RealGM

No surprises tonight - biggest surprises seem to be when the Spurs double Jokic and when they don't but he's probably ready for either.

The key for the Nuggets is to hustle on offense and hustle on defense and fight for rebounds.

Since 2013, only last season's game#82 vs Minnesota can be compared with this game in terms of importance. What else to say?

This is the last game where I want to see our most frustrating habits such as not playing defense during 1st half or too much Barton in the leading role. Jokic reduced minutes or silly fouls are no problem in this playoff, so I will not mention it.

I find data that in history of NBA playoff the Home teams won 79% of game 7! Very nice stat!

DeRozen looking like his choker self, living up to his reputation very grateful BTW

The only thing I asked for this game is to see Nuggets playing intense defense in first half and reduced Barton minutes. Despite 3rd half in the row Jokic is the only player which fulfils offensively expectations, this time I'm happy, because our defense was brilliant in 1st half.

Booyah! If you don't consider this as a playoffs learning experience, then i don't know what is.

Cheers to us Nugs fans!

Bring on the Blazers!

It has been a while since the Nuggets have won a playoff series. On to Portland and we will see how much this team has grown.

Until the middle of the 3rd everything was perfect, including +17 lead, but than, for the first time during this series Jokic was out of gas, and he was something like 1-10 until the end of game (but thanks to rebounds and passes he was still useful) so suddenly we are in danger. Big credit to Murray which is our worst player in 1st half but best in the second, with several key plays in last quarter.

I was very scared before this series starts, because of Nuggets inexperience, but now after we survived, I think we are clearly favorites vs Portland.

I'm really proud. Well done to everyone involved at the club.

1st half - nice hustle on both ends even though the shooting wasn't so hot plus 34-23 Denver won the boards.

15 & 9 for Jokic in the first half! Triple-double for that night --- is there any doubt left that he can be a true star?

Barton playing at the half-way mark of the 4th quarter scared me. Then Malone switched to having Jokic & Plumlee & Millsap in there for a few minutes. Sure seems like the Spurs are too quick for that lineup. He brought Craig in quickly, so it seemed better but the Spurs kept closing.

Give the Nuggets credit, especially Jokic & Murray for keeping the game under control and thank you to Craig & Harris & Murray especially for moving when Jokic had the ball!

Special thank you to Millsap & Beasley for 7 rebounds each w/Plumlee adding in 6 and Harris & Murray adding 5 each and Plumlee adding in 4 rebounds. Those boards were vital!

THE J0KER wrote::rockon:
Until the middle of the 3rd everything was perfect, including +17 lead, but than, for the first time during this series Jokic was out of gas, and he was something like 1-10 until the end of game (but thanks to rebounds and passes he was still useful) so suddenly we are in danger. Big credit to Murray which is our worst player in 1st half but best in the second, with several key plays in last quarter.

I was very scared before this series starts, because of Nuggets inexperience, but now after we survived, I think we are clearly favorites vs Portland.

The Thunder were "clearly favorites" too. Good luck.

Sent from my SM-G955U using RealGM mobile app

It still amazes me though that the Spurs didn't foul when we were up by 4. I thought they were the more experienced squad? Haha

I'm so proud of this team. I don't care what happens in the 2nd round, this has been an incredible season.

CONGRATULATIONS, NUGGET NATION!

Thanks for a great series. I'm proud of the fight we gave y'all, but the better team won. Good luck to your squad in the second round-- may it be an exciting, injury-free, well-officiated series. Y'all have some very bright years ahead of you, and I'm sure we'll be locking horns in the playoffs again.

Not sure if I am more happy about the win or confused why Spurs just gave up.

IMHO we were very lucking playing against this Spurs in a game 7.

How the hell do you shoot 2/20 from Downtown and still win? It has been a huge learning experience for this group, but today's game was far from acceptable.

Sent from my Aquaris M5 using RealGM mobile app

Manolito wrote:IMHO we were very lucking playing against this Spurs in a game 7.

How the hell do you shoot 2/20 from Downtown and still win? It has been a huge learning experience for this group, but today's game was far from acceptable.

I guess it helps when the other team shoots almost as bad from downtown.
Time to calm down before we become rabid over beating whatever that team in Oregon is called

BombsquadSammy wrote:CONGRATULATIONS, NUGGET NATION!

Thanks for a great series. I'm proud of the fight we gave y'all, but the better team won. Good luck to your squad in the second round-- may it be an exciting, injury-free, well-officiated series. Y'all have some very bright years ahead of you, and I'm sure we'll be locking horns in the playoffs again.

Thank you kindly but before we lock horns in the playoffs again; I'll be praying that Popovich decides to retire. It was the most entertaining first round this year, that's for sure!

Man that game was ugly, it is a good thing that our defense was so good because our offense was terrible, especially in the 1st half.

Jokic proved he is an elite franchise player, and while Murray, Beasley, Harris, and Morris all have a way to go, I like the fight they showed up with over the series. Craig's defense was great, and he makes a very good 8th man to hold onto long term. I am disgusted with barton and disappointed with Plumlee and Millsap who I think could have played much better.

I am almost scared to run into the Spurs next year if Pop is still there. Poeltl and White both improved considerably this year, they get D Murray back, and by then Pop may kill or trade Aldridge. I did not think they were as good as they are when we were headed into the series, but they are talented and Pop made some great adjustments when needed. We have now won 1 game in San Antonio in 13 years, and that is the difference in the series.

Maf wrote:Not sure if I am more happy about the win or confused why Spurs just gave up.

the assumption is, the bench was yelling for the foul, but Aldridge couldn't hear them because our crowd was too loud.

It's crazy how everything changes on game 7s. I don't think Pop would have pulled White for Mills on any other game if we kept doubling off of White, but he must have felt scared and didn't want to risk it or rely on White's cutting ability.

On the flip-side, Malone reviewed the game 6 film and realized how terrible the Barton, Plumlee line-up at the start of the 4th was... and his solution was to play Jokic the entire quarter. He wasn't going to take any risks on game 7.

And likewise, I'm guessing Aldridge was too locked in on the Jokic-Murray action to avoid making mistakes, which ironically led to the ultimate mistake of not fouling.