Game 65: Denver Nuggets (43-21) @ Los Angeles Lakers (36-28) - 10:00PM

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[NuggetsWY]

Should be interesting -but who will be how healthy for the Lakers?

[THE J0KER]

LeBron (+Schroder) will not play tonight so the Nuggets are actually clear favorites to win this rematch of 2020 WCF and prolong the winning streak since Murray's injury to 10-1! But Kuzma-Davis-Drummond is still a very respectable frontcourt line, especially if AD finally starts to play like a TOP10 player.

[GeorgeSears]

This is a typical "trap game". No Schroder, no LeBron and Lakers are playing a back-to-back. Nuggets need to strike early.

[skywalker33]

LBJ looks to dodge the Nuggets this game

[GeorgeSears]

Too many bunnies missed by Jokic around the basket.

[THE J0KER]

Defense was great in 1st half and Lakers playing without their best player so we limited them to just 45 points. But their defense was great too and MPJ was invisible (3-0-0 in 18 minutes), so Denver scored (season worst?) only 42 points.

[THE J0KER]

Bad loss, despite we almost make -14 comeback in last 5 minutes so Nuggets #4 and Lakers #5 is once again most realistic scenario on the West. Worst of all we lost Dozier too, our best guard after Murray injury.

Stolen 3pt from Porter by refs stopped Lakers bleeding in finish and probably decided this game. But no excuse for Porter for empty 1st half. Good to see Campazzo playing starter level game we need him more than ever now when Dozier is out.

Malone once again has his "school teacher" moment by unnecessary benching Jokic in the middle of 3rd quarter because of 4th foul. We missed that extra Joker 4-5 minutes on the court and I don't understand why Gordon's playing time with superior defense (4 blocks) is limited and equal to Green (Gordon +8, Green -12).

[GeorgeSears]

Bad loss, despite we almost make -14 comeback in last 5 minutes so Nuggets #4 and Lakers #5 is once again most realistic scenario on the West. Worst of all we lost Dozier too, our best guard after Murray injury.

Stolen 3pt from Porter by refs stopped Lakers bleeding in finish and probably decided this game. But no excuse for Porter for empty 1st half. Good to see Campazzo playing starter level game we need him more than ever now when Dozier is out.

Malone once again has his "school teacher" moment by unnecessary benching Jokic in the middle of 3rd quarter because of 4th foul. We missed that extra Joker 4-5 minutes on the court and I don't understand why Gordon's playing time with superior defense (4 blocks) is limited and equal to Green (Gordon +8, Green -12).

Completely agree. You just have to let Jokic ride out that 3rd quarter. Trust that he's going to play smart defense.

But the reason the Nuggets lost this game was because of poor shooting. It wasn't just the missed 3s, it was also missed layups. MPJ lost his confidence in the first half and regained it in the 2nd half.

[NuggetsWY]

Malone did make some weird decisions
--- limiting Gordon's minutes when he was clearly our best defensive forward. Gordon even had 6 boards in 25 minutes. Malone's let him play when he was having worse games.
--- couldn't get any plays for Porter in the first half? How is that possible coach?
--- playing Rivers 33 minutes while he takes only 3 shots? He may have gotten 6 steals, but he needs to pretend he's a shooting guard. Or he shouldn't be on the court.

Malone can't be blamed for everything though
--- I don't know what the division was, but our bench did most of their scoring in the first half and snoozed through the second half (unless my eyes and memory failed me).
--- Jokic scored 32 & Porter 19 - the other starters only scored 16.
--- Our bench only scored 22 points.

But why did Jokic have only 5 assists? Why did the Nuggets take only 16 FTAs?
--- either Malone wants to call every play and he doesn't like having Jokic pass the ball to moving teammates
-or- the other Nuggets would rather stand around like spectators and expect Jokic to do something special with the basket ball.

In case Malone or the Nuggets haven't heard, most of the league consider's Jokic's passing the most dangerous weapon the Nuggets have. When Jokic leads the team in shots, that's not the way the Nuggets are going to win. Even worse, Campazzo & Rivers both had more assists than Jokic.

[Maf]

--- playing Rivers 33 minutes while he takes only 3 shots? He may have gotten 6 steals, but he needs to pretend he's a shooting guard. Or he shouldn't be on the court.

Wait what? Do you really wish player who shoots 33% FG, 20% from 3 to shoot MORE? I mean some people have some dark, twisted, even perverted thoughts but I'd never thought you might have those...

Just kidding. About Rivers- when he stopped 5 on 4 break 1:20 in 4th that was stupid. But on that last Lakers basket he earned his (Please Use More Appropriate Word) cake. Standing under basket and just watching his player get offensive rebound and than... I rewatched that at least 20 times and still don't know what it was. Seemed like he was trying to prevent Horton-Tucker to make...outbound pass?

[Maf]

Wow, just realized Drummond ended the game with 0 rebounds, 0 blocks. Last time that happened to him in NBA... never.

(he had two zero rebounds games in his rookie season but both times with two blocks)

[skywalker33]

UGLY loss there, really no reason to play that bad. Doziers shooting was just putrid, maybe Timmyyy was right there. Then again, maybe this loss was all about playoff seeding, right now 1st rd matchups have the Clipps playing the Lakers, that's still a fun one to look forward to.

Anyone hear when Morris and Barton are expected back, would really like them before the playoffs ?

[NuggetsWY]

--- playing Rivers 33 minutes while he takes only 3 shots? He may have gotten 6 steals, but he needs to pretend he's a shooting guard. Or he shouldn't be on the court.

Wait what? Do you really wish player who shoots 33% FG, 20% from 3 to shoot MORE? I mean some people have some dark, twisted, even perverted thoughts but I'd never thought you might have those...

Just kidding. About Rivers- when he stopped 5 on 4 break 1:20 in 4th that was stupid. But on that last Lakers basket he earned his (Please Use More Appropriate Word) cake. Standing under basket and just watching his player get offensive rebound and than... I rewatched that at least 20 times and still don't know what it was. Seemed like he was trying to prevent Horton-Tucker to make...outbound pass?

No problem - I agree with you --- EXCEPT when Jokic is on your team, set backpicks and one of you will get an open shot, cut to the basket and Jokic will "pass you open" as they say. I don't understand why Nuggets starters don't each get at least 10 shots per game - each. Jokic would sacrifice all of his shots to get all of those assists. A couple years ago I complained he needed to shoot more so that his defender would respect him and then his teammates would find it easier to get open. Well, he's shooting more but they are moving less.

[skywalker33]

UGLY loss there, really no reason to play that bad. Doziers shooting was just putrid, maybe Timmyyy was right there. Then again, maybe this loss was all about playoff seeding, right now 1st rd matchups have the Clipps playing the Lakers, that's still a fun one to look forward to.

Anyone hear when Morris and Barton are expected back, would really like them before the playoffs ?

No wonder he shot like crap, Dozier has an abductor strain, seems a lot of that going around. Nuggets definitely need to stretch more before games