Nuggets star Nikola Jokic’s Game 4 night was so rough he thought somebody stole his underwear

The Denver Nuggets are on the brink of elimination against the Minnesota Timberwolves, in part due to an uncharacteristic drop in efficiency and late-game production from Nikola Jokic. Through four games, Jokic is still producing at volume, averaging 25.0 points, 14.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists. However, he has not been as efficient as he can be.

The frustration seemed to have crept post-game as well, as a visibly distraught Serbian claimed post-match after the showers that his underwear had been stolen, per The Athletic.

“Someone stole my underwear,’’ Jokic had announced post-game.

Luckily, Jokic found his piece of clothing pretty soon, and no one had actually stolen the underwear. Regardless, the Timberwolves are up 3-1, only a win away from winning the series, and major credit goes to the way they have defended against Denver. Consistent effort from the likes of Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle have suffocated the Nuggets’ main men, with Jokic shooting just 39% from the field overall.

The Serbian has been held to just 5-27 from the three-point zone while averaging four turnovers per game. Minnesota has gone all stops forward on Jokic and Jamal Murray, and Denver need to find other men who can score if they are to salvage the series. Of course, he also ignited a scuffle after charging towards Jaden McDaniels late-game as he made an uncontested layup instead of running down the clock.

The Timberwolves have deployed Rudy Gobert in extended single coverage while surrounding him with length and numbers, effectively removing Jokic’s comfort zones. His floater game has been disrupted, passing lanes have been crowded, and his ability to dictate tempo has been limited.

Jokic himself described the defensive attention as “big, long, tall, handsy,” claiming that the Timberwolves are not scared to bump into his team’s attackers. And things seem to get worse in clutch situations.

Jokic is shooting just 2-of-16 (12.5%) in fourth quarters, including a 0-of-6 finish in Game 4. As a team, Denver is shooting just 40% from the field and 28.5% from three in the series, and unless something changes quickly, they seem to be headed out.

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