The official Denver Nuggets thread.

[Spice 1]

What a shot by Joker to end a bad defensive quarter. Should’ve been an and 1 too.

One of the best all around games I've ever seen a center play in the playoffs.

[beastlyskronk]

We’ve got to stop switching and letting them head hunt post ups on Murray. That’s let them slow the pace down and climb back into this game. Jokic is going to have to come in now

[Bronco51]

Here come the fouls

[Bronco51]

Here comes the choke…..ugh

[DenverBlood]

Massive choke job.

[Bronco51]

Somebody step up and stop the bleeding!!!!

[DenverBlood]

Take the dub but if they don’t figure out how to clean up the D by Thursday they won’t be holding serve when this shifts to L.A.

[beastlyskronk]

Somebody step up and stop the bleeding!!!!

Don’t know if anybody really stepped up, but the Lakers ran out of gas. Unfortunately so did we and the lead was just big enough to survive

[Bronco51]

Gritty win. Good news is Davis played a massive game and 42 minutes and they lost. Now games are every other day. Hopefully we run them out of gas as it goes on.

[GMTD]

Massive choke job.

For some reason all season when we have had a big lead heading into the 4tj Quarter, we have always eased up and let the opponent take control.

Overall though a good amd important win. We must continue to win the home games in this series.

[DenverBlood]

For some reason all season when we have had a big lead heading into the 4tj Quarter, we have always eased up and let the opponent take control.

Overall though a good amd important win. We must continue to win the home games in this series.

That’s the good thing is they’ve held serve the entire postseason. As long as they keep taking care of home court they’ll be fine. If they blow a home game that’s when we will find out if they can push through adversity. But it’s the reason we wanted the top seed when they were slumping in March.

[Spice 1]

For some reason all season when we have had a big lead heading into the 4tj Quarter, we have always eased up and let the opponent take control.

Overall though a good amd important win. We must continue to win the home games in this series.

I think it'll be tighter in game two. Ham had them going under the dribble handoff, which absolutely killed them until they made the adjustment and started getting over it. That baffled me, and I think that might be the main coaching error you could point to that led to them getting in such a hole. Then they pseudo-zoned Davis like the Nuggets often do with Jokic. If they are allowed to leave a smaller guy on Jokic and get away with it, that's going to rectify a lot of issues for LA defensively. So, Malone and Jokic have to make them pay for that. They were smarter with how they brought the double on Jokic late in the game too. The double came late in the possession when Jokic was about to gather to either pass or shoot out of the post. What LA did there is, I think, the only way to double him and get away with it enough to justify it. But again, Jokic has seen it now, so I don't know how effective that's going to be in game two. The main thing it does is it allows Davis to defend him in a help capacity. So, if you're Jokic, you can shoot over or go quick to shoot or pass. But if they're going to try to double Jokic on the perimeter, well sweet, go ahead.

And Davis poses a similar threat the other way. As long as he's able to live in the paint (and LeBron alternatively), you're in a situation where you need guys to miss on the perimeter. I thought Denver actually did a good job of limiting points in the paint in game one considering who they are and who they're playing. The problem was that LA shot exceptionally well from three. So there's the rub against the LeBron and AD Lakers. Same thing last time you guys played in the bubble. When LA made their threes, they were hard to beat.

[famicommander]

All we have to do in game 2 is:
1. Have Jokic punish Hachimura. Shoot over him, bully him in the post, get him in foul trouble. When the weakside help comes from AD, hit the right passes on time. Easy.

2. Have Gordon go under the screens instead of switching Murray onto LeBron. Murray is not big or strong enough. If LeBron punishes us with pick and pop 3s we'll live with it, but we need to stop his drives.

Easy work. Nugs in 5.

