2024 NBA Season and Playoffs

[j804]

The recipe to beat the Nuggets? Pressure Jamal. Double up on him. Take him out and Jokic is nothing. Let him have his 50.

Didn’t they play Jamal straight up and doubled Jokic this game? Looked like that to me it’s crazy how effective it was

[cman88]

Denver loses a close out game by 40 and the usual posters are nowhere to be seen.

Imagine if the Celtics lost a game 6 close out by 40 with brown (instead of Murray) putting up that stat line?

Still think Denver wins. But game 7s can be crazy. Anything can happen especially if Minnesota plays defense like that.

[Donoghus]

DEN favored by 5 on Sunday.

I honestly have no idea how that game is going to go.  My inclination is to go with the defending champs but they are sure finding ways to make things hard on themselves.

[Moranis]

I think Jokic has now reached Wilt status, such that teams now let him do his thing and just try to shut everyone else down. And when Murray is 4 of 18, that will work basically every time.

[Vermont Green]

Denver loses a close out game by 40 and the usual posters are nowhere to be seen.

Imagine if the Celtics lost a game 6 close out by 40 with brown (instead of Murray) putting up that stat line?

Still think Denver wins. But game 7s can be crazy. Anything can happen especially if Minnesota plays defense like that.

You are absolutely right that the fans and the radio-waves would be howling if the Celtics played a game like that.  Directed at Brown and also Mazzulla.  The difference is that DEN has 1 title, this Celtics team has 0 titles.  I don't think this is a fair way or an accurate way to judge a team, but that is how it goes.

It is the inexplicable part of NBA basketball.  How a team can play like a champion one night and completely flat the next.  DEN should be plenty worried.  They just gave a feisty young MIN team an oversized dose of confidence and momentum.  That is on top of the confidence they have from already beating DEN in DEN twice.

I don't think Murray is 100% (at least he doesn't look it to me).  That really hurts DEN.  They need Murray.  The "let the rest of them beat you" strategy is very different when Murray is playing well vs. not.  He is the one guy from "the rest of them" that can beat you.  If not him, the rest of the rest isn't going to beat you.

[Goldstar88]

Denver loses a close out game by 40 and the usual posters are nowhere to be seen.

Imagine if the Celtics lost a game 6 close out by 40 with brown (instead of Murray) putting up that stat line?

Still think Denver wins. But game 7s can be crazy. Anything can happen especially if Minnesota plays defense like that.

Yep. Spot on, TP.

[W8ting2McHale]

Michael Porter Jr.

What’s happening with him? He’s been wearing a jersey and that’s about all. He’s had two 20 point games and four less than 10. Against The Lakers he averaged almost 24.

Aaron Gordon has stepped up his scoring a couple of times and Denver has won, but that’s not his game and he can’t be counted on for another 20+ game in game 7. If Murray is hurt it should be MPJ, but he’s all but disappeared the past 3 games.

When Denver becomes one dimensional and Joker is all you need to account for, then they can be beaten.

[gift]

Denver loses a close out game by 40 and the usual posters are nowhere to be seen.

Imagine if the Celtics lost a game 6 close out by 40 with brown (instead of Murray) putting up that stat line?

Still think Denver wins. But game 7s can be crazy. Anything can happen especially if Minnesota plays defense like that.

i've just really had to tune out so much noise this season especially. when minny was up 2-0 and Ant was MJ, i was like "wait, it's totally reasonable that denver wins this series" then denver won the next three and everyone was talking about how denver figured it out and minny was done and my only thought was "i actually expect minny to win game 6 and who knows about game 7" game 6 happens and we barely hear anything negative about denver because people have recently learned not to count them out. but minny won so big that no one really knows what to expect. however, if the celtics performed like either of those teams in this series it would be all gloom.

the reactionary stuff is wild. but i guess that's how most people like to consume their entertainment.

[Donoghus]

Denver loses a close out game by 40 and the usual posters are nowhere to be seen.

Imagine if the Celtics lost a game 6 close out by 40 with brown (instead of Murray) putting up that stat line?

Still think Denver wins. But game 7s can be crazy. Anything can happen especially if Minnesota plays defense like that.

i've just really had to tune out so much noise this season especially. when minny was up 2-0 and Ant was MJ, i was like "wait, it's totally reasonable that denver wins this series" then denver won the next three and everyone was talking about how denver figured it out and minny was done and my only thought was "i actually expect minny to win game 6 and who knows about game 7" game 6 happens and we barely hear anything negative about denver because people have recently learned not to count them out. but minny won so big that no one really knows what to expect. however, if the celtics performed like either of those teams in this series it would be all gloom.

the reactionary stuff is wild. but i guess that's how most people like to consume their entertainment.

So what do you expect in game 7, then?

[angryguy77]

Denver loses a close out game by 40 and the usual posters are nowhere to be seen.

Imagine if the Celtics lost a game 6 close out by 40 with brown (instead of Murray) putting up that stat line?

Still think Denver wins. But game 7s can be crazy. Anything can happen especially if Minnesota plays defense like that.

Difference between Den and Bos is Den doesn't(to my knowledge) make it a habit to not put teams away. Lets be real, most of us are more surprised Boston put the last two teams away in 5. I'd bet most would've not been shocked to see them go to game 6 due to them not being locked in. They have a history of making series' go 1-2 extra games than they should. I'll five them credit for ending these series and I'm hopeful it's a sign they're maturing. Joe has been ok for the most part. Other than the miami game 2, I can't fault him too much for how the rest of the games have flowed.

This isn't excusing Denver's performance yesterday on the defensive end. They simply were not good and needed to be better when they're having a night where they're missing a ton of looks.

[SparzWizard]

Who do y'all have for Game 7? A beatdown like that can be a momentum swing.

And Denver hasn't played a Game 7 in ages.

[angryguy77]

Who do y'all have for Game 7? A beatdown like that can be a momentum swing.

And Denver hasn't played a Game 7 in ages.

Going to go with Den. I don't think they'll shoot that poorly again and I'll take them in a close game.

[RJ87]

Denver loses a close out game by 40 and the usual posters are nowhere to be seen.

Imagine if the Celtics lost a game 6 close out by 40 with brown (instead of Murray) putting up that stat line?

Still think Denver wins. But game 7s can be crazy. Anything can happen especially if Minnesota plays defense like that.

Difference between Den and Bos is Den doesn't(to my knowledge) make it a habit to not put teams away. Lets be real, most of us are more surprised Boston put the last two teams away in 5. I'd bet most would've not been shocked to see them go to game 6 due to them not being locked in. They have a history of making series' go 1-2 extra games than they should. I'll five them credit for ending these series and I'm hopeful it's a sign they're maturing. Joe has been ok for the most part. Other than the miami game 2, I can't fault him too much for how the rest of the games have flowed.

This isn't excusing Denver's performance yesterday on the defensive end. They simply were not good and needed to be better when they're having a night where they're missing a ton of looks.

This is kind of erasing their first round. They needed multiple comeback, buzzer beaters wins to dispatch the Lakers. Denver fans were openly saying on social media that Jokic looked like he was ready to head home to watch his horses race already because he's looked so disengaged at points.

[celticinorlando]

Who do y'all have for Game 7? A beatdown like that can be a momentum swing.

And Denver hasn't played a Game 7 in ages.

Denver. Can't see them losing at home after getting embarrassed.

[Birdman]

Denver by 21