It happened again. A game in which the Nuggets were within five points within the last five minutes of the fourth quarter slipped away. Another clutch loss. A pattern that's been happening more frequently lately. It was ugly. And right after a historic win, too. Which makes it feel even worse.
One game ago, the Nuggets scored a season and league-high 157 points and recorded the largest margin of victory in team history. It was a 157-103 blowout win on the road over the Blazers.
But the Nuggets blew another game in which they led in the fourth quarter, by as many as 5 with 7 minutes to go. A game they eventually coughed up to the Warriors, a 128-117 stinger.
The Nuggets led the game, played great, and got run over in the final five minutes by a depleted team of nine who didn't start stars Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, Kristaps Porzingis, or Draymond Green.
The Warriors looked like they had an extra step against a Denver team that found themselves standing flat-footed in the fourth quarter, outscoring Denver 24-8 to close out the game. The Warriors were knocking down all of their shots, and even Doris Burke commented on the broadcast that the Nuggets looked "stunned" during the final stretch.
The Nuggets stood around watching. Jokic committed another key turnover in the clutch, and the Warriors ran away with it.
What makes this loss sting so much for Nuggets fans
Not even 48 hours earlier, the Nuggets played the best game they've played all year. Fans were riding a high. The Nuggets had just put up a huge number, on the road, one night after another gut-wrenching loss. It was a great statement.
And then we get presented with another in-your-face clutch loss, on national television, no less! It was ugly over those final five minutes.
The blowout win inspired so much hope, and this gut-punch loss reminds us all that it was just two games ago against the Clippers that the Nuggets saw another close one slip away, a 115-114 loss, on the heels of a 119-117 loss to the Cavs.
The Nuggets aren't getting blown out, but the close heartbreakers are starting to add up. Even Nikola Jokic's acknowledging something has to change.
"I'm definitely concerned, because we are losing the games. We are losing the games, and we are not creating open looks. So that's something that we need to change. ... I don't know what it is, but we need to figure it out," Jokic said after the game.
Fans certainly hope so, Joker. We're a little worried about this pattern, too. Just two seasons ago, the Nuggets were 26-14 in clutch games. It's no wonder the current 14-15 feels so mediocre.