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Skip Bayless has a reputation for sharing inflammatory opinions regarding the sports world, most notably basketball. On June 4, the Fox Sports anchor was at it again, as he questioned Nikola Jokic's shot-making during Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
"I have never ever seen a man luck in as many shots as Joker did tonight," Bayless tweeted. "We used to call them 'greasing' in shots. Tonight Joker was one big tub of Crisco."
As you would expect, Bayless' comment wasn't very well received. However, it was a reply from legendary head coach George Karl that really made an impact.
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Bayless' comments came after Nikola Jokic had scored 41 points for the Denver Nuggets, hitting 16 of his 28 shot attempts. Unfortunately for both Jokic and his teammates, his scoring exploits weren't enough to help the Nuggets extend their lead over the Miami Heat.
Instead, Jimmy Butler and Co. recovered from their Game 1 loss to even up the series at one win each, marking the first home loss for the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 playoffs. One of the biggest reasons why the Heat were able to secure such a victory is because they improved the amount of free-throw attempts they got as a team, taking 20 and making 18.
Still, despite the Denver Nuggets' loss, Nikola Jokic impressed with 41 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. However, he did struggle when taking care of the ball, registering a game-high five turnovers.
Mike Malone wants Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets to win one on the road
Following the Denver Nuggets' loss in Game 2, they will need to win one of their next two games to keep pace with the Miami Heat. The problem is both of those contests will take place at the Kaseya Center in Miami.
According to Nuggets coach Mike Malone, his team will need to find a way to win one of their upcoming two roads games to avoid being in a 3-1 deficit once they return to Denver for Game 5.
"Our objective now is to find a way to go down to Miami Wednesday night and steal one back to regain homecourt advantage in these NBA Finals," Malone said. "Which is what we're gonna do because we're going to play harder than them and be more disciplined than them."
The Denver Nuggets will feel confident in their ability to win one of their next two games after watching the Miami Heat lose three straight to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals. However, there's no denying that the Kasyea Center is a difficult place for opposing teams to come and play.
As such, Nikola Jokic and his Nuggets teammates will need to up their effort and intensity if they want to avoid falling too far behind the Heat. After all, Miami has NBA Finals experience and understands how to cope with the pressures that come with playing on the biggest stage. Unfortunately, the Denver Nuggets are still learning that lesson on the fly.
