The Denver Nuggets and the Phoenix Suns locked horns in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
It was an intense battle that ended with the Suns winning 129-124. But it could have gone either way in the final 23 seconds of the matchup. During a jump ball, Deandre Ayton apparently pulled down Nikola Jokic’s shoulder, and the referees missed the obvious call.
In a 3pt game, with 23 seconds left, all 3 referees missed this obvious foul on DeAndre Ayton, who does the old pro trick of pulling Jokic’s shoulder down with his inside hand as he goes to tip it with the other arm. This type of thing has been missed way too often this season. pic.twitter.com/OhnHuO7P8u
— BBALLBREAKDOWN (@bballbreakdown) May 8, 2023
At the time, it was a three-point game with Denver down 120-123. The tip went in favor of the Suns, thanks to Ayton’s trick on Jokic.
This missed call by the referees ultimately helped the Suns in winning the game and make a comeback in the series. It’s now tied at 2-2, and either team has a fair shot at advancing to the Western Conference Finals.
Nikola Jokic Had A Sensational Game 4 Performance
Nikola Jokic is the heart and soul of the Denver Nuggets. The two-time MVP has had an insane series so far, and he was unbelievable in the Game 4 loss vs. the Suns.
Jokic recorded 53 points, 4 rebounds, 11 assists, and 1 block in the game. NBA fans felt sad for Jokic as he still ended up on the losing side, despite his scoring outburst.
It was a ridiculous performance. His opponent, Kevin Durant, couldn’t help but praise the 28-year-old for his efforts.
“He’s ridiculous. I feel like all of them shots were easy shots. He plays the game at a pace where you just can’t speed him up or fluster him. He’s strong, he can make every shot. I hate it when he makes shots because he’s so unorthodox. It’s like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s a miss,’ and it goes straight in. He’s incredible. He carried them all night, scoring the ball. He and Jamal do a great job in that pick-and-roll, it’s tough to stop. We just play extremely well, you’re not gonna stop these guys. Efficient players, but we played hard and made up for it.”
Jokic is currently averaging 30.8 PPG, 13.1 RPG, and 9.2 APG in the 2023 playoffs. These are some great numbers by the Joker, and it’s no surprise why many believe he should have won the 2022-23 NBA MVP award over Joel Embiid.
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