“I like that we didn’t relax”

After the Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat (108-95) on Friday night, Nikola Jokic praised his team’s mentality.

After losing Game 2 of the NBA Finals to the Miami Heat, many believed that both teams would split their next game at Miami’s Cassia Arena. However, the Nuggets raised the bar and won both road races, putting them in position to lead the series with a 3-1 record.

“It’s still one win,” said Jokic. “We need to win again. I liked that we didn’t relax. We didn’t feel comfortable. We were still desperate. We still wanted to. It makes me happy, because the guys didn’t relax.”

Now, with the series back in Denver for Game 5, Michael Malone’s team will have the opportunity to seal things up and raise the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy in front of their home crowd. Given that the Nuggets have never been crowned NBA champions, Nikola Jokic and his teammates will likely use this opportunity as additional motivation.

However, the Miami Heat has proven its ability to win games with its backs against the wall during the playoffs, and it should not be overlooked when the two teams face off on Monday, June 12, in the ballpark.

Nikola Jokic praises Aaron Gordon’s performance.

There’s no denying that Aaron Gordon is starting to find his feet inside the Denver Nuggets’ rotation. There’s also no denying that Gordon has emerged as a staple in his team’s rotation throughout the postseason. However, on June 9, Gordon again demonstrated his two-way ability, finishing the contest with 27 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists on 73.3% shooting from the field and 75% shooting from depth.

During his post-game press conference, Jokic discussed Gordon’s performance in Game 4, and complimented him on his current level of play.

“He plays a different role,” said Jokic. “And that’s why he sacrificed himself. That’s why he’s such a great teammate. That’s why he won the game for us today. I think if you sacrifice yourself for something bigger than you or the team or whatever. He sacrificed himself, and I think that’s why Upstairs gave him the game he had today.”

Follow Gokic.

“He was our best player on the ground. And guarding our best player every night – that’s another tough job. And you probably won’t get enough credit. But we know what he does for our team. We’re really thankful to him and I appreciate him a lot.”

Gordon has made 18 playoff appearances for the Denver Nuggets this season, averaging 13 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 55.2% from field and 37.5% from depth.

A third option on the Nuggets roster, Gordon became a primary contributor to his team’s offensive and defensive schemes and is now seen as a third of Denver’s top three players. Now, the Nuggets are hoping they can repeat their performance from Games Three and Four to wrap up the NBA Finals series against Miami to earn their first championship.