Paul Pierce takes aim at Nikola Jokic after the Denver Nuggets lose in the first round.
The Denver Nuggets saw their season come to an end in the first round of the NBA playoffs, losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in six games.
The Nuggets entered the season with high expectations after pushing the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games in the second round, acquiring Cameron Johnson, and replinishing their bench.
The team won 54 games, four more than the previous season, and finished third in the Western Conference.
The Timberwolves presented a tough matchup on paper, but injuries to Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo in game four seemingly gave a leg up to the Nuggets.
Despite the advantages, the Timberwolves managed to win game four and then win game six without Edwards, DiVincenzo, and Ayo Dosunmu to close out Denver.
Paul Pierce Takes Aim At Nikola Jokic
Whenever a team has a disappointing playoff series and loses quicker than they are expected to, much of the blame falls on the shoulders of the superstar.
For the Nuggets, that superstar is three-time MVP Nikola Jokic.
On the No Fouls Given podcast, Paul Pierce went at Jokic for his play in the first round.
“We’re not going to sugar coat this one. Because if this was LeBron at the peak of his powers losing like this because this is what we say. We say today that Joker is the best player in the game. Right? He might not win MVP, but he’s the best player. We’ve said this for the last three or four years, right? Let this had have been LeBron at the peak of his powers. What we would have been saying? What we would have been saying about him. LIKE HE’S IN HIS PRIME. If you’re the best player in the league, you’re not supposed to lose in the first round," stated Pierce.
Jokic's Disappointing First Round
Against the Timberwolves, Jokic has his lowest scoring output in the playoffs since 2019-2020. His shooting percentage was at 44%, the lowest of his playoff career, and he shot just 19% from three, the lowest of his playoff career, on six attempts, the highest of his playoff career.
His effective field goal percentage was 47%, the first time he was under 53% in his playoff career.
Jokic may not have had the most disappointing series among Denver players, but being heralded as the best player in the world and failing to defeat a shorthanded Minnesota squad is going to bring about criticism, even from Hall of Fame players.