Playoffs Game 4 Round 1: Denver Nuggets (2) @ San Antonio Spurs (7) - 5:30 PM ET

ducler · Post #1 » by **ducler** » Sat Apr 20, 2019 8:37 pm

Darklight · Post #2 » by **Darklight** » Sat Apr 20, 2019 8:48 pm

Almost a must win game, just don't start Barton, ok malone? If he doesn't start we might actually have a chance but I predict a loss.

SkillzFromThe6 · Post #3 » by **SkillzFromThe6** » Sat Apr 20, 2019 8:59 pm

Torrey Craig gets the start tonight. Will Barton off the bench. I'm confident they get the W today unless someone goes crazy.

Post #4 » by **THE J0KER** » Sat Apr 20, 2019 9:43 pm

Winner of this game 80% probably will win this series!

skywalker33 · Post #5 » by **skywalker33** » Sat Apr 20, 2019 10:16 pm

THE J0KER wrote:Winner of this game 80% probably will win this series!

Very presumptuous if we were to win this, not so outlandish if SA wins

Post #6 » by **NuggetsWY** » Sat Apr 20, 2019 10:28 pm

Barton has averaged 7.3 in the playoffs and roughly the same for the last 10 games of the season. I'll give him credit for trying to play some defense but he is always in the wrong place or looking the wrong way; so he's very ineffective. Finally, Malone makes the change.

Clearly we need some defense but we also need Craig to score. If he isn't hitting 3s, I hope he's heading to the basket. He's effective near the rim. With Craig starting & Harris starting, it is essential that Murray play effective defense. He always gives an effort but is not always effective.

The Spurs only have 3 starters and 2 bench players averaging double figures and the bench players are averaging 10 ppg. DeRozan & White can not be allowed to have so many open shots (often caused by Nuggets just rushing past them - avoiding a foul but ...). Our bigs have been effective at limiting Aldridge. So it's the wing defense that will tell the game.

Oh yeah, maybe Jokic needs to take a few more shots? Jokic is averaging just under 13 spg while Aldridge & DeRozan are averaging 18 spg with White at 14 - no other Spur is averaging double figures in shots.

Post #7 » by **THE J0KER** » Sat Apr 20, 2019 10:56 pm

Malone realizes this is probably most important game ever so far in his career, so he dumps Barton from starting lineup and put Joker 22 minutes on the floor in first half. Is that means he is going to be fired if we lose this series?!

Post #8 » by **THE J0KER** » Sun Apr 21, 2019 12:03 am

SkillzFromThe6 · Post #9 » by **SkillzFromThe6** » Sun Apr 21, 2019 12:05 am

That's my boy Craig

KeithCozart · Post #10 » by **KeithCozart** » Sun Apr 21, 2019 12:06 am

Great game. Great TEAM win. Jokic was a beast all game long, they had no answer for him. What can i say about Craig that hasnt been said already...well done!

Props to Malone for putting him in starting lineup. Now game 5, home court.

Post #11 » by **NuggetsWY** » Sun Apr 21, 2019 12:24 am

Terrible 1st quarter on offense and worse on defense - actually rather pathetic.

Defense was quite nice for the last 3 quarters and the offense was even better.

I'd call Jokic's game a very well balanced game and he looked like the best player on one of the best teams. Great players elevate their game in the playoffs and this game was one of those. If Jokic had wanted to, he could have probably scored 35-40. San Antonio just can't stop him. He also could have had several more rebounds except he is always aware of where everyone is and when another Nugget can get an easy rebound, Jokic just lets them. He's the ultimate team player. That's what he showed today!

Millsap just didn't have a good game and Plumlee was worse. Our bigs were carried by Jokic!

Craig was 5-7 from 3 and 1-2 from 2; add in 8 rebounds and some good defense and he seems to fit nicely in the starting lineup - at least for one game. But I was already a believer.

Harris had another poor scoring game. Murray had a very good game. Morris was great for a bench PG and Beasley contributed some defense and lots of hustle. Finally, our guards seemed to figure out that White & DeRozan do not take 3pt shots. That would seem to be a key on how to play defense against them.

manchambo · Post #12 » by **manchambo** » Sun Apr 21, 2019 12:25 am

Kind of funny that Barton played better off the bench. Malone probably didn’t want to bench him because he worried it would ruin Barton’s confidence.

Post #13 » by **THE J0KER** » Sun Apr 21, 2019 12:28 am

A perfect timing to break Spurs 14-games winning strike vs Nuggets in San Antonio since 2013

Even if we lost today, despite it most probably would mean our early exit from 2019 playoff, I would not complain this time about anything, because Malone do everything I asked from him before the start of this game. I wanted to see Barton out of starting lineup, Jokic with monster minutes and to take more shots, and Murray being focused in defense and being again our trustworthy 2nd option in offense.

But don't be fooled how easily we destroyed Spurs in 2-3-4 quarter... we are not that better, but our 3pt shooting today was out of the blue. This is our winning formula, and I'm especially happy about Craig fantastic game, which should be guarantee Malone will not cancel changes of starting lineup for the upcoming games.

Post #14 » by **THE J0KER** » Sun Apr 21, 2019 12:39 am

manchambo wrote:Kind of funny that Barton played better off the bench. Malone probably didn’t want to bench him because he worried it would ruin Barton’s confidence.

Not surprise at all! He is just bad fit with Jokic and Murray when he is trying to be on-floor general or playing hero-ball, but in 2nd lineup his leadership would be welcomed. After all, he makes his name in Denver playing 6th man role.

TunaFish · Post #15 » by **TunaFish** » Sun Apr 21, 2019 3:45 am

Barton might just be better coming off the bench. Craig might be better as a starter as well (at least until Porter arrives next season). Craig is shooting with confidence and as long as that lasts, you have to play him.

Big win! I still see a lack of focus at times like at the beginning of this game. Have to remember that this is a young core that comes with growing pains.

I think Malone just elevated the conversation about how good of a coach he has become.

skywalker33 · Post #16 » by **skywalker33** » Sun Apr 21, 2019 4:14 am

This was a HUGE win for this young core, but it ain't over yet. We really need to take care of business at home, ESPECIALLY this next game. It's already been a tough series, SA has flexed it's playoff experience in our face so we had to muster a talent win when pushed against the wall. But we have had our metal tested and come up with breathe in our lungs, let's see if we can build on that.

Post #17 » by **NuggetsWY** » Sun Apr 21, 2019 5:29 am

"Young core" - but let's not forget 34 yr old Millsap & 29 yr old Plumlee plus 28 yr old Craig & 28 yr old Barton. They are half of the team that is playing the majority of the minutes in the playoffs.
"Young core" - if we are talking about experience, Jokic (24) has 4 years, Harris (24) has 5 years, Murray (22) has 3 years
and then we have Beasley (23) w/3 years w/limited minutes & Morris (23) w/2 years w/limited minutes.

They average 26 years and frankly, except for Beasley & especially Morris, they all have enough minutes to be veterans.

Post #18 » by **The Rebel** » Sun Apr 21, 2019 1:07 pm

Nice to finally get a win in San Antonio, it has been a long time.

Also now that Craig is getting some respect for his shooting the defense he brings to the starting lineup is going to win a ton of game. If we finish this series in 6 as I expect than having Craig and Harris on the court in the next round could prove a great move as well.