Wow really thought this series would be close…Nuggets miss Murray and just overall good defense. Also what happened to JaMychal Green and Millsap?
denver use to come behind a lot in the past being down 1 to 3 etc....this is still a series even if they split the games in denver and are down 20 at the end of the third quarter of game 5 in phoenix...
Phoenix is just darn deep. 2nd best record in the entire league. Top 4 regular season Defense. Top 10 Offense. Top 3 Assists. They also have some very nice young players. They just have to manage CP3's minutes and they can go head to head with the best of them. Wear other teams out. They were 8-0 undefeated in the Bubble as well.
I thought the Nuggets had a legit shot in the west after Lebron was knocked out. I guess I got too cute. The suns looks formidable. Denver’s guard play is killing them and their front court isn’t even remotely close to dominating. Tough matchup, but we’ll see how Paul’s hamstrings look after 2 games in Denver. I’ll give Denver a punchers chance to win in 7. Say 10%
Chris Paul was given the perfect team--a coach that gives him control to run the offense but will coach his young team when needed, a young and impressionable team hungry for success after years of sucking and is willing to do anything Paul tells him to do, an All-Star teammate that allows Paul to handle the ball and knows his main objective is to get buckets--and the results are evident. This is by no means a knock on his tenure here in Houston but Paul might have a real good shot in getting to the Finals because the winner of the other series (Conley's injury; the Clippers inconsistency) has more question marks than the Suns do.
This is a bit unnecessary, and when you have Nikola coming out constantly going against what Malone is saying ("I don't know who quit, I didn't quit.") it becomes an ugly look for Michael
I know a popular narrative was the Lakers choked away or were not at full strength against the Suns, but even healthy the Suns are/were still a tough challenge, probably would have won anyway, regardless of AD. I think I underrated the Suns a little, because they weren't necessarily superb against other really good teams, but they've gotten better here in the playoffs and are peaking at the right time. They've got the PG that took them several seasons to get, in fact they got the best one, perhaps ... in CP3. They've got an abundant roster of talented young players, because they've been bad for so long. Which is an almost ideal situation, you have a veteran superstar PG (true PG) with a budding superstar (Booker) and some pretty quality players (Ayton, Bridges, Johnson). Even with Ayton, originally he was projected to be the best player in his draft by some. Also, he is still a young big man, who do typically take a little longer to develop compared to other position. If they keep playing, like this, the only team that has a realistic chance against them are the Nets (maybe the Jazz). The Clippers and Bucks are far too inconsistent. The 76ers hope is all on Embiid being healthy, and even then they've look ordinary against a much weaker Atlanta team.
Isn’t this the 2nd time Malone has done this these playoffs? Is he gonna criticize his coaching at all? These bad 2nd halves are a team effort, which includes him.
Nuggets are just worn out. They're the last of the Bubble final four teams and are shorthanded. Phoenix most likely sweeps.
Yup. Not many teams would even win the first round without their starting backcourt and now their 3rd best player is moving around like old broken back Larry Bird.
Now you believe this. Ironic for someone who claims to have all the scoop. So you pretend Harden still wanted CP3 here? This little quote suppose to prove something?? lol This is for people like you to believe. Harden didn't want Westbrook??? What!?
Nuggets can't play any kind of consistent defense. I said this in the Portland thread (as did a lot of you). I like the guys on that team so it's hard to watch them just get pounded because Jokic can't move his feet and the guards don't rotate well. Jokic can be the GOAT offensively but a slow big man is an achilles heel with today's rules and styles.
Nuggets will take game 3. Game 4 will be the toss-up. I'll say Nuggets even it at 2 and then the home teams finish out the series undefeated. Suns in 7.
