2024 NBA Playoffs: West Semifinals: #2 Denver Nuggets vs #3 Minnesota Timberwolves (MIN WINS 4-3)

[Mamba Mentality]

If Murray is THIS hobbled by injuries then I'm not sure the Nuggets could even beat a team like the Mavericks even if Jokic was playing at an insane level (which he is not in this series)

Murray wasn't even playing well against us before he supposedly got hurt. Wolves are just that good, they locked up Booker and Beal and now they're putting Murray in prison.

[Special_Puppy]

The series is definitely over. Denver has nothing on Minnesota. It's going to be an easy sweep. Let's hope Murray and Jokic will be better next year, to give Minnesota some competition.

It’s not going to be an easy sweep—Denver is too good for that to happen. Everything has gone perfectly for the Wolves these playoffs and that doesn’t usually last for any team.

I just don't think Denver has it in them this year. Murray is injured and this team is way too much for Jokic to carry solo.

Will Murray be healthy for next year? He's been injured 3 out of the 4 past post-seasons

[lambchop]

2020 bubble.

2020 bubble featured a healthy Kawhi, PG, AD, LBJ, pre injury Murray, Jokic, Lillard, Harden etc.

From a star power perspective it was easily the best the west has been in the last couple years.

Murray had a hamstring injury he was coming back from, Jokic was playing at his lightest weight in years returning from Serbia. Golden State wasn’t in it, Portland made it with a losing record. No Booker and the Suns, etc.

The Suns were irrelevant at the time. Booker was just budding into a bonafide star. Healthy Kawhi >>>>> Booker's career. Hamstring Murray was still the healthiest, most explosive version ever seen in the playoffs. Averaged 26 ppg on 50% shooting and 45% from deep. We all know about those acrobatic layups. Never to be seen again.

Portland sucked, but it was prime Lillard. Better versions of Russ and Harden back then too. Golden State wasn't in the POs, but they aren't now either. So, yea, from a star power perspective it's really just the Jokic argument that is valid.

[Special_Puppy]

If Murray is THIS hobbled by injuries then I'm not sure the Nuggets could even beat a team like the Mavericks even if Jokic was playing at an insane level (which he is not in this series)

Murray wasn't even playing well against us before he supposedly got hurt. Wolves are just that good, they locked up Booker and Beal and now they're putting Murray in prison.

Murray was absolutely awful against a flawed Lakers team. This isn't just the Wolves

[Shaka_Zulu]

[Jailblazers7]

Ant has to smell blood in the water now after that little temper tantrum by Murray. He’s gonna cut his heart out of his chest like he did to Beal.

[Froob]

That should be an ejection and arguably a suspension

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/275622/Marc-Davis-Jamal-Murray-Should-Have-Received-Tech-Not-Ejection-For-Throwing-Heat-Pad-Onto-Floor

Stupid, dangerous, easily avoidable. What a bum.

[SweetTouch]

Mike Malone needs to start showing some coaching adjustments.. He is out there getting exposed

Nuggets GM won't stand for much of this.

Malone might get fired this offseason with all the other great coaching candidates out there

Charles Lee
Darvin Ham
Mike Budenholzer

[lambchop]

Ant has to smell blood in the water now after that little temper tantrum by Murray. He’s gonna cut his heart out of his chest like he did to Beal.

Yea Ant is still saving himself up. It's pretty obvious when looking at how he's finishing near the rim, basically just straight layups on he's only dunking when needed. But I expected a filthy one in game 3 or 4 with some trash talk.

[GSWFan1994]

Seems to me that Minnesota took Denver's soul, and they are not giving it back.

Minnesota seems to have an open path to the Finals. They match quite well with all the remaining teams, they are on the upswing and, most importantly, they look healthy, while the other teams have 1 or 2 rotation pieces out or not 100%.

I think it's not far-fetched to say Minnesota are the favorites from now onwards. Who would have thought that 2 seasons ago?

[AbeVigodaLive]

I think it's not far-fetched to say Minnesota are the favorites from now onwards. Who would have thought that 2 seasons ago?

Heck, two weeks ago... they were underdogs vs. Phoenix.

[ccvle]

Who would have thought that 2 seasons ago?

Or just the beginning of this season. I remember people were saying sooner or later, the wolves, thunder or magic would fall back to earth.

[EmpireFalls]

Mike Malone needs to start showing some coaching adjustments.. He is out there getting exposed

Nuggets GM won't stand for much of this.

Malone might get fired this offseason with all the other great coaching candidates out there

Charles Lee
Darvin Ham
Mike Budenholzer

Yes the Nuggets are going to fire their championship coach to hire Darvin Ham

[Jailblazers7]

Give the people the SGA vs. Ant matchup we’re craving.

[Kineto]

I think it's not far-fetched to say Minnesota are the favorites from now onwards. Who would have thought that 2 seasons ago?

Tim Connelly probably, given the royal package sent against rudy gobert.

[Movics]

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[Evenacus]

Great showing so far by the Wolves, they are just locked in while Nuggets look like McDowell's chicken nuggets .
By the looks of these first two games they could easily get swept. Denver have played really bad against this defense what is more important is that Minnesota is playing like a well oiled machine, they've hit their stride at the right time.
I am looking forward to seeing if the Nuggets can make this match up more interesting then it was so far. For the record, I don't see Jokic and co. coming from behind here but let's wait and see, they are the defending champs.

[Jamaaliver]

Wolves doing to Jamal Murray in the 2024 Playoffs what Heat did to Trae Young in the 2022 Playoffs.

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[BlacJacMac]

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[SK21209]

So when people question why some fans (like me) are so nostalgic for 2000s basketball, this is why. Yes, there was a lot of bad, unimaginative offense. But the there was a better balance of skill and physicality. Basketball, and sports, is about more than just pure skill. It's about being about being able to combine your skill with physicality to impose your will on an opponent. Who cares if you can make a pretty step-back three if you can't handle a grown man getting into you.

The Wolves are taking advantage of the league's more lenient officiating since the All Star break and challenging the Nuggets physically. And the Nuggets are backing down. The Nuggets got pushed around and frankly embarrassed themselves. They were like the guy in pick up who calls touch fouls and everyone mocks between runs. I want to see them bounce back and match the force of the Wolves in Game 3.