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Charles Barkley Makes Spot-On Nikola Jokic Statement After Nuggets Loss

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Robert Marvi | Last updated May 12, 2025 12:50 AM ET

The Denver Nuggets had an opportunity to take full control of their Western Conference semifinal series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. But they lost by a final score of 92-87, and now the series is tied at two games apiece.

It was an ugly contest in which both teams shot well under 40% from the field. But in particular, the Nuggets were ice-cold. They made only 31.3% of their shots from the field, and once again, superstar center Nikola Jokic struggled.

Jokic went 7-of-22 overall, continuing a trend that has taken place throughout this series so far. On "Inside the NBA," Charles Barkley made a simple statement about Jokic that highlighted the lack of offensive balance Denver has right now.

"[Jokic] has to play great for the Nuggets to win," Barkley said.

"[Jokić] has to play great for the Nuggets to win."

Chuck thinks Denver needs other players to step up around Joker pic.twitter.com/j1QF12ghqK
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 12, 2025

Barkley pointed out how Jokic's statistical excellence makes him very important to the Nuggets. The center averaged a triple-double during the regular season, and while Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is expected to win the league MVP award this year, many still consider Jokic the best player in the world.

When the Nuggets have played well, guard Jamal Murray and forwards Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon have provided them with strong offensive production. But in Game 4, Murray went just 5-of-15 from the field and Porter missed all but one of his seven shot attempts.

Porter is currently dealing with a shoulder injury that he was told would require him to sit out for several weeks.

Game 5 of this series will take place on Tuesday in Oklahoma City. If Denver finds a way to win, it could then knock out the Thunder, a team that went 68-14 in the regular season, in Game 6 back in Colorado.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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