![]() They also need to come up with the 50-50 balls and win the rebounding battle to limit Phoenix’s second-chance opportunities. They also need to survive minutes during which Jokic is off the court which, to their credit, they did in Game One. The Nuggets need to continue with their mastery of the pick-and-roll with Murray and Jokic to keep the Suns’ defense off-balance and scrambling. This is also Denver’s best-ever chance to make the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history, and they will not go quietly. They are already playing lethargically and are back at altitude for Game Two before they can head back to the desert. Game Two will be a test of the Suns’ resilience. They are capable and already showed that in Round One but are facing a polished, well-drilled team that will capitalize on any small mistake. Durant and Booker need to combine for 65+ points and be the two best defenders on the court just for them to have a chance. The Suns’ stars were always going to have to carry the load, but it now seems as if that is being pushed to the limit. They also brought double-teams on Booker and Durant, mostly when the other was not on the court. They mostly left Jokic in drop coverage but allowed him to step up to direct the Suns’ ball-handlers into undesirable areas of the court. The Nuggets did an outstanding job with their defensive assignments in Game One. They finished shooting 7-23 (30.45) from long range, but a majority of those were not “good shots.” Denver, on the other hand, went 16-37 (43.2%) and also won the rebounding and turnover battles, which is a formula for success in the modern NBA. The Suns only attempted five three-pointers in the first half of Game One. The bench, which averaged the third-fewest points of any playoff bench unit in 40 years in the first round, was also terrible as per usual. Ayton was the next-leading scorer with 14 points and seven rebounds but had a game-worst plus/minus and was totally dominated by Jokic. The Suns were unsurprisingly led by Durant (29 points, 14 rebounds) and Booker (27 points, eight assists). There was lots of talk heading into the series about whether or not the Nuggets’ big three could hang with the Suns, and they went above and beyond in Game One. Reigning two-time MVP, Jokic, went for 24 points, 19 rebounds, and five assists, while Aaron Gordon had an ultra-efficient 23 points (9-13 FG, 3-4 3PT). Murray led the game in scoring with 34 points (6-10 3PT) and added in nine assists. Head coach Mike Malone will have highlighted that during his Game Two preparations. Deandre Ayton was especially lethargic and lacked mental focus rebounding the ball, guarding Nikola Jokic, and committing to setting screens.ĭenver went 34-7 at home during the regular season and played like it knew that it needed to defend its home court to have a shot at winning the series.Īs sound of a win as the Nuggets had in Game One, it was not perfect-the Suns still shot 51.2% from the field and attempted more free throws than the home team. Then, in the second half, the Nuggets’ teamwork and the takeover ability of Jamal Murray became too much for the Suns’ thin rotation to handle.Īll Phoenix players not named Kevin Durant and Devin Booker with a shocking lack of energy, which was even more unexpected since Durant and Booker played the most and second-most minutes per game in the first round of the playoffs. Both teams shot extremely high percentages and it seemed as if every game was going to go over the given line. Users that place winning first bets will receive $150 in bonuses along with a cash payout for the odds associated with the line they chose.įull terms and conditions apply and can be found on FanDuel. The deal ensures that anyone that redeems the promo code and makes a first bet of at least $5 receives $150 in bonus bets, no matter the outcome of that first bet.īonus bets are credits that can be used to win cash prizes anywhere on the FanDuel menu. ![]() ![]() $150 FanDuel Sportsbook PromoįanDuel sportsbook is giving away a guaranteed $150 in prizes to all new customers that sign up for an account using a FanDuel promo code. The Denver Nuggets will take a 1-0 series lead into a Monday evening matchup against the Phoenix in the Western Conference Semifinals. The Suns have only lost twice with Kevin Durant in the lineup.Jamal Murray scored more points than the red-hot Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.The Nuggets beat the Suns 125-107 in Game One.
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