PLAYOFF-2020 (Game#5, R1): [3]Denver Nuggets vs [6]Utah Jazz (1-3), TUE/Aug25, 18:30ET

[THE J0KER]

Gary Harris is listed as questionable, which I guess means he will play in a potentially last game of the season. I researched for a game this season which Barton missed, and the starting lineup was this. I hope on SF will still start Porter jr, Malone should realize so far that even with Harris in, we still need at least 115+ game to win, and with utter-defensive starting lineup we need another 50p Murray miracle or something like that if Porter minutes will be limited.

Historically, Denver is 0-13 in playoff series where opponent leads 3-1, but this is unique bubble-PO circumstances.
Utah backcourt line Mitchell 40-5-6 TS%74%, Conley 27-4 TS%89%, Clarkson 20-3-3 TS%62% have some historic GOAT achievements against Nuggets this series, so even if we intentionally don't want to guard them there is a chance they will not repeat it 5th time in the row

[NuggetsWY]

This game is about pride - the Nuggets can win, but do they want to? No doubt they all say they want to but they need to show it on the court.

Free-agents-to-be need to show they want to be here: Millsap, Plumlee, Grant, Craig especially.

[THE J0KER]

Gary Harris is ruled out.

TONIGHT STARTERS:

[THE J0KER]

Malone should control better himself in the game of this importance. Jokic in the 1st quarter as the starting center can't miss and score 21 points. In the 2nd quarter, Malone put Jokic on point guard at first!? This is not warm-up scrimmage game for such experiments, this is DO OR DIE playoff game... so Utah makes fast 8-0 run in just 60 seconds, which makes difference. But credit to Malone for at least not reducing MPJ minutes totally this time (OK, Millsap helped with bad performance).

-9 on halftime means this time we have no luxury to play 5th in the row awful 3rd quarter (we are -50 in 4 games in 3rd!?).

We definitely can't stop Utah backcourt line, but we can make some great offense too... Murray-Jokic-MPJ should shot and shot and shot... They are 15-28 (9-15 for three) in 1st half, the rest of the team 3-12.

[skywalker33]

FINALLY !!

[manchambo]

My criticism: should have gone to Craig and Dozier sooner. Morris just doesn’t have it in pressure situations.

[THE J0KER]

I didn't lose faith after these two humiliations blowouts, I still believed after 1-3 and news that Harris is still out, even on halftime of this game despite -9... but when Utah takes 15+ lead in the 3rd quarter I finally lose my faith. And guess what - Nuggets won in double-digit

Jamal Murray is a new Kobe Bryant (without defense)! His game #1, #4 and #5 are epic and heroic. If he didn't have a cold start in 1st half he would have back-to-back 50 points! Which is more important, this time he outplayed phenomenal Donovan Mitchell, which is not the cases in games #1 and #4 which I mentioned.

The bad news is that Jokic definitely is physically not recovered from this summer's COVID19. He was a monster in the 1st quarter, 21 points including 3pt 5-5, but in the rest of the match out of gas with 10p, and once again his famous rebounding and passing are limited on just 6r-4a despite played 43 minutes.

MPJ is our 3rd best player already, even when he not takes shots, he makes Murray and Jokic life in the offense easier. But I'm not sure are Malone finally stops today with that BS scapegoat story about MPJ being the main reason for our pathetic defense in this series (without him our defense is equally sad), or Millsap was just so bad today, so Porter gets 34 minutes from the bench because of that.

Grant once again proved we should resign him next season, and factor-X for today was unexpectedly PJ Dozier playing the much better role of a defensive specialist than Craig and making a smart decision to not taking shots, so he is on some weird way more efficient than Morris today.

Murray-MPJ-Jokic are 34-56 (14-26 for 3pt), the rest of the team 9-29 (2-9), that is the winning formula IMO, let these three take the big majority of all Nuggets shots... if not BIG3, at least "Two and a half man" strategy should be established.

It is not over yet!

[skywalker33]

My criticism: should have gone to Craig and Dozier sooner. Morris just doesn’t have it in pressure situations.

Agree Morris was less than desirable but Craig has been horrible in this series. Dozier I think has potential but still a work in progress much like MPJ. .

My criticism is with Millsap. He's a vet who's lost it. Sad to say the guy needs to retire, do NOT want the Nuggets to offer him another players contract, perhaps he can coach...we can use someone the nuances of playing D to MPJ

[NuggetsWY]

Utah basically played just seven players and all seven scored double-figures.. They were serious about this game.

The Nuggets played eight players - they were also serious about this game (look for limited rotations in the next game too).

The Nuggets had just 9 turnovers! That was important.

But the Nuggets won because Jokic & Murray decided to dominate. Porter brought nice shooting off the bench and Grant hustled.

I have been very disappointed with Millsap's play, as well as Craig's and Plumlee's - with only a few stretches with decent play. It isn't just about stats either.

I'm still a fan of Morris and see potential in Dozier.

I'm not sure what our lineup should be, but our four best players during the playoffs have been Jokic, Murray, Grant, and Porter - my opinion.

[skywalker33]

No wonder Mitchell is so good on offense, when he's on D he's guarding who ??? Not Murray, it's Craig. He's fresh...