Game 34: Denver Nuggets (18-15) @ Chicago Bulls (15-17) - 8:00PM

[ducler]

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[GeorgeSears]

Another dominant 1st Q for the Nuggets. Everything seems to be rolling along.

[skywalker33]

LaVine seems the only threat to us, although they do have a couple of role players stepping up. Barton has really lost any edge he has had this season IMO.

Our Big 3 coming along nicely Predicting ANOTHER triple-double for Jokic (ok, not much of a reach there, but I'm calling it now).

[THE J0KER]

After another big 1st quarter Nuggets missed opportunity to *win* this game already in 1st half. 62-55 on halftime is still active result, especially with Nuggets playing without 5 players today. But with BIG3 playing like BIG3 we should win this. Jokic 25+ triple-double, Murray 25+, and MPJ 20p double-double should be new normal for Nuggets.

[GeorgeSears]

It's 84-80 and it feels like the Nuggets have played a great game, especially defensively. I just hope they don't blow this one.

[skywalker33]

Morris really looks "uncomfortable" in the starting line-up, will be glad when he gets back to the bench. Speaking of the bench, we really need to get more from our reserves, at least in the next 3 games

[_Joker]

Sack Malone

[GeorgeSears]

The way this game's going, feels like the Nuggets are going to lose this one. I hope I'm wrong, but I've seen this play out too many times before.

[GeorgeSears]

Jokic completely bailed out the Nuggets. That was an MVP caliber performance.

[DaFan334]

Tougher than expected win but that's what we need to do in these games.

MPJ should probably be playing the 4 regularly. I think he is a nice fit next to Joker, can rebound, and also can be a rim protector who can cover stretch 4s while spreading the floor. The team would be better off with him starting there and then trying to get a defensive wing to start and help cover the Lebrons and Kawhis of the world.

[THE J0KER]

We actually more needed a win like this more than a routine win, considering how bad is Nuggets record this season in close games.

Jokic fell to have 40-15-10 game with 39-14-9, Murray fell to have 25p game with 24, while MPJ scored only 2p in 2nd half and instead 20p game finished with 17-15, but our BIG3 are BIG today!

Malone should stop these last-minute wrong substitutions. Denver was +12 in full control of the game in the last minute of 1st half when he benched Jokic which finished with a 5-0 Bulls mini run. In the last minute of the 2nd half without reason replaced few times on the defensive end Porter our best rebounder today with Dozier who shot FT 2-6.

[TunaFish]

Denver only had nine players available so the bench struggled. Jokic, Murray and MPJ are playing well together.

[Maf]

Loved the energy Nuggets started with but I think they lost concentration when they started to worry too much about refs. But thankfuly Jokič took the team on his back and brought W home. I had fun with that key three pointer by Murray. It was classic "no no no why the hell are you shooting this... Ok, alright I guess."

I feel I need to call out Barton today. Not for taking like three bad shots but he seemed like he saw only Jokič on the floor. There were several times when he had open MPJ on the three point line but he just threw it to Jokič every time. I am not saying passing to your best man is a bad thing but if you do it every time you make it easier for defenders.

And my oh my... After long time I watched the game with our commentators and Marlowe was terrible. He was more off than Dozier with his FTs. He called Bulls into penalty like three fauls earlier, missed Lavine hitting technical free throw etc... And someone should tell him that "put Jokič into dunk contest" is really bad joke. Woman was fine but I missed Hastings.

[Timmyyy]

Loved the energy Nuggets started with but I think they lost concentration when they started to worry too much about refs. But thankfuly Jokič took the team on his back and brought W home. I had fun with that key three pointer by Murray. It was classic "no no no why the hell are you shooting this... Ok, alright I guess."

I feel I need to call out Barton today. Not for taking like three bad shots but he seemed like he saw only Jokič on the floor. There were several times when he had open MPJ on the three point line but he just threw it to Jokič every time. I am not saying passing to your best man is a bad thing but if you do it every time you make it easier for defenders.

