Nikola Jokić finally gets help he needs as Julian Strawther, youngsters show up in Nuggets' Game 6 win vs. OKC
CBSN
Denver's youth stepped up to support the three-time MVP and force Game 7
When the fourth quarter of Game 6 between the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder began on Thursday, the best player in the world was not on the floor. This was relatively surprising in the context of the rest of this postseason. Whenever Nuggets coach David Adelman has felt he's absolutely needed a win -- Game 4 against the Clippers, Game 5 against the Thunder -- he's played Nikola Jokić the entire final frame.
The results have been mixed. Denver won Game 4 against the Clippers ... but blew a 22-point lead in the process. Denver lost Game 5 to the Thunder, but Jokić was sensational with 13 of Denver's 19 points. It's a desperation move, one made only because of badly the Nuggets have struggled without him for basically his entire career. Denver would love to at least sneak him a minute or two in these critical games. Their bench just by and large hasn't made that possible.
But Adelman was comfortable taking the risk of pulling Jokić off of the floor on Thursday night because barely-used reserve Julian Strawther had just played perhaps the best 100 seconds of his life. With the score tied at 80, Strawther scored eight points in the final 1:37 of the third quarter. That gave Adelman an unexpected cushion, and he used it to give Jokić a well-earned breather. Strawther ultimately scored 15 points in the win, all in the second half.