[beastlyskronk]

I think it'll be tighter in game two. Ham had them going under the dribble handoff, which absolutely killed them until they made the adjustment and started getting over it. That baffled me, and I think that might be the main coaching error you could point to that led to them getting in such a hole. Then they pseudo-zoned Davis like the Nuggets often do with Jokic. If they are allowed to leave a smaller guy on Jokic and get away with it, that's going to rectify a lot of issues for LA defensively. So, Malone and Jokic have to make them pay for that. They were smarter with how they brought the double on Jokic late in the game too. The double came late in the possession when Jokic was about to gather to either pass or shoot out of the post. What LA did there is, I think, the only way to double him and get away with it enough to justify it. But again, Jokic has seen it now, so I don't know how effective that's going to be in game two. The main thing it does is it allows Davis to defend him in a help capacity. So, if you're Jokic, you can shoot over or go quick to shoot or pass. But if they're going to try to double Jokic on the perimeter, well sweet, go ahead.

And Davis poses a similar threat the other way. As long as he's able to live in the paint (and LeBron alternatively), you're in a situation where you need guys to miss on the perimeter. I thought Denver actually did a good job of limiting points in the paint in game one considering who they are and who they're playing. The problem was that LA shot exceptionally well from three. So there's the rub against the LeBron and AD Lakers. Same thing last time you guys played in the bubble. When LA made their threes, they were hard to beat.

Jokic historically has been slowed by having smaller guys on him while the big lurks around the rim. The 76ers did this in the regular season with PJ Tucker and found success. The timberwolves tried it (although it didn’t quite work well) with Kyle Anderson. I remember the trailblazers doing it in a playoff series when Nurkic was constantly in foul trouble so they had Carmelo Anthony (who actually didn’t allow Jokic to score) and I believe Mo Harkless guarding him.

Jokic knows how to beat it, unfortunately so do the other teams. Jokic’s answer has been to get his position and then pass when the big comes over. He turned the ball over twice last night when that happened, although one was on Gordon just not expecting the pass.

I think the answer for it on Jokic’s end is right, but I think schematically Denver has to adjust. I don’t think Gordon sitting in the dunker spot is the answer, nor did the commentators last night. It allows Davis to be close to the paint which is where the Lakers want him. I think Denver has to spread the court out and drag Davis and the others further away from the rim so Jokic gets that extra second or two to make a decision. The conundrum lies in that we’re 1 consistent 3 point shooter away. Davis isn’t going to respect a hesitant Gordon shooting in the corner. Bruce Brown is good from the corner although a bit inconsistent or streaky, but that sacrifices size on the defensive end as well. Beating this coverage is going to come down to Gordon figuring something out, whether it be rediscovering his 3 point shot, or being ready for those passes and finishing aggressively through an out of position Davis, or even just getting big on the offensive glass. If not, we might have to go to a lineup where Brown is in for Gordon and see if the Lakers put Davis on MPJ or Brown. If they put him on MPJ he won’t be able to play over to Jokic so hard on those post ups. If he’s on Brown, he’ll just have to continue making shots and attacking aggressively at the basket.

Jokic could also just extend his post game a little further out, his mid range game is exceptional, but I don’t think that’s a great recipe for long term success in this series.

Defensively we definitely have to stop letting LeBron dictate the pace of the game by posting up our smaller guards, we can’t afford to switch those, at least not with Murray, KCP and Brown might have better luck although they both have their own limitations against him as well. Jokic is going to concede the midrange shots to Davis, I’m ok with that as long as he’s making him work around the rim. Denver could also try to hit the Lakers with a dose of their own medicine and let MPJ help out more around the rim. His length and athleticism is a huge boon in that kind of a role and that’s how he usually gets his blocks anyway.

Either way, I’m looking forward to game 2, but this is going to be a tough series. Tougher than I originally thought, yet at the same time, the key will be to limit the auxiliary guys, we did a good job of that in the first half, but Walker, Reaves, and Hachimura got it going in the 2nd. Jokic is going to cancel out whatever Davis does offensively, one or two Murray, KCP, MPJ, or Gordon will likely cancel out whatever LeBron does offensively. Everyone else just has to outplay their counterparts. The tough thing is, Malone hesitates to make adjustments because he has guys that are established, becoming established, or he wants to establish. I’m shocked he switched Murray’s defensive assignment to avoid LeBron switched (even if it only worked for like 3 possessions), usually he waits until game 5 to make any adjustments. Outside of LeBron and AD, the Lakers don’t really have that so Darvin Ham can afford to just kind of throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks. And after seeing them go under Murray screens the entire first half, it kind of feels like that’s what he’s doing instead of being this calculated wizard at making adjustments.

