NBA – Nuggets star beats himself up after Game 5 loss: “I haven’t been contributing in any way”

Par Joël Pütz | Journaliste sportif

Denver missed a golden opportunity to take the lead in its series against Oklahoma City, due to a completely botched end to Game 5. One team member indulged in some scathing self-criticism after the game.

If the Nuggets want to turn things around, it’s now or never. Trailing 3-2 by the Thunder, Nikola Jokic and his teammates must win the final two games of their series to hope to advance to the conference finals. If they were to lose tonight in Game 6, it would be all over for the 2023 NBA champions…

Under such conditions, Denver may have serious regrets about Game 5. Despite being in the game for a long time, the Nuggets completely collapsed in the final quarter, thus blowing a potentially fatal opportunity for their title ambitions. And as so often these days, Michael Porter Jr. was among those who faitled to step up when it was needed…

Michael Porter Jr. very critical of himself after the defeat

Having been inconsistent since the start of the season and generally struggling in this series against Oklahoma City, the forward is lacking in accuracy at the worst of times. He remains on a pitiful 2/14 shooting in the last two games… Hitting rock bottom in Game 5 (2 points at 1/7), MPJ also criticized himself to the Denver Post afterward:

We’ve played well enough to win the last two games. A lot of the reason we lost is because I’m not helping contribute. And that’s tough. That’s really tough. I’m looking at myself individually and how I can try to help the team win, because I haven’t been doing that. I haven’t been contributing in any way right now.

While it is true that es is being tormented by a sprained shoulder, which is particularly annoying for a shooter like him, the former Missouri alumni can nevertheless count on the support of his teammates as they are on the verge of elimination:

Nikola Jokic : Nobody wants to miss shots, of course, and he’s probably one of the best shooters in the league. When he cannot make shots, he is definitely frustrated with himself. But he’s open. He needs to take it. We want him to take a shot. Keep shooting.

Aaron Gordon : He has all my respect. I know the AC joint. It’s not fun. Not fun. So I respect him. The dude’s a warrior. Tough as hell, and we love him for it.