Serbian basketball player and Denver center Nikola Jokić said today after the loss to Oklahoma that his decline in form has several causes, but also that he must give more if his team wants to make it to the conference finals.
"They play really good defense on me, they're very physical, they're constantly getting into my body. I think I missed two or three wide open shots, so there's a lot of it. They're gathering the puck, they've got an extra player behind my guard... I have to play better, of course, but that's part of the game," Jokić said, as reported by ESPN.
Oklahoma defeated Denver 92:87 on the road on Sunday night, tying the series at 2:2 in the Western Conference playoff semifinals.
In the fourth quarter, Jokić shot 2/7 from the field and 1/4 from the penalty line, as Denver blew an eight-point lead.
On the other hand, Oklahoma basketball player Shay Gilges-Alexander scored three key baskets in the final five minutes of the match, finishing the game with 25 points and 8/19 shooting from the field.
"I've always thought that those are the moments when a player justifies his value on the field. You make your money when you close games, when you bring victory, that's the essence of it all. As the season progresses, the rivals become stronger, the matches become more and more uncertain, and that's when you have to rise above everyone," Gilges-Alexander said.
Denver coach David Adelman pointed out that both teams appeared exhausted after overtime in Game 3, which was played on Friday night.
"I think both teams were extremely tired after an incredibly physically demanding overtime match late Friday night. If fatigue affected us, it certainly affected them. Both teams played with heavy legs," Adelman said.
The series is played to four wins, and the next match is on the night between Tuesday and Wednesday and is hosted by Oklahoma.
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