Denver Nuggets: 3 takeaways from the Game 6 loss vs. Spurs

1. Jokic needs more help

Nikola Jokic did everything in this game. He was an efficient shooter. He distributed the ball well. Hell, he even had three steals when it was all said and done. Unfortunately, his 43-point game went to waste due to the struggles of the players around him. One incredible stat is that he had nine assists despite the team shooting just 25 percent from 3-point range. If they’re hitting just a few more of those, this is a completely different game.

Craig is not an elite scorer, and that switch isn’t going to flip in one game. If the bench struggles again as it did in this game, the starters need to step up. Outside of Craig and Jamal Murray, the Nugget’s starters shot over 50 percent from the floor with at least eight attempts apiece. They were hitting their shots, but they weren’t being aggressive enough to get those shots. That needs to change.

Jokic is an offensive wizard, and he presents a mismatch for whoever is guarding him. His height allows him to always get his shot off, and he has the size to bang with smaller defenders. He’s going to get his. The team is going to get what it always gets from him, but the supporting cast needs to chip in and help him get to the next round.