“Basketball Gods Didn’t Protect The Nuggets”: Shaquille O’Neal Condemns Nikola Jokic And Co’s Wavering Mentality In Game 4 Loss

Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and the rest of the TNT crew said during halftime that Game 4 of Minnesota Timberwolves-Denver Nuggets was so boring that they resorted to watching the NHL Playoffs. Seems as though Anthony Edwards and company took this personally and went on to have one of the most entertaining games of the 2023 NBA postseason.

The first overtime game of this year’s Playoffs saw Anthony Edwards finish what he started in the regulation period with him hitting a dagger three over Aaron Gordon to put the T-Wolves up by 4 and for good. However, what led to the OT period is what caught the eyes of millions of viewers across the world.

Despite being up by 12 with less than 3 minutes remaining in the game, the Nuggets stormed back off the back of a Jokic 3, two MPJ 3s, a Jokic mid-range, and a Jokic free throw. They went on a 12-0 run to close out regulation to tie the game up at 96 a piece.

Shaquille O’Neal on the Nuggets and their mentality

The Denver Nuggets had all the momentum in the world going into overtime. However, due to timely threes from the likes of Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Mike Conley, the Wolves outscored Denver 18-12 in the OT period.

Shaquille O’Neal blames the Nuggets’ mentality for them losing Game 4 as he claims they took the Wolves too easily.

“I don’t think they had the right mental attitude. Like Phil Jackson always used to tell us, ‘When you don’t have the right mental attitude going into the game, the basketball gods will not protect you.’ Now they’re going to go home, get beat up, be mad, the series is over.”

According to Shaq, the Nuggets are going to close out this first round series at home in Game 5. Given just how much the Timberwolves had to do to win this game, it’s safe to say that betting on Denver to win in 5 seems about right.

Only one team has been swept this Playoffs

The Brooklyn Nets are the only team that has gotten swept in this year’s Playoffs. They faced off against the Philadelphia 76ers and despite not having Joel Embiid in Game 4 of the series, the Sixers closed them out in Brooklyn in Game 4.

Given that this Nets team was thrown together at the trade deadline due to Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving being traded, it’s understandable as to how they haven’t had time to gel with one another. The Nets are now faced with two options regarding their future: do they trade their assets and look to build a young core or do they target a superstar like Damian Lillard?