Dissatisfied, Nuggets fans are angry that the referee allows Thunder Carusofi basketball defense Jokic

Denver Nuggets fans are angry that the referee allows Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso to continue to defend Nikola Jokic.

Oklahoma City Thunder's physical defensive strategy worked in Game 7, disrupting the Denver Nuggets' pace from beginning to end. Surprisingly, Alex Caruso was challenged to defend Nikola Jokic at a critical moment, and despite being at a disadvantage in size, he limited the MVP's offense with courage and clever position. The move shocked Denver Nuggets fans who were incredibly watching Caruso's continued pressure turn into a destructive force. His performance highlights the Thunder's determination to surpass the Nuggets and help Oklahoma City win tickets to the Western Conference Finals.

"Alex Caruso is definitely playing other sports because what he did to Nikola Jokic is not allowed in basketball," said Jack Shapiro of Denver Sports 104.3 in an article on X (formerly Twitter).

Finally, several key factors led to the end of the Denver season on Sunday. Most of the four core players struggled with injuries of varying degrees, while Jamal Murray and Michael Porter's appearance had little impact on the team. To make matters worse, once the referee allows Alex Caruso to physically fight Jokic without any punishment—the Thunder defense can freely fall into the inside without worrying that Denver will make them pay—the Nuggets lose control.

Depending on the lack of rhythm, limited response on the offensive end, and the whistle blowing, Denver's hopes for advancement were shattered.

Alex Caruso suppressed Nikola Jokic

Nicolo Jokic was chased by Alex Caruso with a "Box-and-1" defensive formation for most of Game 7, which frustrated the defending MVP and Nuggets fans. Despite Jokic's relatively large size, Caruso, widely regarded as one of the league's top defensive backs, still gave a great show, posing a threat to Jokic in physical confrontation all night.

Caruso often creates fouls, while Jokic is difficult to adapt. He often chooses to emphasize this physical contact to the referee rather than forcing a breakthrough. The Nuggets' numbers were 20 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 turnovers - these numbers were much lower than Denver's requirements for its star in the knockout stage.

Murray has difficulty finding his own rhythm, and only scored 13 points in 16 shots, and often seems to be in a hurry. Porter Jr. contributed only 6 points in 23 minutes and played less than Aaron Gordon. Despite Gordon's hamstring injury, he still insisted on playing hard 25 minutes and grabbed 11 rebounds.

Christian Braun can be said to be the most stable player on the field of the Nuggets, but even he still performed poorly in three-pointers, making only 2 of 9 three-pointers.

The Nuggets lost their fighting spirit at their worst moments and lost to the stronger and more dynamic Oklahoma City away. The Thunder need to make the final adjustments, and Alex Caruso's defensive intensity changes the game.

Caruso came on as a substitute and scored an astonishing +40 in just 26 minutes of playing, which brought a huge blow to the team. For the Nuggets, the loss highlights the painful fact that if they want to compete for the championship again, they need a backup player who is tough, comprehensive and influential, like Caruso.