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Nuggets Fans Debate Who to Blame After Second Straight Fourth Quarter Gag

The defeat leaves Denver on the brink of playoffs elimination.
May 14, 2025
Image: Jamal Murray during a playoff game
Jamal Murray had reasons to celebrate during game 5 versus the Oklahoma City on May 13 — but not in the fourth quarter. TNT/Photo by Michael Roberts
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Why was the Denver Nuggets' 112-105 loss in game five of their playoffs series versus the Oklahoma City Thunder on May 13 even more infuriating than a similar defeat in the teams' fourth matchup?

For one reason, the Nuggets clearly learned nothing from their previous fail: In both contests, they entered the a fourth quarter with a healthy lead only to display the toughness and resolve of an overgrown grass patch being pulverized by a mulching mower.

Last time around, though, Denver had folded in large part because its starters — particularly consensus best-player-of-the-planet Nikola Jokić — seemed utterly exhausted after requiring overtime to best OKC just 36 hours earlier. On Tuesday night, in contrast, the Nugs seemed to have loads of energy. Unfortunately, they also boasted an excess of stupidity, as evidenced by the way they thoughtlessly succumbed to their worst instincts.

Afterward, the putrid results left infuriated citizens of Nuggets Nation wondering who deserved the biggest slice of blame. But while there were plenty of candidates, one name stood above the rest.

Ugly play wasn't isolated to the final period. In the first stanza, the Nuggets immediately launched into the same moronic strategy that has gotten them into trouble throughout round two — reacting to the Thunder's gang-mauling of Jokić down low by repeatedly settling for three-pointers none of the supporting crew has been able to hit with consistency. The likes of Michael Porter Jr., and Jamal Murray missed six consecutive triples at the outset, air balls definitely included, en route to a speedy 12-2 deficit.

Current head coach David Adelman — who took over from his sacked predecessor, Michael Malone, in the waning days of the regular campaign — belatedly called a time out, and when the Nugs returned to the court, they actually reversed course, forging inside and battling for position in the painted area. This approach is far more fatiguing, but it forces the action on the Thunder rather than the other way around — and it worked. Denver managed to erase the gap and actually put a little distance between OKC. Moreover, these efforts led to better, more open three-point opportunities that Jokić finally began hitting. Of course, the Nuggets gave away nearly as many buckets as they filled due in part to either sloppiness or too-cute passing that added up to fifteen turnovers by the night's conclusion. But they eked out a 56-54 halftime advantage and built the bump to eight points, 86-78, after the third thanks to a Murray flurry that contributed to his 28 points overall.

As for Jokić, he returned to form following several subpar efforts. His closing stat line of 44 points, fifteen rebounds, five assists and two steals served as a reminder of his immense value despite the fact that the Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who cashed in 31 points of his own, is probably going to swipe this season's MVP award from him in a matter of days.

SGA wasn't solely responsible for his unit's comeback in the last frame. With a little over eight minutes left, Lu Dort swished three consecutive shots from beyond the arc, bringing the Thunder to within two points of Denver — and panic ensued. Instead of driving to the basket and forcing the Thunder to foul, a suddenly ice-cold Murray and the rest of the Nugs started heaving up threes and lengthy twos, most of which resolutely remained off-target.

This was an invitation from the Oklahoma City defense that Denver idiotically accepted. Indeed, the very players OKC wanted to fire blanks did so — not just Porter, who was an absolute waste of space throughout the evening (he finished with a grand total of two points), but also supposed spark plug Russell Westbrook (only four points). Neither of them could have found the rim with a metal detector, and their appalling performances effectively sealed Denver's doom.

At any point during the fourth, Adelman could have ordered his charges to stop launching threes and get back to the approach that had worked in the first and all night long. But instead, he stood passively on the sidelines, allowing the Nugs to piss away another victory. The odds of him changing his interim-head-coach label to something more permanent shrank accordingly, and appropriately.

In the wake of the collapse, which put Denver in a 3-2 hole and transformed their return to the Mile High City on Thursday into a win-or-stay-home scenario, Nuggets loyalists on X pummeled Adelman. But as demonstrated by the twenty memorable takes below, he wasn't the only one.

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Image: Michael Roberts
Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.
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