Jokic Says Booing Fans Are 'Not Welcome' After Nuggets Rally From 23 Down

Nikola Jokic Rebukes Booing Nuggets Fans After a 23-Point Comeback

Denver trailed New Orleans 53-30 in the second quarter of its home opener and drew boos, then won 141-135 in overtime on Saturday night, ESPN reported. Nikola Jokic finished with 35 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists, scoring eight of his points in overtime.

they are not welcome anymore

Jokic said the team has come back from worse and could not fully explain the slow start, calling it bad energy that took a few minutes to pass. Jamal Murray added 42 points, and the Nuggets played without Cam Johnson (ankle) and Alpha Diallo (sprained wrist). The Pelicans shot 65.9% in the first half and led 73-57 at the break.

Our Read: Is the Nuggets' Slow Start a Habit or Bad Luck?

The comeback is a good story, and it hides some questions. This is our reading of the facts above.

• Shooting luck probably explains part of the hole. New Orleans made 65.9% in the first half, a pace almost no team holds. Some of the 23-point deficit was likely variance and not a defensive collapse.
• Depth is the open question. With Johnson and Diallo out, and two more players still unavailable per ESPN, Denver leaned on Jokic and Murray for 22 of its 32 third-quarter points. That is a lot to ask over 82 games.
• The booing says more about expectations than the team. A fan base used to deep playoff runs reacted to one bad half. Jokic's response may be about protecting the room, not a real rift, but we cannot know.
• New Orleans has its own problem. A 23-point lead lost, at 0-3 under a first-year coach, is the kind of result that can sit on a young team. The evidence on that is thin after three games.

What to Watch for the Nuggets This Week

• Whether Johnson and Diallo return soon, and how Denver's rotation changes if not.
• How many minutes Jokic and Murray play, after an overtime night.
• Whether the Nuggets start faster against Golden State on Monday night.
• Any follow-up from Jokic or the team about the home crowd.

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