The Denver Nuggets are one win away from their first NBA Championship after beating the Miami Heat 95-108 in Game 4 to take a 3-1 lead in the series.
Yet Nuggets star Nikola Jokic has admitted to wanting to punch teammate Bruce Brown for one of his three-point shots during their latest outing. Brown ultimately made the shot, avoiding a dig from the two-time NBA MVP and helping his team to a big win.
"When he took a step-back 3 I wanted to punch him, but when he made it I was so happy," Jokic joked after the game. A punch for missing one three wouldn't have been fair in the grand scheme of things, with Brown putting up a solid 21 points from the bench in an impressive display. Nine of those points came from three-pointers as well.
Jokic also turned in another impressive display, continuing his unforgettable postseason run. The Serbian star scored 23 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists in 37 minutes of action. He also broke another NBA record, becoming the first player in NBA history to record over 500 points, 250 rebounds, and 150 assists in a single postseason.
“It's still one win,” Jokic told reporters after Game 4, with a potential NBA Championship-winning Game 5 set for Monday. “We need to win one more. “I like that we didn't relax. We didn't get comfortable. We were still desperate. We still want it. That's what makes me happy, that guys didn't relax.”
The Heat dressing room was irritated following the conclusion of Game 4. "It's disrespectful for people to say that because you can't just trick your way into the Finals. It takes talent," team leader Udonis Haslem told Bleacher Report when asked if there was a talent gap between the two teams.
"I don't know what the f*** they're talking about with that s***. Yes, we have some undrafted players, but they're also talented players and we've made it this far. We just have to limit our mistakes.
"They got 20 points off our f***ing [14] turnovers. That s*** can't happen. But I believe in this team just like I did on those teams when we had D-Wade and LeBron [James]. I have no doubt we'll respond accordingly."
Kyle Lowry echoed Haslem's comments, insisting Eastern Conference eighth-seed Miami are in the Finals for a reason. "People are always going to run their mouths. It's like a--holes, everybody's got one," Lowry fumed.
"We've been in this situation the entire playoffs where people have counted us out and said we're an undrafted team, but we are in the NBA Finals for a damn reason. I don't think we listen to the noise because, at the end of the day, a team is 15 deep."
Lowry added: "I think in our offense, we create shots for each other. I think the Nuggets have a great defensive scheme, but I think we just missed some shots. We're getting to our spots. Tonight was turnovers. That doesn't help at all."
