Denver is off to an impressive start in this playoff series and has an excellent chance of reaching the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. But, as in all teams, they do possess some weaknesses.
They consistently turn over the ball 14.5 times per game and commit 19.6 fouls.
Game 5: Miami Heat vs. Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokic drove to the basket with one minute remaining and converted a 3-point play for Denver to win their first NBA title since 1947, 94-89. Although an ugly affair overall, Jokic’s size and skill combination made him unmatched one-on-one mismatch against any opponent, carrying them through on an otherwise ineffective night when other Nugget players failed to penetrate the Heat defense.
After an unsteady start in the opening quarter, Denver found their footing thanks to contributions from center Bam Adebayo (12 points and six rebounds) and point guard Jamal Murray (10 points), for Miami Heat point guard Jimmy Butler who scored 14 points with seven assists in their lone shining moment.
Teams exchanged three-pointers throughout most of the third quarter. Jokic, however, was hit with his second foul late in the period and forced to sit out most of the final quarter due to having two fouls himself. Meanwhile, Denver was forced to go small but still managed to maintain their lead thanks to Michael Porter Jr. (14 points and eight rebounds).
KCP misses a three, and the Nuggets call timeout while Jokic attempts to initiate a fast break with the ball. After taking advantage of that break, Murray makes a jump shot, resulting in KCP being penalized, and eventually, the Nuggets return to work.
The Nuggets currently hold an 84-82 lead with 5 minutes remaining in this series and must maintain focus while executing an all-encompassing game plan to take a 4-2 series lead and send Miami home for six consecutive years; otherwise, a loss would necessitate another meeting next week at the BB&T Center in Miami. Knowing what’s at stake and playing their best basketball of the season despite plenty of obstacles that have stood in their way since 1977 – now could be their time!
Game 6: Phoenix Suns vs. Denver Nuggets
With a win, the Denver Nuggets would advance to their second conference final and meet up against either Los Angeles Lakers or Golden State Warriors – though, as Phoenix could potentially be swept, some bold predictions needed to advance.
Denver was dominant early. Their strong defense enabled them to take an early lead and maintain it through most of the period, never giving Phoenix any chance of taking back the information due to turnovers and slow starts from both sides.
Denver continued their dominating play in the second quarter, opening up an even wider lead than they had during the opening frame. Phoenix made some good shots but was unable to capitalize. Denver went on an aggressive run to close out the half and take an impressive 81-51 advantage into halftime; fans at Footprint Center began jeering against the Suns as their lead had extended beyond 30 points.
Nikola Jokic led Denver with 32 points, ten rebounds, and 12 assists – showing his dominance of this playoff matchup with his performance tonight.
Jamal Murray contributed 26 points. Similarly, Nuggets role players have shown remarkable consistency during these playoffs, providing Jokic with all the support he needs to be the top performer in every play.
The third quarter was the same for Denver as they continued their scoring spree and pulled away with this game. Phoenix tried their hardest late but eventually fell short, meaning they will now need to wait another year before reaching the finals; with their series tied at three wins each, it will go back into Denver for one final game to determine who advances to the West Finals.
Game 7: Los Angeles Clippers vs. Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets returned from an 18-point deficit to tie their Western Conference semifinal series with the Los Angeles Clippers 3-3 and force Game 7. Nikola Jokic led Denver with 34 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists; Jamal Murray contributed 21 points as their team outscored Los Angeles 64-35 in the second half to pull off a historic comeback.
The Nuggets were kept competitive by their defense, but they also did well attacking the Clippers from the perimeter and taking advantage of mismatches early in their offense. All while maintaining pace control to allow their guards to get into position before taking open shots or making plays with the ball.
Denver mounted an incredible comeback during the third quarter, outscoring Los Angeles 17-0 before Torrey Craig scored on a layup with 2:29 left to trim Los Angeles’ lead to just two points at 73-72. Paul Millsap made it official when he hit a corner three with 26 seconds remaining to put Denver ahead for good at 108-107.
After that, Denver managed to withstand an aggressive Los Angeles comeback attempt led by Kawhi Leonard – the game’s most efficient player. Los Angeles was outscored 41-19 in the second half while missing 11 free throws during this final series game at home after leading 3-1 initially.
With their win, the Nuggets advanced to their first-ever conference finals, where they will face LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers for the first time. Furthermore, this victory gave them an incredible 3-2 edge in road games despite losing five in this series! This marked another comeback from a 3-1 deficit after they orchestrated one against Utah earlier in this playoff run. The next round will begin Friday when Denver plays at home against LA.
Game 8: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets
After an unexpected defeat at home to the Lakers in Game 3, Denver faced an impossible 2-0 series deficit. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, its players and coaches began engaging in film sessions and adopting an optimistic outlook toward victory.
Denver has won four consecutive playoff games at home and now stands only one win away from reaching its inaugural NBA Finals appearance. Even after blowing a 14-point lead late in Game 3, thanks to Nikola Jokic, they still managed to pull it off and advance.
Two-time MVP Nikola Jokic revitalized Denver in the final stretch by running a pick-and-roll offense with Jamal Murray that was suggested by “Coach Jokic.” As a result, Denver embarked on a 13-0 run to take control of their fateful contest against Toronto.
Jokic had a stellar performance, scoring 23 points and 11 rebounds to help his team thump Memphis 83-68. On defense, his critical defensive play came when he prevented James from driving into the paint for a layup, forcing him into an awkward fall that resulted in a loose ball situation.
In the third quarter, Denver extended their lead to 13 with help from two 3-pointers by Murray and an offensive rebound by Bruce Brown against James. Later in the fourth quarter, as time wound down, Jokic sealed their victory by shooting two free throws for two final points of advantage.
The top-seeded Nuggets will face off against the winner of the Eastern Conference finals between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics, currently tied at 2-2, who will then advance to either Los Angeles Clippers or Golden State Warriors as potential Finals foes. While the Los Angeles Lakers forced some turnovers against Denver but failed to capitalize on them, their inability to score inside Denver’s paint was an enormous factor. Game 4 will allow them to attack this weakness in Game 5 aggressively.
