2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West First Round: #4 Denver Nuggets vs #5 LA Clippers (Series tied 1-1)

[HotRocks34]

I'm rooting for Denver but I love this Clippers team and Lue. They dug deep tonight.

[ejftw]

I really like Adelman. He gets it.

No meltdown tonight. If this was Malone he would have totally flipped out postgame.

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It was a close game they lost. Some mental lapses cost them the game. They lost the game. The Clippers needed Kawhi to shoot nearly 100% just to squeak a win out.

And Denver needed Norm, Bogi and Flight 55 to shoot 6-20 while taking 11 more free throws to squeak a win out.

[guynumber45]

Jokic has put up good numbers this series, but he hasn't been great by his standards. It kinda reminds me of what he looked like in the first 2 games from the Wolves series last year. We saw him respond in the next 3 games. Let's see if he can do that again in LA

[California Gold]

I really like Adelman. He gets it.

No meltdown tonight. If this was Malone he would have totally flipped out postgame.

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A loser just like his dad. Runs in the family.

The Adelman curse.

[pepe1991]

LOL at some takes.

Few facts & thoughts:
- there was period of time when Kawhi was top 5-10 player in 2019. In 2019, Paul Geroge was 3rd in MVP race, Kawhi was head and shoulders better player.
- there was period of time when Kawhi was best individual defender in nba
- some of you forgot guy was finals MVP- twice, and DPOY - twice.
- some of you forgot guy was 2# in MVP voting in 2016.
- today, best player in the world is Jokić, and this isn't even close
- Clippers are well balanced team
- Nuggets are everything but.

- Clippers defense is elite in this series, but rebounding has been an issue, they also botched game 1 clutch, with few dumb mistakes ( Kawhi TO for example late in 4th in game 1).
Clippers "role players" aren't really that average. Powell and Zubac are excellent, when they go to bench Jones, Bogdan, Simmons at least look competent.
-Tyronn Lue is excellent coach.
- David Adelman belongs to puppet extras from Muppet show. He doesn't even pretend to be a coach.


- Nuggets starting 5 is solid, but they are 6 men team. I'm not sure what could any coach do to fix this. There simply isn't enough depth for bigger adjustments. Outside starters and Westbrook, they don't even have single nba- rotation level -regular season level player, let alone body to play in playoffs.

- people who thought AG can lock down Kawhi never watched Raptors- Magic 2019 series. Kawhi averaged 28 PPG on 68% TS

- This will be 7 games series and whoever makes less mistakes in clutch will advance.

Story of a game 1 was, to me, Kawhi costly TO in 4th.
Story of game 2 was, to me, Gordon's missed dunk in 4th.


And lastly, i personally think Clippers will advance, i think Nuggets in this game had 18 more rebounds, but their style of play, casual passing at times, lack of third ball handler, having nobody to replace Jokić for more than a min, having no depth will be too hard to overcome.
Again, even excellent coach would struggle with Nuggets roster to adjust to some things, Adelman isn't nba level coach. He isn't even G league level coach.

Nuggets are dysfunctional team who are failing best player they ever had with nepotism. Once GM & coach were fired, owner's son took role of POBO.
You simply don't fire your coach AND your GM 5 games before regular season. Especially if your "ace in a sleeve" is guy who in his life only coached team in public high school. Even Nico Harrison was surprised by Nuggets move

[JVC1011]

Wonder if Batum should get more minutes. Feel like he’s the only bench player who can shoot (Simmons… DJj) while not being a liability on defense (Bogi)… also his length and shot blocking might help when Zu is on the perimeter

Feels like since the second half of G1 Nuggets have crushed the clippers on the boards lol

Gordon/Mpj/Russ have been doing a good job on the glass

[Mk0]

Clippers young fans of the last decade are growing into diehards. Ballmer’s plan worked.

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The game Thursday is going to have an insane crowd I bet

On NBATV, while Memphis/OKC gets the TNT slot.

I think that gets swapped before the game. No way anyone wants to watch Memphis get beat like a rented mule.

[marson]

Hot take: Kawhi may have 4 or 5 rings by now if he has LeBron's durability.

The guy is the ultimate 2-way monster that rivals MJ if healthy.

[HotRocks34]

I really like Adelman. He gets it.

No meltdown tonight. If this was Malone he would have totally flipped out postgame.

Watch on YouTube

It was a close game they lost. Some mental lapses cost them the game. They lost the game. The Clippers needed Kawhi to shoot nearly 100% just to squeak a win out.

Honestly that was one of the worst playoff performances I've ever seen from a serious team. In terms of turnovers, mental mistakes and missed FTs.

Mal postgame that the loss was on them, and I agree. Also agree with what you said.

It happens, but boy that was like a comedy show.

[AleksandarN]

Interestingly enough he got plenty of help tonight. Where was he down the stretch? Too busy flopping

Porter, Murray, Gordon, and Braun sold hard down the stretch of this game… Not sure what you mean with “plenty of help down the stretch.” Joker deserves plenty of blame with the 7 turnovers as well, but his supporting is significantly weaker than Kawhi has with the Clippers, and all those guys I mentioned made huge mistakes in the final 4 minutes of the game.

Down the stretch I counted a Braun air all 3, a Porter turnover off a rebound and a missed dunk by Gordon.

Championship stuff right there.

Jokic has some miscues but some people are so delusional with their hatred.

Tbf this wasn’t Jokic’s Best game. But what makes Jokic specs is his consistency. He rarely has below average game from him and I don’t expect the same game going forward this series. One thing for sure even if you aren’t a fan of either team this is a great series

[HotRocks34]

Porter may have cost Denver the series with the turnover late and then hurting himself trying to make up for it.

He said postgame that the shoulder is hurting badly.

What a disaster.

[ejftw]

Didn't even realize Denver had 18 more rebounds and ten more free throws.

Sheesh. Need to do a better job boxing out and adjusting to the officials. Zu should also copy Nicole and flop.

[AleksandarN]

Clippers young fans of the last decade are growing into diehards. Ballmer’s plan worked.

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The game Thursday is going to have an insane crowd I bet

Those Clipper fans I respect not the ones who switch teams because their player gets traded. Those aren’t real fans of the team. Just saying

[HotRocks34]

Gordon postgame:

We made plays tonight (mistakes) like I haven't seen since I've been here.

Yep. Looked like panicked school kids. Was shocking to see.

[OkcSinceSGA]

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[HotRocks34]

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No doubt. He can't stop Jokic but he's the toughest matchup for Jokic/Denver because he can do more on offense than Nurkic can.

The only team that may be a tougher matchup is Minnesota or Peak OKC who is great at smothering Jokic.

[f4p]

People say fans like high scoring games and offense, but man, 100-94 and 105-102 feels so good.

[SpreeS]

The league (TOP teams) is adapting fast to best players. I can’t imagine that Jokic playing 45min on avg could pass 3 teams in a row, with defensive bigs like Zubac/Isiah/Chet/Gobert/Reid.

[MrGoat]

This one has the look of a series that could go the distance already

[KyRo23]

Jokic had a bad game for his standards, Kawhi went into god mode, and Nuggets just get killed with turnovers. Despite that they lost by 1 possession .. you will take that all day as a Nuggets fan.

Not coming at you, but I see these kinds of posts a lot and think does it really matter? Like has the next game ever been influenced because the previous game happened like that? What if next game Harden goes god mode and Kawhi plays great? I think any time you lose, saying the other team played great but you played below your standards is a cop out