Jokic and the Nuggets ran out of gas against one of the NBA’s deepest teams, with things turning in the second quarter. Leading by five entering the period, Denver was outscored by a 39-20 margin, thanks partially to Oklahoma City’s strategy adjustment. They went small, using Alex Caruso on Jokic, and the move worked. While some may argue that the Thunder guard was allowed to be a bit more physical than usual, it’s on the three-time MVP to adjust. It was a disappointing end for The Joker, who remained the top option in fantasy basketball this season. While Victor Wembanyama (if healthy) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will also deserve consideration for pick 1:1 in redraft leagues, Jokic should be the preferred option for many fantasy managers.

Unsurprisingly, Jokic was dominant to help keep Denver’s season alive. His 44-point effort in Game 5 wasn’t enough, and while he didn’t match that scoring total in this game, he was still able to have a big night. He also finally got past the six-assist mark, which he had done three times this series without surpassing it. That means that Jokic finally got some help from his teammates. Game 7 will be on Sunday in OKC. Expect Jokic to have a monster performance.

Jokic bounced back in a big way on Tuesday after a few inefficient shooting performances in Games 2, 3 and 4. The three-time MVP had his fingerprints all over the game on the offensive side, regaining his shooting touch and being particularly dangerous from beyond the arc. He made some contributions as a passer, but still hasn’t found a way to dominate in this series as a facilitator, not yet tallying more than six assists in any game. Even with the Nuggets receiving the inevitable bounce-back game for Jokic, it wasn’t enough for them to take control of the series. Denver will need everything it can get from Jokic in Thursday’s Game 6 if it wants to extend the season.

It was still another rough shooting performance from Jokic, but he was much better from beyond the arc after shooting 0-for-10 in Game 3. He hit a pair of triples on Sunday, including one at the buzzer at the end of the first half. He also was more efficient with the ball in his hands in this game after turning it over eight times in Game 3. Unfortunately, none of that was enough to get the win. The series is now tied at two games each, with two of the next three games in Oklahoma City. Jokic will need to bring back his magic from Game 1 if Denver is to win this series.