Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets didn’t get a victory on Sunday night but he did earn a place in NBA history.
Jokic went wild while playing against the Phoenix Suns in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals, scoring 53 points, 4 rebounds, and 11 assists.
As pointed out by StatMuse, Jokic is the first center in NBA history with 50 points and 10 assists in a playoff game.
First center in NBA history with a 50p/10a playoff game. pic.twitter.com/soCYbRXytC
— StatMuse (@statmuse) May 8, 2023
As amazing as Jokic’s night was, it still resulted in a defeat.
That should be quite alarming for the Nuggets.
The only other player to score more than 20 points for the Nuggets was Jamal Murray with 28.
The three other starters for the team barely cracked double-digits.
Following the last two games, it is obvious that the Nuggets can not beat the Suns in this series if only Jokic is playing well.
He can score 50 points or more but if the rest of the team isn’t backing him up, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and their Suns are going to outplay them.
In other words, Jokic needs reinforcements.
Sunday night’s loss was a sad reminder of how the Nuggets looked for the last few years.
Jokic was always incredible but the rest of the team didn’t give him the support that he needed and they were never able to make it far in the playoffs because of that.
He is now playing with the strongest supporting cast he has ever had.
But they didn’t do what they needed to on Sunday night.
The Nuggets are returning to Denver for the next game and Jokic will surely show up and play hard.
But will the rest of his team do the same?
NEXT: Kevin Durant Has 3 Words To Describe Nikola Jokic After Game 4