of boston celtics And the Denver Nuggets previewed a potential 2024 NBA Finals in Boston on Friday night. The Celtics were 20-0 and on track to remain undefeated at home. The defending champion Nuggets came out to prove they can still win in the NBA, even though they don't have a top-five record in the league. The match was great from the start, with some crunch time sequences that we haven't seen before.
The Nuggets defeated the Celtics 102-100, handing Boston their first home loss of the season. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray had an incredible performance for the defending champions, scoring 69 points on 29-of-43 shooting from the floor, but Jokic's high-IQ play showed signs of improvement the day after the game. Even so, it has become a hot topic among fans.
Denver's Aaron Gordon was attempting the second of two free throws with 17 seconds left and Denver leading by two points. As Gordon was going through his shooting motion, Jokic appeared to be forcing both Celtics players on the block into the paint before Gordon released the ball. This is just one example of Jokic's historically great basketball IQ. Watch the play here:
Let's look at it from another angle. Jokic's reaction is priceless.
The judges did not rule this as a lane violation in any way. Instead, a jump ball was called because Jokic's toe also crossed the line.
The lane violation rule states: If an opponent commits a lane violation on a free throw attempt, the shot will count if the player succeeds, but it will be replayed if the player misses. If both teammate and opponent cross the line at the same time, the shot does not count and a jump ball is called. That was the referee's decision.
Kristaps Porzynis beat Jokic on the ensuing jump ball, giving the Celtics possession. Unfortunately for Boston, Jayson Tatum missed a fadeaway at the buzzer.the Nuggets won.
Nikola Jokic is simply the most brilliant basketball player in the world, hahahaha. He had just committed a lane violation on a Celtics pair when the Nuggets missed a free throw in crunch time, but officials said he was also at fault and was given a jump ball. (I think he was okay.)
— Cody Westerlund (@CodyWesterlund) January 20, 2024
I'm not going to lie.Doing a pump fake for a lane violation is a genius-level move from Nikola Jokic, and I don't think I've ever seen anyone pull it off.
— Esfandyar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) January 20, 2024
Yes, it was an OD lane violation.Jokic made a great catch on Brown and Porzingis.
— Kazeem Famuideh (@Kazeem) January 20, 2024
It's really amazing how Jokic's head fakes two opponents into (should have been) lane violations Jokic
— Ben Dowsett (@Ben_Dowsett) January 20, 2024
It was an incredibly obvious lane violation for the Celtics. what are we doing here?lol
— Kevin (Jokic is the only one who can save us now) (@_Kevlar23_) January 20, 2024
Denver media has previously reported the following:
Nikola Jokic does it all the time, inviting opponents into lane violations. Umpires always miss it.
— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) January 20, 2024
By the way, Jokic Has the highest career PER in NBA history, passing Michael Jordan. When we beat Boston. not bad!
Jokic may not have been rewarded for his high IQ, but a win would be even sweeter. If we're lucky, we'll see a Nuggets vs. Celtics series in June.