And my oh my... After long time I watched the game with our commentators and Marlowe was terrible. He was more off than Dozier with his FTs. He called Bulls into penalty like three fauls earlier, missed Lavine hitting technical free throw etc... And someone should tell him that "put Jokič into dunk contest" is really bad joke. Woman was fine but I missed Hastings.

Why wouldn't you call out a player for taking 3 bad shots? "Bad shot" inherently says its the wrong decision. If he does it three times, you have to call him out for it. Him passing to Jokic a lot is much less of a problem of his than his bad decision making. Not just this game but in general.

But I have to agree with your assessment of Marlowe. So many wrong things he puts out there. Katy Winge (that's the womans name by the way) is exclusively talking in basketball phrases like "you have to take it to the rim more" or "Don't settle for jumpers" or is using clichees and reputation like "Jamaal Murray is such a tough guy". No real analysis of what is really going on out there. Hastings is the only one who is doing it.

[NuggetsWY]

I feel I need to call out Barton today. Not for taking like three bad shots but he seemed like he saw only Jokič on the floor. There were several times when he had open MPJ on the three point line but he just threw it to Jokič every time. I am not saying passing to your best man is a bad thing but if you do it every time you make it easier for defenders.

Why wouldn't you call out a player for taking 3 bad shots? "Bad shot" inherently says its the wrong decision. If he does it three times, you have to call him out for it.

"Bad shot" is just something a player misses. Superstars take "bad shots" all the time but mostly they aren't criticized to. No, I'm not calling Barton a superstar but he's just a player that think he can make about any shot that is even close to possible. I've criticized his game many times and will probably continue to do so; but that's just the way he is.

[NuggetsWY]

I've made no secret that I disagree with Malone's rotation and playing time distribution (and I still disagree). But missing Millsap and Green at the same time has forced him to play Hartenstein & Nnaji more - probably should add Porter in there too. Now he's playing Cancar and Whittington a little (trying about anything).

Just makes me appreciate the value of having the veterans playing. But I'm enjoying these games and think they'll help the team in the long run.

[Timmyyy]

I feel I need to call out Barton today. Not for taking like three bad shots but he seemed like he saw only Jokič on the floor. There were several times when he had open MPJ on the three point line but he just threw it to Jokič every time. I am not saying passing to your best man is a bad thing but if you do it every time you make it easier for defenders.

Why wouldn't you call out a player for taking 3 bad shots? "Bad shot" inherently says its the wrong decision. If he does it three times, you have to call him out for it.

"Bad shot" is just something a player misses. Superstars take "bad shots" all the time but mostly they aren't criticized to. No, I'm not calling Barton a superstar but he's just a player that think he can make about any shot that is even close to possible. I've criticized his game many times and will probably continue to do so; but that's just the way he is.

Man, it feels like we have completely different definitions of what a bad shot is.

If a player misses a wide open layup it is not a bad shot. He made the right decision shooting it because it is a high percentage shot, he was just dumb enough to brick it.
On the other hand the Murray 3 late in the game for example was a bad shot despite going in. It was open, yes, but we are in front by one with a whole shot clock to go 1:20 or so before the end of the game and the lane was open. Driving to the hoop would have been a way higher percentage shot. I mean if he bricks it he is the loser of the game if we lose it.

Shooting early shotclock contested 3s, unnecessary fadeaways from deep 2 or driving into a wall of defenders at the rim and try to shoot over it. These are bad shot for me and I criticize every player if he takes shots like that. Most other people do too it feels, I mean how often was Westbrook criticized for his bad decision making despite being such a great player. Good players just usually tend to avoid these shots or in some cases are just really really good at making them. Barton does neither of this.

I am not one of the irrational Barton haters on here, but if you can't criticize him for his obvious bad decision making than I guess you can't fault him for anything. Because thats by far his biggest problem alongside his effort from time to time. If he plays within himself he is quite good offensively, but sometimes he will just go nuts with his shot selection and he is way too inconsistent with it to do it regularly.

[TunaFish]

Why wouldn't you call out a player for taking 3 bad shots? "Bad shot" inherently says its the wrong decision. If he does it three times, you have to call him out for it.

