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What's crazy to me is that no one has really talked about the fact that Denver has done all of this without Will Barton.

Will Barton is a significant member of that team. Not only is Barton a starter & team leader, but he was having an outstanding season. Not just outstanding for Barton, but by NBA standards. Fivethirtyeighty did a full study on the season he was having back in December-

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/our-nba-player-ratings-love-will-barton-heres-why/

Barton left the bubble in late July with a knee injury, but is nearing a return. If his shooting and scrappiness become available for the series, they become that much stronger and deeper. Something to watch for.
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Can he play vs the Lakers?

Avery Bradley

But the Clippers did all this dealing with fatigue...

Par36 wrote:But the Clippers did all this dealing with fatigue...

And lack of chicken wings.

SeattleJazzFan wrote:Avery Bradley

Kind of a big difference when it comes to the impact between the two.

It's definitely impressive that the Nuggets are doing so well without such a key player.

But he hasn't played competitive basketball in six months. Probably won't be a good idea to play him even if he gets healthy in time, he'd be rusty as hell, WCF is not the time to sacrifice valuable floor minutes waiting for someone to get back to full speed.

It sure would be nice to have him for the Lakers. Oh well. Maybe they'll get him back for the finals.

Yeah, but if Conley was available for all the games, and Bojan wasnt out recovering from surgery it may have been a sweep. Injuries are part of the game, you guys are about to play the Lakers are without their best backcourt defender. It happens.

Duke4life831 wrote:

SeattleJazzFan wrote:Avery Bradley

Kind of a big difference when it comes to the impact between the two.

Both are pretty damn important for their team.

Par36 wrote:But the Clippers did all this dealing with fatigue...

PG was also dealing with depression and Lou was missing his daughters. People need to be more understanding.

It is super interesting to see what they do with all this talent.

Next year they should have Will Barton back. You have to think MPJ has earned a big role as well.

They need to consolidate their talent for higher end talent that fits. Because they have more depth then they could ever use.

I mean at some point can they work around something like a Barton, Gary Harris, MPJ, first rounders for Beal and Ish Smith?

Something to go for the jugglar and get another all-star that can play off ball with Murray and Jokic.

They can always get a solid championship vet like a Jae Crowder to makeup any bench depth lost too after a trade like that.

I would not play him , the Nuggets specifically Jamal is better with higher usage and Barton as solid as he can be is not the answer.
Other tha a slight uptick in 3 point % most of his stats are less than previous seasons.

Bergmaniac wrote:It's definitely impressive that the Nuggets are doing so well without such a key player.

But he hasn't played competitive basketball in six months. Probably won't be a good idea to play him even if he gets healthy in time, he'd be rusty as hell, WCF is not the time to sacrifice valuable floor minutes waiting for someone to get back to full speed.

Reminds me of when Orlando bought back Jameer Nelson for the finals despite not playing in months and with Rafer Alston playing great. That was a bad move to mess with that chemistry

Raps in 4 wrote:

Par36 wrote:But the Clippers did all this dealing with fatigue...

PG was also dealing with depression and Lou was missing his daughters. People need to be more understanding.

Maybe Lou shoulda went to see his daughter instead of going out for chicken wings then.

SF_Warriors wrote:

Raps in 4 wrote:

Par36 wrote:But the Clippers did all this dealing with fatigue...

PG was also dealing with depression and Lou was missing his daughters. People need to be more understanding.

Maybe Lou shoulda went to see his daughter instead of going out for chicken wings then.

Show some respect. He needed the strippers and wings to take his mind off the pain.

Bergmaniac wrote:It's definitely impressive that the Nuggets are doing so well without such a key player.

But he hasn't played competitive basketball in six months. Probably won't be a good idea to play him even if he gets healthy in time, he'd be rusty as hell , WCF is not the time to sacrifice valuable floor minutes waiting for someone to get back to full speed.

Neither had Rondo until about a week ago. Didn't seem to affect his ability to contribute. The Lakers are pretty happy to have him back.

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SeattleJazzFan wrote:

Duke4life831 wrote:

SeattleJazzFan wrote:Avery Bradley

Kind of a big difference when it comes to the impact between the two.

Both are pretty damn important for their team.

Sure but there are levels here. Barton was Nuggets 3rd leading scorer, he averaged almost twice as many points as Bradley did (15 vs 8). Barton's On/Off this year was +8.2, vs Bradley's +2.8.

Denver is in desperate need of a consistent 3rd scorer. Right now they got a rookie MPJ who is inconsistent and a horrific defender and Jerami Grant who shouldnt be counted on to do anything offensively. Barton was actually Denver's best 3pt shooter this year and their second best perimeter defender.

Dont get me wrong, Im not saying Bradley isnt a positive for the Lakers, but we are talking 2 very different levels of impact for their teams.

Raps in 4 wrote:

SF_Warriors wrote:

Raps in 4 wrote:
PG was also dealing with depression and Lou was missing his daughters. People need to be more understanding.

Maybe Lou shoulda went to see his daughter instead of going out for chicken wings then.

Show some respect. He needed the strippers and wings to take his mind off the pain.

To be fair, those things really have never failed to cheer me up. As a combo? fuhgetaboutit

Dominater wrote:

Bergmaniac wrote:It's definitely impressive that the Nuggets are doing so well without such a key player.

But he hasn't played competitive basketball in six months. Probably won't be a good idea to play him even if he gets healthy in time, he'd be rusty as hell, WCF is not the time to sacrifice valuable floor minutes waiting for someone to get back to full speed.

Reminds me of when Orlando bought back Jameer Nelson for the finals despite not playing in months and with Rafer Alston playing great. That was a bad move to mess with that chemistry

Agreed, but I do think Barton is much easier to plug back into the offense. Nelson was the PG for the team and the #2 guy. When it comes to Denver, as long as its not Jokic or Murray, its much easier to plug someone back in, just like it was for Gary Harris.