2023 Western Conference Finals | (1) Denver Nuggets VS (7) Los Angeles Lakers (DEN leads 3-0)

[Infinite Llamas]

No, they are not. Horry and Thorpe were better players than Gordon and Green , Drexler was the better player than Murray,Cassell and Maxwell were better player than KCP and Brown etc. The Rockets had better supporting cast and is not even close. Houston Rockets were deep team.

Its funny how Denver/Jokic fans downgrade nuggets own player except for Jokic. And elevate other teams players.

Without playoff Murray. Denver isn’t advancing. It’s a simple fact. No matter what Jokic does. MPJ is meh so losing him isn’t a big deal. But losing playoff Murray makes a world of difference. That’s really the difference in the 2023 playoff run of the nuggets. Having playoff Murray play big factor in most of their games.

You use playoff Murray but you put in Booker/Maxey/Mitchell/Ant/prime Kemba even…the results are probably the same. Murray is the replaceable one. Jokic isn’t and that’s the difference. Give him any competent combo guard and he can roll. How would playoff Murray do playing alongside Gobert or Ayton or Bam? The answer is probably not as good. Jokic generates him so many open looks through screens and added defensive attention.

[G35]

His regular season and playoff production is exactly the same as last year.

- Warriors won 53 games last year and 44 games this year; SRS = 5.52 last year, SRS this year = 1.66

- Phoenix won 64 games last year and 45 games this year; SRS = 6.94 last year, SRS this year = 2.08

- Memphis won 56 games last years and 51 games this year; SRS = 5.37 last year, SRS this year = 3.60

- Dallas won 52 games last year and 38 games this year; SRS = 3.12 last year, SRS this year = -0.14

- Denver won 48 games last year and 53 games this year; SRS = 2.16 last year, SRS this year = 3.04

- Lakers won 33 games last year and 43 games this year; SRS = -3.08 last year, SRS this year = 0.43


I know this is hard for you to understand but the Nuggets improved slightly and the rest of the West got worse and the Lakers shouldn't have even made the playoffs.....

What does SRS, a team stat, have to do with Jokic's individual production?

That it took other teams declining for the Nuggets to advance. The Nuggets are not a great team, its just the competition is worse. As many have said, Jokic's production hasn't changed, but the Nuggets are one game away from the finals. So now there is debate about Jokic's individual performance. I agree it hasn't changed, there just aren't any top tier teams in the West.

You shouldn't move Jokic up are down based on the Nuggets advancement because they aren't playing great teams.....

[Heej]

DLo just lost a ton of money because of his WCF performance.
What worries me is that Lebron now might push Rob again to find a way to get Kyrie.
James will also have that I’ll get so much better once I get that foot surgery narrative.
End if 2024 Season, AD AND Lebron would be gone unless Jeannie wants to extend to sell tickets.

This is absolutely not happening no matter how much people try to meme this into existence. The Lakers can't get Kyrie in a S&T without renouncing Reaves and Rui, which would absolutely not be worth it. We see how much it matters now and how hard it is to get that 5th 2-way closer in a rotation. Only other way is if Kyrie signs for the mid-level which is crackhead fever dream season.

Same scenario for the other disgruntled stars like Lavine and Beal. The league is just too deeply talented to try and give up depth for stars now which is epic. Too many rotation guys can beat your scheme and carry their team's offense for stretches or can blow up your team's minutes hammering a flaw. This is where losing Caruso finally came home to roost. Him playing Dennis' minutes likely makes a 1-game difference.

Like I said before, this team likely comes back better. Ham probably improves after this trial by fire, and I wouldn't be surprised if he has that Spo-esque origin story and subsequent evolution after getting cucked schematically by Carlisle in the 2011 Finals. LeBron likely gets better with his foot and a better shooting season from 3 cuz that's how things usually go with him when he's in his second year with a new team.

The problem is that not a single Minny trade guy has been able to be a playoff closer or reliable minutes guy. The Lakers draft well and may be able to find a guy at #17 that can eat up rotation minutes. Somewhere in between Keegan Murray and Christian Braun level. But that's ideal scenario and not at all likely.

The other guy they're depending on is 2nd year guy Max Christie taking a leap which I actually think has decent upside given what I saw from his playmaking during playoff audition minutes. His biggest flaw is that he's too small so unless he gets in the weight room big time, his potential is capped. But best case scenario he evolves into SF KCP.

