Denver Nuggets absolutely stun Golden State Warriors as Nikola Jokic banks in 39-foot three-pointer at the buzzer
By Brad Botkin
(CBS SPORTS) - The Denver Nuggets just pulled off one of the wildest victories of the season, capping a 25-4 run over the game's final six-plus minutes with a 39-foot, banked-in buzzer-beater from Nikola Jokic to stun the host Golden State Warriors, 130-127, on Thursday.
Seriously, look at this shot:
HE IS HIM. GAME WINNER. pic.twitter.com/YeuYZVTMRv
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 5, 2024
Stan Van Gundy took the words out of everyone's mouth: "Are you kidding me?" A seven footer pulling up off the dribble from outside the logo at the buzzer? Bank or no bank, Jokic is something else. I mean, the dude has missed only five shots over his last four games. And, yes, you read that right. After going 13 for 16 for 34 points on Thursday, Jokic has now made 39 of his last 44 shots.
Malone said everyone on the Nuggets bench thought Jokic’s shot was good as soon as he released it. Said he wishes he could say that’s the exact play he drew up.
— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) January 5, 2024
“Nikola lives for those moments. And it’s great and joyful a player of his talent … make the plays that he makes.”
So this is great for the Nuggets, who are kind of coasting along waiting for the postseason, if we're being honest. But on the other side of a victory like this there is always a team bleeding out, and for the Warriors, this is without question the toughest loss in a season that has been filled with close-but-no-cigar losses.
So far Golden State has played in a league-high 27 clutch games, which are defined as games being within five points with five minutes or fewer to play. They are 13-14 in those games. Treading water.
This is the kind of loss that can put you under.
"These games all come down to the wire it feels like for us this year," Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said. "These are gut punches, for sure."
With the loss, the Warriors, for the time being, fall out of the play-in at 16-18, a half game back of the also-reeling Lakers for the No. 10 seed. The Warriors are not even close to as good as the Nuggets, but on any given night, they can still play with anyone in the league. They just don't have any margin for error anymore. They can't turn the ball over, particularly at the wrong time. They can't go cold when it's time to close.
They did both on Thursday. Stephen Curry missed all five of his shots over the final six minutes and threw away the pass that gave the Nuggets their final, game-winning possession. Chris Paul, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins all missed crucial jumpers. And on the other end, the Warriors couldn't get stops.