Game 59: Denver Nuggets (40-18) @ Los Angeles Clippers (39-19) - 10:30 PM ET

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[NuggetsWY]

Jokic > Zubac
Millsap = Morris (maybe favors Millsap)
Barton < Leonard
Harris < George
Murray > Beverley (but not by much)

Our bench < Clippers bench

Not sure our lineup matches up well against but if our team plays their best offense & defense; I still believe we can win.

[THE J0KER]

Instead of comparing starting lineups, it is better to compare closing lineups, because of Clippers 3rd and 4th best players are fake reserves and players with TOP4 playing time there finishing games all the time (except during blowout wins).

Jokic >> Harrell
Millsap << George
Barton <<< Kawhi
Harris < Lou
Murray >> Beverley
DEN_rest >> LAC_rest

So it is 6:6 tied so this should be a close game, and Clippers are favorites to win tonight basically only because of home court and a better coach. Sorry for being boring about this, but this is actually the game where we need to test Porter playing against elite forward defense and offense. Who can be our X-factor in upsetting Clippers in eventual WC SF this May if not MPJ? And he needs to learn to play in such a hard two-way matchup facing Kawhi/PG wall on both ends.

[NuggetsWY]

Instead of comparing starting lineups, it is better to compare closing lineups, because of Clippers 3rd and 4th best players are fake reserves and players with TOP4 playing time there finishing games all the time (except during blowout wins).

Jokic >> Harrell
Millsap << George
Barton <<< Kawhi
Harris < Lou
Murray >> Beverley
DEN_rest >> LAC_rest

So it is 6:6 tied so this should be a close game, and Clippers are favorites to win tonight basically only because of home court and a better coach. Sorry for being boring about this, but this is actually the game where we need to test Porter playing against elite forward defense and offense. Who can be our X-factor in upsetting Clippers in eventual WC SF this May if not MPJ? And he needs to learn to play in such a hard two-way matchup facing Kawhi/PG wall on both ends.

I'd disagree, slightly.

Jokic >> Harrell
Millsap << George
Barton <<<< Kawhi (this one isn't close with no disrespect towards Barton)
Harris <<< Lou (Lou's defense is better than Harris' offense & Lou's offense is that hard to stop)
Murray >> Beverley
DEN_rest << LAC_rest (I do not believe our other players are better than their other players - but for "closing players" they won't matter)

[THE J0KER]

Instead of comparing starting lineups, it is better to compare closing lineups, because of Clippers 3rd and 4th best players are fake reserves and players with TOP4 playing time there finishing games all the time (except during blowout wins).

Jokic >> Harrell
Millsap << George
Barton <<< Kawhi
Harris < Lou
Murray >> Beverley
DEN_rest >> LAC_rest

So it is 6:6 tied so this should be a close game, and Clippers are favorites to win tonight basically only because of home court and a better coach. Sorry for being boring about this, but this is actually the game where we need to test Porter playing against elite forward defense and offense. Who can be our X-factor in upsetting Clippers in eventual WC SF this May if not MPJ? And he needs to learn to play in such a hard two-way matchup facing Kawhi/PG wall on both ends.

I'd disagree, slightly.

Jokic >> Harrell
Millsap << George
Barton <<<< Kawhi (this one isn't close with no disrespect towards Barton)
Harris <<< Lou (Lou's defense is better than Harris' offense & Lou's offense is that hard to stop)
Murray >> Beverley
DEN_rest << LAC_rest (I do not believe our other players are better than their other players - but for "closing players" they won't matter)

You forget that reason why Clippers *bench* is so superior in the league is fake reserves Lou and Harrell (their 3rd and 4th best players in reality, and by playing time too), which are part of their closing lineup which traditionally closes both halves. So even after Beasley and Juancho go, "The Rest of Nuggets" is clearly better than "The rest of Clippers" when it is related to the CLOSING lineups, not STARTING lineups.