Is that gonna be enough to beat a Nuggets roster that's also going to be better next year? Doubtful unless LeBron really has an even bigger outlier old man year. I don't realistically see a way for this team to contend unless at least the top 6 teams all have injuries at once lmao. Or Ham turns into Spoelstra part 2.

Pelinka's next move defines his legacy as a GM. He's net neutral in my eyes. Blew up the bubble team, and salvaged this current one.

[stoo]

About 76ers, their problem is Embiid.
About TWooves, Suns and Lakers, their problem are Nuggets

[Childs]

If you told me 20 years ago this guy would of had a chance to sweep the Lakers....

[Childs]

i just watched AD's post presser, my god that's some lame stuff

dude is incapable of saying anything genuine, just reciting cliche's to not offend anyone and keep selling jersies

for real, he said something like - we've climbed from behind this whole season, starterd 2-10, here we are haha and this is just a "steeper climb" and we gotta "take it one game at a time"

lol, just say what's on ur mind he sounds high and unbothered

Watch on YouTube

I wish he did this instead at the pressor.

[kuclas]

No, they are not. Horry and Thorpe were better players than Gordon and Green , Drexler was the better player than Murray,Cassell and Maxwell were better player than KCP and Brown etc. The Rockets had better supporting cast and is not even close. Houston Rockets were deep team.

Its funny how Denver/Jokic fans downgrade nuggets own player except for Jokic. And elevate other teams players.

Without playoff Murray. Denver isn’t advancing. It’s a simple fact. No matter what Jokic does. MPJ is meh so losing him isn’t a big deal. But losing playoff Murray makes a world of difference. That’s really the difference in the 2023 playoff run of the nuggets. Having playoff Murray play big factor in most of their games.

You use playoff Murray but you put in Booker/Maxey/Mitchell/Ant/prime Kemba even…the results are probably the same. Murray is the replaceable one. Jokic isn’t and that’s the difference. Give him any competent combo guard and he can roll. How would playoff Murray do playing alongside Gobert or Ayton or Bam? The answer is probably not as good. Jokic generates him so many open looks through screens and added defensive attention.

You can use anyone u want. Austin reaves will work as well. If Austin reaves can score 28-35 a night as secondary scorer on Denver. Jokic would advanced as well and doesn’t need Murray.

You need a secondary scorer and that’s usually a perimeter guy who can hit the key shot in tight playoff games. That’s what really the playoffs are all about. The tight playoff games determine the series. Blowouts happen. But it’s really the 1-2 games in a series that is the key.

[Cubbies2120]

Its funny how Denver/Jokic fans downgrade nuggets own player except for Jokic. And elevate other teams players.

Without playoff Murray. Denver isn’t advancing. It’s a simple fact. No matter what Jokic does. MPJ is meh so losing him isn’t a big deal. But losing playoff Murray makes a world of difference. That’s really the difference in the 2023 playoff run of the nuggets. Having playoff Murray play big factor in most of their games.

You use playoff Murray but you put in Booker/Maxey/Mitchell/Ant/prime Kemba even…the results are probably the same. Murray is the replaceable one. Jokic isn’t and that’s the difference. Give him any competent combo guard and he can roll. How would playoff Murray do playing alongside Gobert or Ayton or Bam? The answer is probably not as good. Jokic generates him so many open looks through screens and added defensive attention.

You can use anyone u want. Austin reaves will work as well. If Austin reaves can score 28-35 a night as secondary scorer on Denver. Jokic would advanced as well and doesn’t need Murray.

You need a secondary scorer and that’s usually a perimeter guy who can hit the key shot in tight playoff games. That’s what really the playoffs are all about. The tight playoff games determine the series. Blowouts happen. But it’s really the 1-2 games in a series that is the key.

Uhh, Nuggets fans know this.

Hence why it was infuriating when low- BBIQ posters were claiming that Murray/MPJ weren't going to make a difference when Jokic lost to the WC Champs and the NBA Champs.

Now people are seeing what Jokic fans have been saying for 2 years...it was unfair to expect him to beat LITERALLY THE BEST TEAM IN THE NBA without his 2nd option who is capable of playing like this.

I'm glad people are recognizing they were wrong to expect that though

[bisme37]

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