[Spice 1]

Jokic historically has been slowed by having smaller guys on him while the big lurks around the rim. The 76ers did this in the regular season with PJ Tucker and found success. The timberwolves tried it (although it didn’t quite work well) with Kyle Anderson. I remember the trailblazers doing it in a playoff series when Nurkic was constantly in foul trouble so they had Carmelo Anthony (who actually didn’t allow Jokic to score) and I believe Mo Harkless guarding him.

Jokic knows how to beat it, unfortunately so do the other teams. Jokic’s answer has been to get his position and then pass when the big comes over. He turned the ball over twice last night when that happened, although one was on Gordon just not expecting the pass.

I think the answer for it on Jokic’s end is right, but I think schematically Denver has to adjust. I don’t think Gordon sitting in the dunker spot is the answer, nor did the commentators last night. It allows Davis to be close to the paint which is where the Lakers want him. I think Denver has to spread the court out and drag Davis and the others further away from the rim so Jokic gets that extra second or two to make a decision. The conundrum lies in that we’re 1 consistent 3 point shooter away. Davis isn’t going to respect a hesitant Gordon shooting in the corner. Bruce Brown is good from the corner although a bit inconsistent or streaky, but that sacrifices size on the defensive end as well. Beating this coverage is going to come down to Gordon figuring something out, whether it be rediscovering his 3 point shot, or being ready for those passes and finishing aggressively through an out of position Davis, or even just getting big on the offensive glass. If not, we might have to go to a lineup where Brown is in for Gordon and see if the Lakers put Davis on MPJ or Brown. If they put him on MPJ he won’t be able to play over to Jokic so hard on those post ups. If he’s on Brown, he’ll just have to continue making shots and attacking aggressively at the basket.

Jokic could also just extend his post game a little further out, his mid range game is exceptional, but I don’t think that’s a great recipe for long term success in this series.

Defensively we definitely have to stop letting LeBron dictate the pace of the game by posting up our smaller guards, we can’t afford to switch those, at least not with Murray, KCP and Brown might have better luck although they both have their own limitations against him as well. Jokic is going to concede the midrange shots to Davis, I’m ok with that as long as he’s making him work around the rim. Denver could also try to hit the Lakers with a dose of their own medicine and let MPJ help out more around the rim. His length and athleticism is a huge boon in that kind of a role and that’s how he usually gets his blocks anyway.

Either way, I’m looking forward to game 2, but this is going to be a tough series. Tougher than I originally thought, yet at the same time, the key will be to limit the auxiliary guys, we did a good job of that in the first half, but Walker, Reaves, and Hachimura got it going in the 2nd. Jokic is going to cancel out whatever Davis does offensively, one or two Murray, KCP, MPJ, or Gordon will likely cancel out whatever LeBron does offensively. Everyone else just has to outplay their counterparts. The tough thing is, Malone hesitates to make adjustments because he has guys that are established, becoming established, or he wants to establish. I’m shocked he switched Murray’s defensive assignment to avoid LeBron switched (even if it only worked for like 3 possessions), usually he waits until game 5 to make any adjustments. Outside of LeBron and AD, the Lakers don’t really have that so Darvin Ham can afford to just kind of throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks. And after seeing them go under Murray screens the entire first half, it kind of feels like that’s what he’s doing instead of being this calculated wizard at making adjustments.

Totally agree about Davis and Gordon. That's why to me it might as well be zone, because it's essentially freeing Davis up. He's not respecting Gordon. If they tried Davis on Porter with Gordon out, I'd go right back to the screen game, but that would spread the floor either way. You could create a LeBron problem defensively though. Otherwise, I'd agree with having Jokic work more from the elbow against that defense. I think Ham intentionally saved that until the end of the game. As far as letting Murray or Porter have open looks, that's a cardinal sin, IMO. Another thing about Jokic, as incredible as that game was, I'd like to see him be a little more aggressive to get his late in the game with a smaller guy on him. Like to see him decisively shoot over the guy, because just about any shot he gets down there is better than the alternative when he's playing like that.