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Portland needs this game more than Denver and will be motivated but the way the Nuggets are playing, it should be a good tight game. Denver has every reason to try and end this series as quick as possible.

Winning 4-3 in series is always great, but that damaging the start of the next series if the opponent didn't play 7 too. So, better we win this routinely!

The defense on Lillard was good, the defense on everyone else was not.

It's games like these that frustrate me as a Nuggets fans more than anything. Here was their opportunity to really crush the Blazers hopes and go up 3-1 with a chance to close it out in game 5, and instead they come out with a complete dud of a performance. I get that Portland was desperate and needed a win and they played like it. And I wouldn't even be upset if the Nuggets ended up losing a close game, but to get blown out like this is just not acceptable, with or without Murray. You can't come so poorly prepared to a playoff game. It's not like the Blazers are hitting 20+ 3s they're not even shooting it that well, but they're getting everything they want in the paint.

It makes you question both the players and the coaching staff.

It is almost sad how little the national announcers know about the Nuggets, they should be embarrassed.

I know we all know they do not pay attention to the Nuggets, but this is not the 1st time that we have not shown up for a playoff game, hell we do it once every couple of weeks seemingly whether it was playoffs or not. Yet they keep talking about how we have no 2nd option and just not enough talent. While I agree without Murray and Barton we don't have a ton of scorers, that is not the issue/ The issue today is just lack of effort. We did it in game 1 against the Jazz, Clippers, and Lakers last season, season before last there were a couple of games where we did not really show up including game 6 against the trailblazers, and now game 4 against the TRailblazers this year.

The real question to me is why do we do this all the time? Is it coaching? Is it cockiness? Does the front office ask the coaches to extend the playoffs for more cash? WTF happens to this team?

The Rebel wrote: While I agree without Murray and Barton we don't have a ton of scorers, that is not the issue/ The issue today is just lack of effort. We did it in game 1 against the Jazz, Clippers, and Lakers last season, season before last there were a couple of games where we did not really show up including game 6 against the trailblazers, and now game 4 against the TRailblazers this year.

The real question to me is why do we do this all the time? Is it coaching? Is it cockiness? Does the front office ask the coaches to extend the playoffs for more cash? WTF happens to this team?

It's becoming pathetic. If this series goes to 7 games, win or lose, it's a failure because then the rested Lakers will be waiting for them after most likely beating Phoenix in 5. This can't continue to happen. They can't keep struggling to win series. 2 years ago they should've beaten the Spurs in 5 and the Blazers in 6. Spurs had no Kawhi and Derrick White was their starting PG! I could dismiss that as lack of experience but two years later and they're still struggling to win a series comfortably. Obviously, the players need to step up. MPJ needs to take more shots etc. But coaching has to take responsibility as well. How can you not prepare for a game like this?

Anyways, if Nuggets lose the series they'll have the Murray excuse to fall back on, but I think it's deeper than that and big changes need to be made. Because this cannot continue.

GeorgeSears wrote:

The Rebel wrote: While I agree without Murray and Barton we don't have a ton of scorers, that is not the issue/ The issue today is just lack of effort. We did it in game 1 against the Jazz, Clippers, and Lakers last season, season before last there were a couple of games where we did not really show up including game 6 against the trailblazers, and now game 4 against the TRailblazers this year.

The real question to me is why do we do this all the time? Is it coaching? Is it cockiness? Does the front office ask the coaches to extend the playoffs for more cash? WTF happens to this team?

It's becoming pathetic. If this series goes to 7 games, win or lose, it's a failure because then the rested Lakers will be waiting for them after most likely beating Phoenix in 5. This can't continue to happen. They can't keep struggling to win series. 2 years ago they should've beaten the Spurs in 5 and the Blazers in 6. Spurs had no Kawhi and Derrick White was their starting PG! I could dismiss that as lack of experience but two years later and they're still struggling to win a series comfortably. Obviously, the players need to step up. MPJ needs to take more shots etc. But coaching has to take responsibility as well. How can you not prepare for a game like this?

