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Nikola Jokic did not look like the league MVP in the Denver Nuggets' disappointing Game 4 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday. The 26-year-old is well aware of his shortcomings and has pledged to make the necessary adjustments heading into Game 5.
Jokic acknowledged that he stepped away from his game against the Blazers in Game 4. This is exactly why he intends to bring back his MVP form come Wednesday:
“I’m going to play how I always play,” Jokic said, via Geoffrey C. Arnold of Oregon Live. “I’m not going to force it. I’m not going to do anything stupid. I’m just going to play the game like I’m playing for the final games.”
Jokic has had a tremendous campaign with the Nuggets, and this has allowed him to emerge as the frontrunner for this season's MVP title. There are a couple of guys out there that have staked their claim, but in the end, the general belief is that Jokic is still going to come away with the MVP trophy.
The Nuggets will need their superstar big man to be at his very best for Game 5. Following Portland's convincing 115-95 Game 4 win, the series is now tied at two games apiece. Whoever escapes with a victory in Gam5 will have a significant advantage in the series.
For his part, however, Jokic also appreciates the threat posted by Damian Lillard and his Blazers. The Nuggets are clearly not taking anything for granted:
“They’re a really dangerous team,” Jokic said. “We cannot be satisfied. We cannot play easy. We cannot relax.”
The series swings back to Denver for Game 5 on Wednesday and home-court advantage could prove to be a key factor for the Nuggets. However, it goes without saying that Nikola Jokic will need to be in MVP form as he hopes to carry his squad to a crucial victory.
