OT Nuggets and the NBA Finals

[Mingo]

Tonight, the Nuggets opponent will emerge from game 7 of the Miami - Boston series. Boston gets home court advantage for the series if they win, and the Nuggets get home court if Miami prevails. Either way the Nuggets will get a tired opponent - while they have to worry about being rusty.

 

[CEH]

rooting for Heat

 

[Duffman]

rooting for Heat

Me too, the last time a team from Colorado who swept their conference finals played a team from Boston who came back to win their series in 7 games they ended up getting swept themselves in the World Series.

 

[SpringStein]

Couldn’t have worked out much better for the Nuggets. Got the home court advantage to a team they’ve had great success against (9-1 over past 10 meetings, of course all regular season types) - and the opponent had to go 7 games and not have much rest before taking on the Nuggets in Denver.

I like it.

 

[Mountain Bronco]

Lets go Nuggets. Really looking forward to the series. Hope the nuggets aren't to rusty from the long layoff.

 

[SpringStein]

Lets go Nuggets. Really looking forward to the series. Hope the nuggets aren't to rusty from the long layoff.

I expect them to come out with fresh legs having 11 days off after playing 15 games is a big advantage over having two days off after playing 20 games, which the Heat has done. Can the Heat win the series? Sure, just ask Milwaukee and Boston. Will they? I don’t think so. They just don’t match up well with the Nuggets.

 

[nflbronco]

I want ring for Joker most of all. I think he will up and quit NBA much like A. Luck did.

 

[SpringStein]

I want ring for Joker most of all. I think he will up and quit NBA much like A. Luck did.

I hope not. What gives me hope that he won’t is that he is seemingly is detached by all the crap surrounding the game. He doesn’t even have a social media account, he goes back to Serbia in the off-season and hangs out with horses, and seems to be grounded knowing that basketball isn’t even the most important thing in his life.

The one time I felt like he was impacted by the media was when Idiot Perkins made race the basis of Jokic winning his MVPs. That seemed to really bother him and impact his play for a few weeks. So maybe you are right, Paul - but like I said I hope not. He can make multi- generational money and since his game isn’t dependent on athleticism, he could play a long time if he wanted to.

 

[nflbronco]

I hope not. What gives me hope that he won’t is that he is seemingly is detached by all the crap surrounding the game. He doesn’t even have a social media account, he goes back to Serbia in the off-season and hangs out with horses, and seems to be grounded knowing that basketball isn’t even the most important thing in his life.

The one time I felt like he was impacted by the media was when Idiot Perkins made race the basis of Jokic winning his MVPs. That seemed to really bother him and impact his play for a few weeks. So maybe you are right, Paul - but like I said I hope not. He can make multi- generational money and since his game isn’t dependent on athleticism, he could play a long time if he wanted to.

I hope I'm wrong too because he is amazing. Regardless fans enjoy him as long as you can. I would have loved Joker with Doug Moe that would have been funny.

 

[Mingo]

Joker is a young guy with a young family he will work out his current contract - I'm sure. Andrew Luck had his physical health to worry about. In the game where Luck beat Peyton Manning - the Broncos took a very big toll on his physical well being.

The Nuggets have to go into the Finals with the attitude they want to dominate the Heat - their biggest threat is complacency. On the other hand - I have not seen complacency as a problem for the team this year.

 

[Mountain Bronco]

I get a little of the Jokic could bow out early having nothing left to prove with a title or two vibe as well. All the reasons SS notes as why he would stay around such as he doesn't need the attention, BB isn't the most important thing in his world, he has other interests etc... are also reasons it would be easy to bow out early.

Horses though is why I think he sticks around. Those things are expensive

 

[Mingo]

It's not like Jokic shows any evidence that he doesn't like the game or his teammates.

The Heat are well coached - have great team chemistry and have already beaten three teams better than them in these playoffs. However - they have no one who can contain Jokic - they are too short, and they don't have enough three-point shooters to compete with the Nuggets. They will have to shoot threes in the percentage of the high forties to stay close.

 

[nflbronco]

Joker is a young guy with a young family he will work out his current contract - I'm sure. Andrew Luck had his physical health to worry about. In the game where Luck beat Peyton Manning - the Broncos took a very big toll on his physical well being.

The Nuggets have to go into the Finals with the attitude they want to dominate the Heat - their biggest threat is complacency. On the other hand - I have not seen complacency as a problem for the team this year.

Heat in 4 (Worked last time)

 

[Mountain Bronco]

Miami has been shooting really well and much better than their regular season numbers would suggest. They are at 39% as a team through the playoffs which is slightly better than the nuggets at 38.6% as a team. Martin and Robinson are both in the mid 40% range. I think this heat team has a lot more talent than they are given credit for but that said, the Nuggets have a huge size advantage and by far the best player in this series so they should win.

 

[SpringStein]

It's not like Jokic shows any evidence that he doesn't like the game or his teammates.

The Heat are well coached - have great team chemistry and have already beaten three teams better than them in these playoffs. However - they have no one who can contain Jokic - they are too short, and they don't have enough three-point shooters to compete with the Nuggets. They will have to shoot threes in the percentage of the high forties to stay close.

I think the Heat shooting 3s at a good % and the Nuggets getting out running for transition points will be two of the keys for each team to succeed.

 

[SpringStein]

Really long read, but a great story and highly recommended. Makes me want to go out and get a Porter jersey…but I’d have to think twice about wearing that name on my back!

Michael Porter Jr. Finds Meaning After Almost Losing Basketball

Three back surgeries in five years changed everything for Porter Jr. and put his NBA career in jeopardy. But what the former phenom lost in athleticism, he gained in perspective, molding him into the Nuggets’ biggest X factor in pursuit of a ring. "It’s letting go of ego," Porter Jr. says, "but...

www.theringer.com

 

[Mingo]

Really long read, but a great story and highly recommended. Makes me want to go out and get a Porter jersey…but I’d have to think twice about wearing that name on my back!

Michael Porter Jr. Finds Meaning After Almost Losing Basketball

Three back surgeries in five years changed everything for Porter Jr. and put his NBA career in jeopardy. But what the former phenom lost in athleticism, he gained in perspective, molding him into the Nuggets’ biggest X factor in pursuit of a ring. "It’s letting go of ego," Porter Jr. says, "but...

www.theringer.com

Excellent George - thank you. You'd look good with a Porter on your back.

This story really fills in the blanks for me about MPJ as his style of play this year is so complimentary to the team's strengths. You can see he is transformed into a team player. Also, interesting to hear Porter acknowledge how contagious Jokic's unselfish playing style on all the Nuggets. Go Nugs!

 

[SpringStein]

Comfortable win. I like not having to be pacing all game and actually enjoying it.Also enjoying seeing a finals with two unselfish teams.

 

[Mingo]

The Nuggets lost a little concentration at the beginning of the 4th quarter. Other than that the Nugs were happy to exploit the mismatch of Caleb Martin on Aaron Gordon. Nice games by Joker, Porter and Murray.

Maybe the Heat gave away their game two adjustment in the 4th Quarter.

 

[Mountain Bronco]

Miami missed a lot of open shots. I expect them to make more of those shots. Denver didn't exactly light it up from 3 either though so both teams can actually play better next game which is a good thing for the Nuggets as they won going away and still have better ball to play. Watching Jokic target the AG mismatch early in the game over and over again was like watching Manning relentlessly pick on a rookie CB all game.