Aaron Gordon Has Some Thoughts on How Nikola Jokic Is Being Officiated

Denver was run out of the gym in Game 2.

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) drives as Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) defends in the second half during game two of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Denver Nuggets were punked by the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2 of their Western Conference semifinals series. Don't take our word for it—that's the exact summation given by Denver coach David Adelman. Nikola Jokic looked quite human in the 43-point deficit, which absolutely cannot be blamed on officiating. But his teammate Aaron Gordon had some thoughts on the way the Nuggets star has been treated.

"If they're going to let them push him and shove him or put two hands on him, root him out, the knees, elbows and all types of stuff they're doing to him that's necessarily legal, there's not much that you can do," Gordon said. "Jok got to play through it. If they're not going to call it, then they're not going to call it."

Aaron Gordon on the physicality Nikola Jokic is facing and the whistle he’s receiving when asked by @TroyRenck and @ramonashelburne: pic.twitter.com/bqG8aEOtPz

— Vinny Benedetto (@VBenedetto) May 8, 2025

"They're fouling the guy," Gordon added. "They're calling the second foul almost every time. They're fouling Joker first and then Jok is reactionary, and they do get the second guy a lot of the time. But they're fouling him—point blank, period—throughout the game. It's a thing where you can't call every foul or you'd be calling a foul every single play, but they're fouling him."

Reading between the lines here, it seems like Gordon believes Jokic is getting fouled a lot and those infractions are going uncalled. Yet he did concede that the refs can't blow their whistle on every play or the entire experience would be ruined. So with that knowledge everyone involved should expect nothing to change. Even though the lobbying after every single call will continue. That's just playoff basketball.

Denver has another chance to capture the lead in this series in Game 3 back at elevation on Friday night.

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