![]() ![]() But the Nuggets have the talent to not only hang with the Jazz, but beat them. ![]() ![]() If Utah is going to just blow the doors off Denver for four straight games after losing Game 1 in overtime, I guess I’ll pay to see it. But just like when I bought low on the total and went with the under in Game 3, I'm going to buy low on the Nuggets for Game 4. Utah just punked Denver in two straight games and now has all the confidence in the world. Utah opened as a 2.5-point favorite and was quickly bet up to -3. That said, Malone has historically gotten the best from his players off a bad loss: In the game following a loss of 15 or more points, Malone’s clubs are 34-22-1 (58%) against the spread, a 13.1% return on investment according to our BetLabs data - though it can't go unsaid that two of those losses ATS have come in the postseason. Will Denver respond to getting it so bad from Utah? Well, it starts with the coach, and Malone did not have his team ready to go on Friday - a fundamental failure on all parts. It's time for the Nuggets to start getting some easy opportunities - and that starts with bringing some fire to the floor. They were bottom of the league in attempts over the regular season, but still had nearly four more per game. They settled for jump shots way too often on Friday and are last among current playoff teams in free throw attempts, averaging 17 per game. Part of Nuggets' strategy should be getting to the free throw line more often. Pictured: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets wins tip off over Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz. Jokic worked the Stifle Tower in the regular season, yet he has not had nearly as much success in the bubble postseason. Gobert is a reigning back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year and Jokic is far from that, but that is no excuse to get beat to rebounds play after play. Jokic is an all-world talent and needs to show some fire for Game 4 unless he wants his season to end abruptly. But while the Nuggets need more from their reserves and complimentary players, Jokic will need to bring a significantly better effort in Game 4. Barton remains sidelined while Harris has been upgraded to doubtful for Game 4, but be sure to check the Labs NBA Insiders tool for the latest updates.īefore the series started, Denver had the role player edge, but that hasn't been the case through the first three games. Clearly, the Nuggets are feeling the effects of losing Will Barton and Gary Harris, who added some defensive punch to check Mitchell. The Denver team that went seven games against the Portland Trail Blazers in last season's Western Conference Semifinals is still mostly in tact. Now the question is: How do the Nuggets respond? There’s not much to take from the game, Denver just got beat - badly. The Jazz established a double-digit lead by the end of the first quarter, and were at one point leading the Nuggets by 39 points in the fourth before winning by 37. did not seem very interested in making the necessary rotations off Mitchell penetration or hustling for loose balls. In the worst performance of the postseason thus far, Denver got worked up and down the floor on Friday.įrom the jump, Jokic and Co. There is a path for Denver to win the ever-important Game 4, but if Utah is going to bring the intensity level it brought to Game 3, the Nuggets will be looking ahead to the offseason. Utah has won all the 50/50 balls and Rudy Gobert imposed his will on Nikola Jokic in the battle of foreign big men, going for 24 points and 14 rebounds in 31 minutes on Friday. The Jazz have brought energy that has yet to be matched by the Nuggets since the late stages of Game 1 of this series. On top of the incredible shooting display, Utah was +7 in turnovers and got to the free throw line 15 more times than Denver.įor Quinn Snyder and his club, the key will be maintaining the aggression. In Game 3, Utah shot 18-of-37 from deep and had firm control of the matchup by the middle of the second quarter. Utah has continued to make Denver pay from beyond the arc.īy attacking lackadaisical Nuggets rotations, the Jazz have swung the ball around the perimeter quickly and efficiently, drilling the open shot with ease. The Jazz were 14 points better with him on the floor in the seeding games, and his presence takes some of the pressure off Donovan Mitchell while also giving them a steady ball handler. With Mike Conley back in the rotation, the Jazz went from figuring it out to firing on all cylinders.Īfter leaving the bubble for the birth of his child last week, Conley used the apparent baby boost to score 27 points on 9-of-13 shooting - he was a +24 on the floor in his first game back in Orlando. ![]() Sunday NBA Promos! $325+ in No-Brainer Promos for 76ers-Celtics, Nuggets-Jazz, More Read now Utah Jazz ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |