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Posts tagged as “Denver”

Denver Nuggets are the 2023 NBA Champions, franchise’s first in the 47 years in the league

June 13, 2023

The Denver Nuggets just bagged their first NBA Championship after defeating the Miami Heat in a one of the lowest scoring game in the series (94-89).

In the first half, Miami was poised to take the series back home until Nikola Jokic carried the Nuggets with with 28 points and 16 rebounds. Jokic also took home the Bill Russell trophy as the NBA Finals MVP, which carry more weight than the 2021 and 2022 Regular Season MVP trophies.

Nuggets outlast the Heat in a game that’s more favorable to the style of Miami Heat, a low scoring, physical and close game, no team lead more than 2 points in the last 2 minutes of the game. It was in the closing minutes that made the difference; Bruce Brown got an offensive rebound and tip-in to give the Nuggets, then Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope capitalize on a Heat turnover and made two free throws each that sealed the title for Denver.

This is the first time in the franchise’s 47 years in the league and if they keep the core players, we may see the Nuggets making a deep run in every year, lead by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.

Denver Nuggets win Game 4 of the NBA Finals and One away to be the NBA Champions

June 10, 2023

Denver Nuggets are just one win away to be the NBA Champions as they defeat the resilient Miami Heat in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

We can call Game 4 as the Aaron Gordon Game, as he lead the Nuggets in scoring with 27 points with 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Miami was able to limit Jokic to “just” 23 points, made 3 three-point shots, with 4 assists and grabbed 10 rebounds to help build a 13 point lead against the Heat entering the 4th quarter. Jokic got in foul trouble, committing his 5th foul when the Nuggets are up by 5 point and still 8:42 remaining in the game. Even though Jamal Murray was limited to just 15 point, he helped setup his teammates by dishing out 12 assists. Aside from Gordon, Bruce Brown was also a big factor off the bench, scoring 25 points with 4 rebs. Nuggets as a team shot 50% from the three-point line making 14 of their 28 shots.

Miami Heat are once again 1 – 3 in the NBA Finals and even with the odds against the team, Heat Leader Jimmy Butler is still positive that they can go back to Miami to at least have a chance to extend the series to a game 7. “Now we’re in a must-win situation, every single game — which we’re capable of.. It’s not impossible.” ,” Butler said in his postgame interview.

Miami Heat Head coach Erik Spoelstra echoed the same sentiments;

We have an incredibly competitive group. We’ve done everything the hard way and that’s the way it’s going to have to be done right now — again. And all we’re going to focus on is getting this thing back to the 305. Get this thing back to Miami. And things can shift very quickly.

Game 5 will be back Denver, Tuesday evening, where Jokic and Murray with the rest of the team have chance to end the series and celebrate in front of their home crowd.

Miami Heat evens series via late run in the 4th Quarter (111- 108)

June 5, 2023

The Miami Heat evens up the series from a come from behind run against the Denver Nuggets, the team also overcome a 41-point game by Nikola Jokic, who also grabbed 11 rebounds. Miami Heat manage to comeback from a 15-pt deficit in the first half and hang-on to a 3-pts lead in the closing seconds of the game. Miami also made 48% of their 3-points shot and in contrast to game 1, the team shot 18 out of 20 from the free-throw line.

Both Butler and Adebayo scored 21 points apiece while Gabe Vincent lead the Heat in scoring with 23 points, on a 4 of 6 from beyond the three-point line. Miami also got a big lift from Duncan Robinson, who scored all of his 10-points in the 4th, and Max Strus with 14 points. Aside from the free-throw. three points made also made the different in game 2, since Miami 17 of their 35 three points.

Denver on the other hand got a monster 41-points game from Nikola Jokic but only 4 assists, he is also -11 in the plus/minus column. It’s not just Jokic, Kentavious Caldwell Pope (-14), Michael Porter Jr. (-15) and Jamal Murray (-2) are also negative in the plus/minus.

This is the first home game for the Nuggets since March 30, and Nuggets coach Michael Malone blame it on effort when asked about the game in the post game interview;

Games 3 and 4 will be in Miami and where injured Heat guard Tyler Herro is expected to make a return.

Denver Nuggets sweeps the LA Lakers to advance to the 2023 NBA Finals

May 23, 2023

The Denver Nuggets will advance to the 2023 NBA Finals as they sweep the Los Angeles Lakers and overcome a 40-pts game by Lebron James.

The Lakers which lead most of the 1st half and lead as much as 15 points before the Denver Nuggest put the clamp down on the Lakers to limit them to only 19 points in the 3rd qtr while scoring 39 points to take over the game.

Lebron James who played all but 4.3 seconds of the game at the end of the first half. James was flirting with a triple-double 21 points in the first quarter, finishing with 40 points, 10 rebs and 9 assists. Lebron James had the change to put the game to OT but was stopped by Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray as he drive to the basket in the closing seconds of the game.

Anthony Davis also sensational with his 21 points, 14 rebs, 1 steal and 3 blocks but did not get any help from the rest of the team aside from the 17 points from Austin Reaves.

Lebron James had nothing but praises to the Nuggets.

“Me and AD were just talking in the locker room (and) we came to the consensus this is one of the best teams, if not the best team, we’ve played together for all four years…Just well-orchestrated, well put together. They have scoring. They have shooting. They have playmaking. They have smarts. They have length. They have depth. And one thing about their team, when you have a guy like Jokic, who as big as he is but also as cerebral as he is, you can’t really make many mistakes versus a guy like that.”

Here is Lebron James full postgame interview.

Nikola Jokic lead the Nuggets with his eighth triple-double of the playoffs; Jokic had 30 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists, include the 3 blocks and 1 steal he made on the defensive end. Jamal Murray scored 25 points and 5 assists, helping Jokic overcome James’ 31-point first half and a 15-point halftime deficit.

This will be Denver Nuggets’ first trip to the NBA finals and first time sweeping a playoff series. Unless Boston Celtics made a miracolous run to win the next 4 games of the Eastern Conference Finals, Denver will host Miami Heat to open the NBA Finals, starting June 1.

Denver Nuggets takes 3-0 lead over the LA Lakers in the WCF

May 21, 2023

Denver Nuggets are 1-win away for their first NBA Finals appearance after defeating the LA Laker in the game 3 of the Western Conference finals. This is the first home lost of the Lakers in the post-season. No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in NBA playoff history but Lebron James remain optimistic in his postgame interview.

For second straight games, Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 37 points, 7 rebs and 6 assists, followed Nikola Jokic scoring 24 points with 8 assists but was plague by foul trouble in the game. the Nuggets due received a lot of help from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope who finished with 17 points, scoring 12 points in the second half, while Michael Porter Jr. chipped-in 14 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high of 6 assists.

Anthony Davis scored 28 points and 18 rebounds for the Lakers but was -12 in the plus/minus column, while James made 23 points with 12 assists and Austin Reaves added 23 points and 7 rebounds but they could not counter Nuggets balanced offence in the clutch. Five Nuggets players are in double figures which includes Bruce Brown’s 15 pts with 5 rebounds and 5 assists; Michael Porter Jr. with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists.

Game 4 will still be in LA which is a must for Lakers so they can extend the series to Game 5.

Denver Nuggets defeats LA Lakers to take 2 – 0 lead in the Western Conference Finals

May 19, 2023

Denver Nuggets just took a 2 – 0 lead over the Lakers after defeating the LA Lakers in game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.

Nuggets got the win behind Jamal Murray’s explosion by scoring 23 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter. Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic was not as impactful in game 2 as he is in the opener even though he just registered another triple-double, scoring 23 points with 17 rebounds and dished 12 assists, his 7th triple-double in the post season and 4th straight.

The Lakers are not panicking even though they’re down 0 – 2, and James even said this in his postgame interview – “This is not the NCAA Tournament. It’s the first team to four wins.”

In the game, Lebron James was flirting with triple-double, scoring 22 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds, he was also 0 – 6 from beyond in the three-point line in the game and just 1 – 19 in the fourth quarter this postseason. Collectively, James and Reaves both scored 22 for Los Angeles, while Anthony Davis scored just 18 points after scoring 40 pts in game 1.

Game 3 of the WCF will be this Saturday at the crypto.com Arena, where the Lakers are still undefeated this post season.

Complete picture of the 2nd Round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs

May 1, 2023

Now that the Warriors will advance to the 2nd round of the NBA Playoffs we now have a complete pictures of the 2nd Round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs. A number of games have already been played and here’s a roundup as of this date.

Western Conference

  • Los Angeles Lakers will face the Golden State Warriors. The Lakers dispatched the Grizzlies in 6 games and have been waiting for winner of the the Warriors-Kings series.
  • Denver Nuggets versus the Phoenix Suns. Nuggets already won game 1 in a convincing win against the Suns. It was Jamal Murray who carried the load for the Nuggets scoring 34 pts and 9 assists. MVP candidate Nikola Jovic contributed 24 points, 19 rebs and 5 assists.

    Game 2 will on Monday, at the Ball Arena, in Denver.

Eastern Conference

  • Boston Celtics versus Philadelphia 76ers. Game 1 will this Tuesday at the TD Garden. Joel Embiid is doubtful for game 1 against the Celtics 76ers.
  • Miami Heat versus New York Knicks. Miami Heat already took game 1 even though Jimmy Butler is nursing an ankle injury. Jimmy Butler lead the Heat with 25 points and 11 rebounds.

    Game 2 will be this Tuesday, at the Madison Square Garden, New York.