"Bad shot" is just something a player misses. Superstars take "bad shots" all the time but mostly they aren't criticized to. No, I'm not calling Barton a superstar but he's just a player that think he can make about any shot that is even close to possible. I've criticized his game many times and will probably continue to do so; but that's just the way he is.

Man, it feels like we have completely different definitions of what a bad shot is.

If a player misses a wide open layup it is not a bad shot. He made the right decision shooting it because it is a high percentage shot, he was just dumb enough to brick it.
On the other hand the Murray 3 late in the game for example was a bad shot despite going in. It was open, yes, but we are in front by one with a whole shot clock to go 1:20 or so before the end of the game and the lane was open. Driving to the hoop would have been a way higher percentage shot. I mean if he bricks it he is the loser of the game if we lose it.

Shooting early shotclock contested 3s, unnecessary fadeaways from deep 2 or driving into a wall of defenders at the rim and try to shoot over it. These are bad shot for me and I criticize every player if he takes shots like that. Most other people do too it feels, I mean how often was Westbrook criticized for his bad decision making despite being such a great player. Good players just usually tend to avoid these shots or in some cases are just really really good at making them. Barton does neither of this.

I am not one of the irrational Barton haters on here, but if you can't criticize him for his obvious bad decision making than I guess you can't fault him for anything. Because thats by far his biggest problem alongside his effort from time to time. If he plays within himself he is quite good offensively, but sometimes he will just go nuts with his shot selection and he is way too inconsistent with it to do it regularly.

On the issue of "bad shots" that's a great definition and I would have been in full agreement with you except there is one flaw; the Golden State Warriors broke that mold. When a shooter like Murray is "feeling it," there is no such thing as a bad shot.

[NuggetsWY]

"Bad shot" is just something a player misses. Superstars take "bad shots" all the time but mostly they aren't criticized to. No, I'm not calling Barton a superstar but he's just a player that think he can make about any shot that is even close to possible. I've criticized his game many times and will probably continue to do so; but that's just the way he is.

Man, it feels like we have completely different definitions of what a bad shot is.

If a player misses a wide open layup it is not a bad shot. He made the right decision shooting it because it is a high percentage shot, he was just dumb enough to brick it.
On the other hand the Murray 3 late in the game for example was a bad shot despite going in. It was open, yes, but we are in front by one with a whole shot clock to go 1:20 or so before the end of the game and the lane was open. Driving to the hoop would have been a way higher percentage shot. I mean if he bricks it he is the loser of the game if we lose it.

Shooting early shotclock contested 3s, unnecessary fadeaways from deep 2 or driving into a wall of defenders at the rim and try to shoot over it. These are bad shot for me and I criticize every player if he takes shots like that. Most other people do too it feels, I mean how often was Westbrook criticized for his bad decision making despite being such a great player. Good players just usually tend to avoid these shots or in some cases are just really really good at making them. Barton does neither of this.

I am not one of the irrational Barton haters on here, but if you can't criticize him for his obvious bad decision making than I guess you can't fault him for anything. Because thats by far his biggest problem alongside his effort from time to time. If he plays within himself he is quite good offensively, but sometimes he will just go nuts with his shot selection and he is way too inconsistent with it to do it regularly.

On the issue of "bad shots" that's a great definition and I would have been in full agreement with you except there is one flaw; the Golden State Warriors broke that mold. When a shooter like Murray is "feeling it," there is no such thing as a bad shot.

Oh, I agree with Timmyyy's definition of a bad shot - but with some players, that's just part of the game. You just have to balance their bad shots with everything else they do (or don''t do).

Will Barton is shooting 43% from the field with 38% from 3pt range. If a guy takes too many bad shots, they have a worse percentage than that. (Although he's 2pt shooting isn't so great.) My objection to Barton's game is that sometimes he takes very early shots (in terms of the shot clock). I don't care if he's open or they go in; those are bad shots because they don't get others involved in the game. On the other hand, I think sometimes the Nuggets over pass and taking a wide-open shot is smart basketball.