Nikola Jokic gives Denver victory with incredible buzzer-beating shot against Golden State

Nikola Jokic has lost his usual phlegm. While Denver was trailing by 18 points seven minutes from the end of the match (123-105), the Nuggets finally won on the Golden State floor on Thursday (127-130). And in what way, the Serbian pivot scoring the winning shot at the buzzer, in an off-center position and almost from midfield.

Jokic thus concluded an evening where he came very close to a new triple-double (34 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists). With this sixth away success in a row, the Nuggets, third in the Western Conference (25 wins for 11 losses), remain in contact with Minnesota (24 v. – 9 l.) and Oklahoma City (23 v. – 10 d.). Despite an excellent Stephen Curry (30 points), who however lost the ball with a too daring pass on his team’s last possession, Golden State missed an opportunity to return to the top 10 (16 successes for 18 losses). ).

A third quarter like in the days of the Warriors’ splendor

The Warriors, however, seemed to have done everything necessary in the third quarter, as in the days of their splendor, to achieve a benchmark victory of which their season has so few, in this duel between the last two NBA champions. Trailing by seven points at the break (63-70), the Californians scored 44 after returning from the locker room to start the final period well in the lead (107-94). Curry was equal to himself, Klay Thompson regained his efficiency (24 points at 9/18 shooting), Jonathan Kuminga confirmed the benefits of his integration into the starting five (16 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists) and the rookie Brandin Podziemski caught fire (3/3 from 3 points in the third act).

But that was before Golden State, which had already led by 24 points in Sacramento in a November game before losing to the Kings (124-123), fell back into its ways. The money-time looked like a long ordeal, Steve Kerr not finding the solutions to stabilize his team and the Curry-Thompson duo suddenly losing their address (3/11 in the last quarter).

Golden State has already lost more at home this season than in 2022-2023

The Warriors were then stifled by a Denver defense that became intractable again when it felt the end of the match approaching. In the wake of Aaron Gordon, still valuable on both sides of the field (30 points, including 15 in the final period, and 9 rebounds), and sophomore Peyton Watson (19 points, 5 rebounds), the Nuggets inflicted a 13-0 in three minutes to return to five units (123-118, 44th). And as often in recent months, they performed better than their opponents on the final possessions.

Also author of 25 points and 6 assists, Jamal Murray anticipated Curry’s daring pass to make the interception five seconds from the end. A timeout and an improbable action later, Jokic crucified the Warriors as stunned as the Chase Center, where Golden State has lost nine times this season, already one more than in the entire 2022-2023 fiscal year. Above all, the Californians have eight defeats in the last nine confrontations with the Nuggets. A symbol, among many others, that the dynamics of the two franchises have changed in recent years.