Mateo’s Hoop Diary: The Nuggets got humbled on tour and are close to flatlining

The Nuggets’ road trip to Minnesota was a failure, and they fell 3-1, on the verge of an early vacation, at the fangs of the Timberwolves. Keep in mind that Donte DiVicenzo tore his Achilles tendon a few minutes into the game, and Anthony Edwards couldn’t proceed in the second half after grotesquely hyperextending his left knee.

The Nuggets had Aaron Gordon, who missed Game 3, back wounded with a calf injury. He played 23 minutes and it was 23 minutes too long because he rarely showed any burst to pressure the ball or had lift on his legs to attack. 

Ayo Dosunmu gutted the Nuggets with 43 bench points on 76.5 percent shooting and was the main story of the game, and Rudy Gobert did another fine job of slowing down Nikola Jokić.

Yet, late-game foolishness is partially overshadowing the outcome: Jokić didn’t like that their gracious hosts were going to run up the score, so he charged at Jaden McDaniels by the sideline, getting in his personal space and forcing him to put his hands up to shove. Naturally, the Timberwolves’ bench being steps away was not pleased, coming forward, which is a violation that causes a suspension. Yet the NBA has not always enforced it.

Complaining about the score is soft, especially when the king of drop coverage hurts his team, being such a poor and unwilling pick-and-roll defender. Keep in mind that he’s also been way below standards on offense, too, making only 39.1 percent of attempts, being uncareful and not the same volume of playmaker, in part because of how hounding the Wolves have been on his teammates.

It’s unclear how the new head of NBA discipline James Jones will rule, but he should suspend Jokić. If someone did what he did to another on the sidewalk or in another public place in front of law-enforcement, good chance they’re getting booked with battery.  Athletes shouldn’t get away with doing things normal people can’t for the sake of entertainment or somehow them being special. 

One could even interpret the situation as him trying to be a martyr by causing a reaction from Minnesota’s bench. Still, the potential for making things worse in that regard should be weighted against him in the verdict. 

Jokić’s behavior was unbecoming of a champion, especially one of his status. 

Coach David Adelman thinks “it’s hilarious that the narrative is offense doesn’t matter. If you shoot 24 percent in the second half, it’s hard to win.” Of course it matters, but he should more worried about how his team knew they couldn’t hang with the Wolves.