Steph Curry’s hands for what appeared to be the final shot in regulation. Curry went to his left, then tried a cross-court pass to Wiggins. But before the ball could get to Wiggins, Murray got his hands up, knocking the ball down and eventually securing it for the steal.
That winner was set up by Jamal Murray intercepting a pass from Steph Curry on what ended up being the Warriors’ final possession. pic.twitter.com/rosZqWGvds
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) January 5, 2024
[Photo Credit: TNT]
