How Nikola Jokic is defying stat-chasing culture as an MVP finalist - ESPN

WITH A SECOND remaining in Sunday's Game 4, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic called for the ball after Jalen Williams hit a pair of free throws to push the Oklahoma City Thunder's lead to five points.

After receiving the inbounds pass from Michael Porter Jr., Jokic launched the longest shot of these NBA playoffs, literally and figuratively.

His football-style toss from 81 feet out sailed a bit short and wide, an air ball that Nuggets reserve center DeAndre Jordan dodged on the baseline after beginning his walk from the bench to the home locker room as the buzzer sounded.

It wouldn't have mattered if Jokic had miraculously made the shot. It wasn't even a one-possession game. But as Jokic later pointed out in a matter-of-fact tone, it wasn't impossible for the Nuggets to force overtime. Just improbable to the nth degree.

«Maybe they'll foul me and maybe they'll get a tech,» Jokic told ESPN. «You never know what's going to happen.»

This miss made Jokic's three-game shooting slump appear a little uglier, putting another dent in his uncharacteristically low efficiency. He shot 33.3% from the floor (21-of-63) and 18.2% from 3-point range (4-of-22) in that span, one of the most prominent storylines of this series against the top-seeded Thunder and the NBA's stingiest defense.

The heaves have become something of a habit. If there is even the slightest chance a shot could impact the outcome of the game, Jokic will let it fly, no matter how far he is from the hoop or how far-fetched the fling might be. Those prayers provide a glimpse into the competitive character of a three-time MVP, who has made historical production and efficiency seem routine, despite an approach that runs counter to the modern-day NBA's numbers-conscious