The official Denver Nuggets thread.

[GMTD]

The difference between the teams has been free throws. Denver 2/2; Phoenix 10/11. The other stats are very similar. Both teams have tried excessively and without much success to launch 3s rather than play traditional basketball.

[DenverBlood]

What a pathetic cowardly half of basketball.

[GMTD]

1/13 in the first quarter. But still only down 4. If they would just keep banging down low instead of jacking up 3 after 3 they could win this.

It reminds me of the Golden State games earlier in the season when we felt we had to force 3s to compete with Steph Curry and just fell apart.

[GMTD]

This is a woeful.shooting performance so far. I can't believe we are only 5 points behind.

[DenverBlood]

Stop trying to shoot 3s!

1/13 in the first quarter. But still only down 4. If they would just keep banging down low instead of jacking up 3 after 3 they could win this.

[GMTD]

Stop trying to shoot 3s!

[Bronco51]

I love the optimism, but if they go down 0-2, its over. Choking just like the Avs. Not a good time to be a Colorado sports fan

We still have the Rockies......

[beastlyskronk]

This game one was really similar to game one vs Portland. We were in control for about 2 1/2 quarters before Bridges and Paul closed the game out. After halftime the team seemed to forget that it was a playoff game. Jokic went cold and no one else stepped up and the passing got real lazy. Rivers and Facu can’t pass up so many open shots and again MPJ can’t just take every shot because he knows he’s a great shooter. His efficiency coming off screens drops drastically compared to his set shots and a lot of that is because of his feet not being in a good spot when he comes off the screen.

All in all I still think we’re in a good spot. Gordon did a good job defending Booker, Rivers did good as well even though Booker scored most of his points on him. Gordon in the post was extremely effective for the most part, I doubt Phoenix is going to stop switching so that’s something we should be able to continue to take advantage of. If we can just stay at home on their shooters and not let them get so many uncontested 3s I think we can pull this out. Sometimes those guys in the corners are just going to have to let Jokic figure it out at the rim. Also the weak fouls when they go to shoot have to stop, there were way too many 3 and 4 point opportunities given up because we grazed them as they went up.

And on the injury front, it looks like Will Barton is going to miss game 2 despite having another “really good day” at practice. MPJ apparently tweaked his back in the 2nd quarter and is questionable but should be good to go according to Malone. That’ll be something to keep an eye on.

[darryn16]

I don’t know about all that now. They got owned by Portland in game 1 at home and still won that series.

Phoenix is a lot better but also very young and inexperienced in the postseason.

I love the optimism, but if they go down 0-2, its over. Choking just like the Avs. Not a good time to be a Colorado sports fan

[GMTD]

I don’t know about all that now. They got owned by Portland in game 1 at home and still won that series.

Phoenix is a lot better but also very young and inexperienced in the postseason.

Agreed. But we probably do probably need to win the next game.

[DenverBlood]

A promising season coming to a painful close......

I don’t know about all that now. They got owned by Portland in game 1 at home and still won that series.

Phoenix is a lot better but also very young and inexperienced in the postseason.

[darryn16]

Been saying this exact same thing all half. They get up 6-7 and decide they have to play stupid like the Suns can’t close that gap in a flash.

A promising season coming to a painful close......

[GMTD]

Jokic has won the MVP award per The Athletic.

[beastlyskronk]

If we could just stay at home on corner shooters we’d probably have won this game

[beastlyskronk]

Now it’s time for Jokic to sit half the quarter