The Denver Nuggets suffered a 124-103 defeat to the Houston Rockets in their bid to clinch the top spot in the Western Conference on Tuesday. The two-time MVP Nikola Jokic returned to the court after missing three games with a calf injury but looked like a shadow of himself, with the rest of the team following suit. Head coach Michael Malone was furious with his team’s performance and called them out on their softness after the game.
Malone: If that's the way we're going to play, we'll be out in the first round.
— Mike Singer (@msinger) April 5, 2023
The loss was not catastrophic given the circumstances as it was the Rockets’ last home game of the season, and they are currently at the top of the draft lottery. However, Malone was disappointed with the Nuggets’ effort, and their lack of physicality was embarrassing, as they were out-hustled by the smaller Rockets team.
Jamal Murray left the game early with a right thumb sprain that has bothered him for a few weeks. Without the point guard, the Nuggets struggled to handle the ball and turned it over 20 times, with Jokic committing eight of those turnovers. The team’s PG duties were taken over by Reggie Jackson and Bruce Brown, but they struggled.
Despite Peyton Watson having some good moments and Michael Porter Jr. hitting six threes, the team’s performance was unacceptable, and Malone took responsibility for the loss, saying it was not him against his players, but a collective unit that did a poor job.
The Nuggets still have a chance to clinch the top spot in the conference, with their magic number still at one, but they need to win their remaining games and have the Grizzlies lose all their games to switch places. The team has been on autopilot for a month, and the loss likely won’t mean much, as long as Murray is healthy.
In conclusion, the Nuggets suffered a bad night, but they still have a chance to clinch the top spot in the conference. Malone called his team out on their softness, and the Nuggets need to step up their physicality in their remaining games to secure their position in the playoffs.
Nikola Jokic Struggles and Embiid’s Dominance for the NBA MVP Race
Nikola Jokic, a top contender for the NBA MVP award, had a disastrous game against the Houston Rockets. Despite scoring 14 points on 7-for-13 shooting, he turned the ball over eight times and led his team to a loss against the worst team in the Western Conference. Joel Embiid, another MVP favorite, had a historic performance for the Philadelphia 76ers, scoring 52 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, and two blocks against the Boston Celtics. Many basketball fans believe that Embiid has now become the favorite for the award, especially since Jokic’s defense leaves much to be desired.
Although Jokic has been impressive offensively, his team’s lack of success in recent years, coupled with his poor defensive skills, may cost him the award. Some fans even believe that him winning the MVP award would be a crime. Despite having impressive advanced stats, Jokic’s performance against the Rockets was considered awful, and it may have hurt his chances of winning the award.
On the other hand, Embiid has been on fire since the All-Star break, averaging 32.7 points on 55.5% shooting, which has significantly boosted his MVP chances. With only three games left in the regular season, it remains to be seen if Jokic can bounce back and solidify his MVP case or if Embiid will continue to dominate and take the award home.
