NBA Insider Calls Out Double Standard Between Nikola Jokic, LeBron James After Nuggets' Loss

Despite his excellent performance, Jokic appeared to wear down as the intensity of the contest ratcheted up late. Pundits have called out the Nuggets for having a thin bench and relying too heavily on their three-time MVP to win games for them down the stretch, which many would argue is a fair criticism of the franchise. 

Perkins didn't necessarily argue the opposite, but he did decry what he called out as a double-standard between how the public talks about and justifies Jokic's issues with stamina compared to the same discussion around Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. 

"Bron gets tired at 40 years old and people question his greatness," Perkins posted to X on early Wednesday morning. "But Jokic gets tired and its, 'He needs more help.' We gotta stop moving goal post."

James was criticized -- not roundly, but enough that it was easily audible across NBA-centric social media -- for slowing down a bit at the end of contests during the Lakers' first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, which L.A. lost in five games. 

Los Angeles also struggled with depth issues, particularly in the playoffs. Head coach J.J. Redick was called out by several national media personalities for playing just five players 24 minutes each (the entire second half) in Game 4 against the Timberwolves in Minneapolis -- a game the Lakers ultimately lost.