2023 West Semifinals | (1) Denver Nuggets VS (4) Phoenix Suns (DEN WINS 4-2)

[Mickey8]

For Denver tonight's game is their game 7. if they lose tonight they are toasted. Murray is not playing tonight either.

[Mickey8]

Damn. It’s Jock Landale Szn. He’s about to play 30 minutes tonight.

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You might not love Ayton but thats the big loss for them too. He's still the big body who can play the best defense on Jokic on that team and can score some points.

[iggymcfrack]

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there you see the two guys who are hardcarrying their teams.

Holy ****. I knew Ayton had been bad, but I didn’t realize he’d been THAT bad. TF happened to this guy? It wasn’t that long ago it still seemed semi-defensible he’d been selected ahead of Luka. Now he’s the second worst player on the entire playoffs? Damn, that’s rough.

[Mickey8]

Damn.

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Bad news for the Nuggets. Someone with a heart is going to start at Center now.

Landale and Biyombo stand no chance against Jokic. They are too small.

[spanishninja]

Damn.

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Bad news for the Nuggets. Someone with a heart is going to start at Center now.

Landale and Biyombo stand no chance against Jokic. They are too small.

Biyombo yes but Ayton isn't really bigger than Landale. But size isn't the only reason they don't stand a chance against Joker.

[Mickey8]

Of course Landale is smaller than Ayton. Ayton is almost 7"1 with 7"5 wingspan. Landale is Jokic's height but way physically weaker than Jokic.

[Wolfgang630]

If Jamal doesn’t play then Jokic has to go for 50 again. MPJ gotta give you 25+ and Gordon or Bruce Brown got to give you 20+

[spanishninja]

Of course Landale is smaller than Ayton. Ayton is almost 7"1 with 7"5 wingspan. Landale is Jokic's height but much more physically weaker than Jokic.

Ayton is really only 6'11 even though listed at 7'0. And he's the same weight as Landale. smaller wingspan but he's not meant to be blocking Jokic's shots. Both will give up 30lbs to him anyway.

[Calvin Klein]

Suns should have tried to swap Ayton for Claxtom in that trade

Nets would have laughed at that.

[Mickey8]

Jokic won't have the point guard who can execute two man game if Murray is out today , Brown have zero chemistry with Jokic in that department. All he doe's is driving the basketball to the rim, he's bad at passing the ball back to Jokic. I hope Murray plays tonight. If he does Denver have the good chance with Ayton being out tonight.

[Mickey8]

Of course Landale is smaller than Ayton. Ayton is almost 7"1 with 7"5 wingspan. Landale is Jokic's height but much more physically weaker than Jokic.

Ayton is really only 6'11 even though listed at 7'0. And he's the same weight as Landale. smaller wingspan but he's not meant to be blocking Jokic's shots. Both will give up 30lbs to him anyway.

No he's not, he's clearly taller than Jokic and longer, Jokic is 6"11. Ayton is legit seven footer, close to 7"1.

[sasquatchBob]

****. Nuggets in 6. I hate on Ayton but we still need him. No Paul, no Ayton. We're doomed (((

[GeorgeSears]

Ayton's advantage is knowing what to do with the ball when Booker or Durant get doubled off the PnR. He's got a decent midrange and has good touch around basket.

The problem is he didn't get the amount of touches he needed to be effective. He needed CP3 there.

Landale will probably get even less touches. He may be a slightly better defender and will hustle, but his value will be determined based on how he does when Booker and KD get doubled. He needs to be able to make quick decisions.

[spanishninja]

Of course Landale is smaller than Ayton. Ayton is almost 7"1 with 7"5 wingspan. Landale is Jokic's height but much more physically weaker than Jokic.

Ayton is really only 6'11 even though listed at 7'0. And he's the same weight as Landale. smaller wingspan but he's not meant to be blocking Jokic's shots. Both will give up 30lbs to him anyway.

