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[Saba Sports News] Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic is facing growing criticism after another inefficient shooting night in Sunday’s Game 4 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Jokic shot just 7-of-22 from the field in Denver’s 92-87 defeat at Ball Arena, marking a 31.8% clip — his third consecutive game in the series shooting below 40%.
The last time Jokic endured such a stretch was in November 2018, when he posted a three-game slump with similar inefficiency.
Remarkably, Jokic had just one sub-40% shooting performance during the entire regular season, but he’s now hit that mark three times already in the playoffs.
Beyond his shooting woes, Jokic’s overall production has dipped against the Thunder. He is a mere 4-of-22 from beyond the arc in the series, his assists are down to five per game, and his turnovers have jumped to over twice his season average of 2.3 per game.
While he did finish with 27 points on Sunday — thanks in large part to an 11-of-14 performance from the free throw line — and added 13 rebounds and four steals with only two turnovers, his struggles from the floor remain a concern.
The Nuggets have managed to keep the series tied at 2-2 despite Jokic’s struggles, but his subpar form is weakening the case for his postseason dominance. Credit goes to Oklahoma City’s defense, though Denver may feel Jokic isn’t getting enough calls. Either way, unless he finds his rhythm soon, the Nuggets could be headed for an early exit.