MPJ+Grant+Plumlee+Morris+Craig >> Morris+Zubac+Shamet+Harkless+R.Jackson

[NuggetsWY]

Instead of comparing starting lineups, it is better to compare closing lineups, because of Clippers 3rd and 4th best players are fake reserves and players with TOP4 playing time there finishing games all the time (except during blowout wins).

Jokic >> Harrell
Millsap << George
Barton <<< Kawhi
Harris < Lou
Murray >> Beverley
DEN_rest >> LAC_rest

So it is 6:6 tied so this should be a close game, and Clippers are favorites to win tonight basically only because of home court and a better coach. Sorry for being boring about this, but this is actually the game where we need to test Porter playing against elite forward defense and offense. Who can be our X-factor in upsetting Clippers in eventual WC SF this May if not MPJ? And he needs to learn to play in such a hard two-way matchup facing Kawhi/PG wall on both ends.

I'd disagree, slightly.

Jokic >> Harrell
Millsap << George
Barton <<<< Kawhi (this one isn't close with no disrespect towards Barton)
Harris <<< Lou (Lou's defense is better than Harris' offense & Lou's offense is that hard to stop)
Murray >> Beverley
DEN_rest << LAC_rest (I do not believe our other players are better than their other players - but for "closing players" they won't matter)

You forget that reason why Clippers *bench* is so superior in the league is fake reserves Lou and Harrell (their 3rd and 4th best players in reality, and by playing time too), which are part of their closing lineup which traditionally closes both halves. So even after Beasley and Juancho go, "The Rest of Nuggets" is clearly better than "The rest of Clippers" when it is related to the CLOSING lineups, not STARTING lineups.

MPJ+Grant+Plumlee+Morris+Craig >> Morris+Zubac+Shamet+Harkless+R.Jackson

Maybe, but their ending bench isn't terrible --- I might have to agree with you

[SkillzFromThe6]

Missed the 1st few minutes but It looks like Barton is guarding PG13 and Gary is guarding Kawhi? That's not going to work. It's the 2Q and I see no Torrey Craig.

Edit: Torrey Craig is in. Nvm.

[SkillzFromThe6]

MPJ was playing great and coach took him out lol. He wanted to put him back in but he told him to sit back down. Idk if coach is panicking or what.

Clippers are exploiting Will Barton's defense. I've seen more than 3 plays they've went at him in 2Q alone.

[SkillzFromThe6]

My playoff lineup is in to end the last 5 minutes of the 2Q.
Murray
Gary
Grant
Millsap
Jokic

It only took half the season to see it come true...

[THE J0KER]

MPJ was playing great and coach took him out lol. He wanted to put him back in but he told him to sit back down. Idk if coach is panicking or what.

Clippers are exploiting Will Barton's defense. I've seen more than 3 plays they've went at him in 2Q alone.

MPJ is our 3rd best player this season in PER MINUTE stats, and by eye test too. But Malone obviously see something nobody else see, so he gets just 4 minutes in 1st half.

[NuggetsWY]

MPJ was playing great and coach took him out lol. He wanted to put him back in but he told him to sit back down. Idk if coach is panicking or what.

Clippers are exploiting Will Barton's defense. I've seen more than 3 plays they've went at him in 2Q alone.

MPJ is our 3rd best player this season in PER MINUTE stats, and by eye test too. But Malone obviously see something nobody else see, so he gets just 4 minutes in 1st half.

A recent article in the Denver Post said Malone won't play anyone that he doesn't trust on defense. Sarcasm follows: Perhaps he shouldn't play anyone - based on this game. Here's the shocking stat of this game: Grant took the most shots of any Nuggets --- and that is not the formula for success with no disrespect meant for Grant. BTW Grant had the most minutes of any Nugget too.

No Clipper played more than 26 minutes.

Clippers had 35 assists - Denver had 19

[skywalker33]

Seems like the Clippers just sent a message, a "Dont sleep in us !".....also seems like Murray, Harris and Barton sent a message " Perhaps we'll wake up for the playoff ??"

Disappointing game to say the least.