The Denver Nuggets had the edge going into Game 4, holding a 2-1 lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder. But things took a sharp turn. After narrowly escaping in Game 3—thanks to an overtime thriller—the defending champs couldn’t hold on this time. The Thunder bounced back strong, stealing Game 4 and tying the series at 2-2. Getting rid of this year’s top seed in the West is proving to be anything but easy.

Game 4 was a rollercoaster—just not the kind Nuggets fans wanted to ride. Denver came out flat with one of their worst first quarters ever, putting up just eight points. Both teams struggled early, but it was clear the Nuggets were off. They clawed their way back, though, and by the fourth quarter, Denver had a six-point lead and the crowd at Ball Arena was buzzing. But then came the collapse. An 11-0 run by the Thunder, sparked by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a locked-in OKC bench, completely flipped the momentum. The Thunder held on for a gritty 92-87 win, and now the series is all tied up at 2-2.

Jalen Rose didn’t hold back after the Nuggets’ tough Game 4 loss. On NBA on TNT, he made a pointed comment about Denver’s rotation strategy, saying, “Here’s another thing that I really don’t like about what I am seeing from Denver. There’s one thing to shorten your rotation… but it’s another thing to only play six guys… It’s so disrespectful to the rest of the guys on the roster. You are basically telling them that they can’t play, and you don’t trust them. And I don’t think you can go far when you have that approach.” Rose’s warning hits at a key issue: by giving bench players so little playing time, the coach could be creating tension and potentially damaging the team’s chemistry.

In Game 4, while both teams were dealing with fatigue after the Nuggets’ overtime victory in Game 3, Oklahoma City’s depth made a big difference. The Thunder’s bench stepped up, with five players combining for 56 minutes and 36 points, 17 rebounds, and six assists. Key contributors like Aaron Wiggins, Cason Wallace, and Alex Caruso provided crucial defense and scoring. As coach Mark Daigneault put it, “They made huge shots. And they gave us huge defense and toughness plays.” The Thunder’s fresh legs helped fuel a big rally in the fourth quarter, which Denver just couldn’t match.

In contrast, Denver’s bench was noticeably quiet. Three players—most notably Russell Westbrook—combined for just six points in 41 minutes of play. Westbrook had a tough night, shooting only 2-of-12, and the bench overall shot 3-of-15. Coach David Adelman defended his decision to limit his rotation, explaining, “We just have to get more from more people. And I have to maybe play more than eight guys. I felt like, once we pushed [the lead] to eight [points], I really stayed with a shorter rotation, thinking that we had a chance to kind of push that thing and take control of the game.”

But with the series now tied 2-2, Adelman’s approach may need to change. The lack of bench support has raised serious questions about Denver’s depth, and Rose’s concern about team dynamics is more relevant than ever.

Nikola Jokić’s struggles: A slump in the spotlight

Nikola Jokić hasn’t been playing at his usual MVP level lately, and it’s starting to show. After a tough Game 4 loss, he spoke to the media about his struggles, saying, “I mean, it’s a little bit of everything. They’re playing really good defense on me, they’re really—into my body, handsy, physical, and I think I missed like two, three open looks tonight, so it’s a little bit of everything.” Jokić noted how the Thunder have been physical with him, shrinking the floor and putting a defender behind him to make his shots harder. Despite his 26.5 points, 14.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists on average in the series, the efficiency isn’t where it should be.

Digging deeper into his shooting numbers, it’s clear Jokić is in a slump. In Game 1, he shot 51.7% from the field, scoring 42 points. But since then, things have gone downhill—he’s just 21 of 63 (33.0%) from the field in the next three games, and an even worse 4 of 22 from three (18.18%). The most concerning part? He went 0-for-10 from three in Game 3 alone. Those aren’t numbers that scream MVP, and with the Nuggets in a tied series with OKC, Jokić’s shooting struggles are putting Denver in a tough spot.

The Nuggets were able to survive Jokić’s struggles in Game 3 thanks to strong performances from Aaron Gordon (22 points) and Michael Porter Jr. (21 points). But in Game 4, when Porter only managed three points, it highlighted how reliant Denver is on Jokić to be their primary scorer. If Jokić can’t break out of this slump, the Nuggets will need their other offensive weapons—like Gordon, Porter, and Jamal Murray—to step up big-time.