No he's not, he's clearly taller than Jokic and longer, Jokic is 6"11. Ayton is legit seven footer, close to 7"1.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/aytonde01.html

could just be jokic's posture.

[Mickey8]

Ayton is really only 6'11 even though listed at 7'0. And he's the same weight as Landale. smaller wingspan but he's not meant to be blocking Jokic's shots. Both will give up 30lbs to him anyway.

No he's not, he's clearly taller than Jokic and longer, Jokic is 6"11. Ayton is legit seven footer, close to 7"1.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/aytonde01.html

could just be jokic's posture.

I can find you ten different web pages where he's listed as 7"' tall, Draftexpress had his official pre draft measures and he was close to 7"1. And I don't need any web page, there is an eye test Its not posture Jokic is 6"11, but he has solid wing span and wide shoulders, he's the huge individual.

[iggymcfrack]

For Denver tonight's game is their game 7. if they lose tonight they are toasted. Murray is not playing tonight either.

Is their confirmation anywhere of Murray being out tonight? I scoured the internet and all I saw was him being questionable.

[Mickey8]

For Denver tonight's game is their game 7. if they lose tonight they are toasted. Murray is not playing tonight either.

Is their confirmation anywhere of Murray being out tonight? I scoured the internet and all I saw was him being questionable.

Just questionable for now.

[spanishninja]

No he's not, he's clearly taller than Jokic and longer, Jokic is 6"11. Ayton is legit seven footer, close to 7"1.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/aytonde01.html

could just be jokic's posture.

I can find you ten different web pages where he's listed as 7"' tall. And I don't need any web page, there is an eye test

there are just as many pages that list him as not a true 7 footer. Anyway, an inch or two of height is obviously not doing **** against Jokic anyway.

[Exp0sed]

Jokic won't have the point guard who can't execute two man game if Murray is out today , Brown have zero chemistry with Jokic in that department. All he doe's is driving the basketball to the rim, he's bad at passing the ball back to Jokic. I hope Murray plays tonight. If he does Denver have the good chance with Ayton being out tonight.

worst thing for the Nuggets will be a sick Murray trying to play hero ball
best thing for the Nugget will be Murray sitting out, if they win game 6 in PHX without Murray - they may finally realize he doesn't really help them all that much and will be looking to trade him

you think Brown can't play a litle pnr? or get a handoff and shoot behind a Jokic screen? get serious..
yeah, they'll play differently but imo this lineup is better as long as it means more is going thru the Joker as a result

Jokic had just 27% usage during the rs and u were very critical about it and about him not being aggressive enough
he upped that to lead the Nuggets with 33% in the playoffs

compare that with say...Embiid , who had 37% in the rs padding stats in blowouts but went down to 31% in the playoffs
both 2nd options (Harden and Murray) are at about 27% these playoffs

that's way too much for Murray
you can't have Jokic going for 50% haha, because he'll get tired and will be easier to defend when u know they got to him almost every time, but I think their ideal mix is somwhere higher, say Jokic goes to 37-40% in this one game - I think it'll make the Nuggets better

this is a closeout game, while game 7 is in Denver I don't trust the Nuggets in a game 7
Malone should take a page from Thibs page and unless the Joker is gassed or in foul trouble, I would honestly leave him on the floor as much as possible tonight (especially with Murray being out or not a 100%)

he'll have time to rest if they get the job done tonight

[Exp0sed]

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/aytonde01.html

could just be jokic's posture.

I can find you ten different web pages where he's listed as 7"' tall. And I don't need any web page, there is an eye test

there are just as many pages that list him as not a true 7 footer. Anyway, an inch or two of height is obviously not doing **** against Jokic anyway.

have u seen Jokic next to other big men?
he's 7 ft tall, yeah he was listed at like 6'11 earlier in his career but since they standarized it and redid the measurements he was upped to 7'0 and to me he's clearly 7'0