Steve Kerr, Warriors sound off on Denver Nuggets' star Nikola Jokic's game-winner
By Sam LaFrance
Nikola Jokic sank one of the most improbable shots of his career on Thursday night to help the Denver Nuggets cap off their fourth-quarter comeback over the Golden State Warriors. The big man caught an inbounds pass with 3.6 seconds to play, dribbled over halfcourt and threw up a long three over Kevon Looney.
The shot banked off the glass and found the bottom of the net and the Nuggets found themselves with a 130-127 victory over the Warriors.
Following his team's tough loss, Steve Kerr discussed what was going through his mind when he saw Jokic fire up the attempt.
"It didn't look like it was going it," Kerr told reporters (h/t KNBR). "When it left his hand it looked long but obviously it banked in. But, if anybody's going to make it it's him. He's a great great player."
Rookie guard Brandon Podziemski could only think of Jokic's playoff slayings of the Los Angeles Lakers.
"Honestly all I thought about was the Lakers last year in the playoffs and him hitting all of those crazy shots over Anthony Davis," Podziemski said. "As soon as I saw him line up his feet like he was going to shoot it I was like -- just the way that the momentum was going of the game was, it had a good chance of going in."
Four-time champion Klay Thompson didn't think that the shot had a chance, but credited Jokic as being a great player.
"No way," Thompson said of what he thought when he saw Jokic fire up the heave. "He's a great player though, that was a big shot."
Steve Kerr, Brandin Podziemski and Klay Thompson react to the improbable Nikola Jokić game-winner 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/zaRjqAHHZi
— KNBR (@KNBR) January 5, 2024
Nikola Jokic has been insane for the Denver Nuggets recently
Jokic's long-range dagger felt only right as he's been seemingly unable to miss anything as of late.
Over his last four appearances for the Nuggets, The Joker has only missed five field goal attempts. He's sank 39 of his last 44 shots and has lead the team to three wins over that stretch.
He finished the win over the Dubs with 34 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds. He drilled 13 of his 16 attempts from the floor, including both of his three-pointers.