Anyways, if Nuggets lose the series they'll have the Murray excuse to fall back on, but I think it's deeper than that and big changes need to be made. Because this cannot continue.

We were probably prepared for the game, but Malone sucks at in game changes, if his before game plan doesnt work, just call it the day. Im sure he will prepare better for next game, but if it comes to game 7,and we need some change Malone is not used to, we are done

psimanic1 wrote:

GeorgeSears wrote:

The Rebel wrote: While I agree without Murray and Barton we don't have a ton of scorers, that is not the issue/ The issue today is just lack of effort. We did it in game 1 against the Jazz, Clippers, and Lakers last season, season before last there were a couple of games where we did not really show up including game 6 against the trailblazers, and now game 4 against the TRailblazers this year.

The real question to me is why do we do this all the time? Is it coaching? Is it cockiness? Does the front office ask the coaches to extend the playoffs for more cash? WTF happens to this team?

It's becoming pathetic. If this series goes to 7 games, win or lose, it's a failure because then the rested Lakers will be waiting for them after most likely beating Phoenix in 5. This can't continue to happen. They can't keep struggling to win series. 2 years ago they should've beaten the Spurs in 5 and the Blazers in 6. Spurs had no Kawhi and Derrick White was their starting PG! I could dismiss that as lack of experience but two years later and they're still struggling to win a series comfortably. Obviously, the players need to step up. MPJ needs to take more shots etc. But coaching has to take responsibility as well. How can you not prepare for a game like this?

Anyways, if Nuggets lose the series they'll have the Murray excuse to fall back on, but I think it's deeper than that and big changes need to be made. Because this cannot continue.

We were probably prepared for the game, but Malone sucks at in game changes, if his before game plan doesnt work, just call it the day. Im sure he will prepare better for next game, but if it comes to game 7,and we need some change Malone is not used to, we are done

I personally think Malone is bad at guessing the other team's changes, once he finds something that works he tries to stick to it, until it is well proven to have quit working.

The Trailblazers made a big adjustment on offense, they had Dame passing a lot more, and CJ, Powell, Nurkic, and Melo are too good of scorers to ignore. Those guys can play 4 on 4 and find the mismatches where ever they are.

Our offense hasn't really changed in years, and it still works when you have some good shooters in the backcourt, but we don't have that.

We are still defending them like we have all season, with the difference that Gordon or whoever is sticking to Dame. Even worse we are not aggressive at all on jumping the pick and rolls we are giving them too much space. The weirdest thing to me is that we have the guards trying to guard guys like Covington when Gordon is on Dame while MPJ has spent a lot of time on Powell and Melo showing Malone is still sticking to MPJ as a SF.

The Blazers have also made a huge adjustment going into the series and have tightened it up to game plan for both Jokic and MPJ. In game 2 MPJ and Jokic were just too good at shooting while in Game 3 Rivers and Green got hot enough to help Jokic. Tonight I saw Jokic and MPJ constantly drawing a soft double, with Nurkic and Powell were pushing up hard on Jokic and Porter. There was always at least 1 guy between them and the rim, cutting off all passing and driving lanes going to the rim. They were basically playing a box and 1 zone against both Jokic and MPJ. The same thing they have done against Murray and Jokic for 3 years.

One issue is that MPJ has not developed a floater yet, that means that he cannot really drive or make a back cut, because there is already someone waiting for him. Right now to win Jokic has to go crazy and at least 2 of the other guys have to get hot enough to open room for MPJ.

How do we fix the offense? With Barton we would at least have another guy that they have to cover, Dozier would at least give us someone that could guard one of the perimeter guys and allowing MPJ to play against Covington but without those guys I don't know. We are depending on Jokic getting hot and guys forcing the defense to cover them, and that is not easy. We really don't have iso scorers without Murray and Barton.

The Nuggets lost one game - why? Not sure it matters. What matters now is how they play in the next game.