For the past three years, the Nuggets have been better in the clutch than Mr. Goodwrench.
This season, they have struggled to finish. Leave it to Nikola Jokic to change the narrative as he alters our imagination on what is possible on a basketball court.
There’s something sad about how we take Jokic for granted. But his performance achieved such a zenith of brilliance on Christmas, it was impossible to ignore: 56 points, 16 points, 15 assists.
It was not the what, but the when that mattered so much in the victory over the rival Timberwolves.
Jokic set an NBA record with 18 overtime points Thursday, breaking Steph Curry’s record set in 2016.
Borrowing from Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, did the Nuggets become clutch (again)?
This gene remains a must when pursuing a championship. And they have had it in five of the past six seasons. They were Nix — he has 10 game-winning drives this season — before he joined our local mix.
The NBA defines clutch time as any scenario in which two teams are separated by five or fewer points in the last five minutes of a game (regulation or overtime). Denver ranks 24th in this category with a 5-7 record this season.
It belies Jokic’s brilliance and Jamal Murray’s calmness. The No.1 problem is that the two-man game has not been working. This has always been a Nuggets’ constant, like Arnold saying, “What you talkin’ about, Willis?” in “Diff’rent Strokes.” You expect to see it in every episode, every game.
But as teams hedge out on Murray and double team Jokic, the spacing has changed. And, if we are being honest, both, despite all-star seasons, have missed some bunnies.
For the Nuggets to reach their goal — it is NBA championship or bust — they must excel late. It is in their DNA because of Jokic. And they need to make a minor trade to compensate for injuries.
But while everyone wants the Nuggets to get healthy — starters Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun should return soon, though Cam Johnson is out for at least a month — the more salient Christmas wish is for them to stop grinding their gears in the clutch.
Don’t waste Nate: The Nuggets face an obvious obstacle in their pursuit of a title in Oklahoma City. The Avs? Not so much. Their issue remains between their ears until they exorcise their demons in the postseason, preferably against the Dallas Stars in the second round. Let’s say it now, before the Olympics make us lose perspective: Nathan MacKinnon’s season will be wasted without it finishing with the Stanley Cup raised above his head. He became the first NHL player to reach 60 points this season, and tied the Avs’ record for doing it in 35 games.
Netflix in flux: After a positive debut with NFL games last season, Netflix tried to reinvent the wheel and was run over with criticism Thursday. From in-game interviews of former legends to poor audio and oddly matched announcing crews, the product suffered. Netflix has not upset this many people since they made it harder to share passwords. Do better.
Tua tanks: Tua Tagovailoa has fallen from grace with a thud. After his benching, there is speculation the Dolphins will follow Denver’s path and cut the quarterback, owing him $99.2 million, eclipsing Wilson’s record of $85 million in dead money. Here’s the problem: When Sean Payton moved on from Wilson, he had a clear vision for the position, and a plan moving forward. The Dolphins need a general manager, and could hire a new coach. As years pass, the way the Broncos transitioned after Wilson cratered their cap will be viewed as an anomaly. Trust me.
Fanfare Spurs: Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, the kryptonite to the Thunder, revealed a new postgame fan celebration this week. He worked it out in conjunction with the Spurs Jackals. The issue? They started practicing in November and basically stole the Vikings’ Skol chant. Give Wembanyama an A for enthusiasm, but an F for creativity.
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