Jusef Nurkic fouling out results in a Trail Blazers loss
In this series against Denver, Jusef Nurkic has been a key player for Portland, averaging nearly 11.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, but he is also averaging 5.0 personal fouls per game and has fouled out in 3 of the 5 games in this series.
In those 3 games that Nurkic has fouled out, the Trail Blazers have lost and that is not a coincidence! He is the only guys for the Blazers that has found success guarding Nikola Jokic, which is why he needs to be out on the court late in games.
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In Game 2’s loss for Portland, Nurkic fouled out with 9:58 left in the game and Jokic went on to score 9 points down the stretch to elevate the Nuggets past the Blazers. In Game 3’s loss, Nurkic fouled out with 5:17 left in the game and Jokic went on to score 6 points, including the game winning tip-in after not being boxed out on a missed free-throw. Now, in Game 5’s loss, Nurkic fouled out with 4:00 left in the game and missed not only the end of regulation, but both overtime periods.
Jusef Nurkic is the key for the Blazers in this series and he needs to avoid getting into foul trouble for this team to have any chance of advancing. With Nurkic out of the game, Nikola Jokic is guarded by a much smaller defender and even if Enes Kanter comes into the game for size against Jokic, the presumably league MVP is able to use his footwork and craftiness to get past the slower Kanter to the rim.
Whether it is being able to score or dish out insane assists like he did down the stretch in Game 5’s victory, Nikola Jokic is able to make plays for his team to win, but when Nurkic is on him, he really does struggle to get to his spots and be as great of a playmaker as he is.
This is why the Trail Blazers need Jusef Nurkic out there on the court late in games in order to win this series. The Portland Trail Blazers won both of the games that Nurkic did not foul out in and that is not a coincidence.
