I think people don't quite realise how big Gordon is. And it't not even just size...its strenght, speed, athleticism, dude a match up nightmare for the Heat.
Yeap, against LA he couldn't bully ball that much since he had a bigger body like Lebron or Rui in the switches but every time he had Reaves or Dennis it was an automatic basket
Underrated for sure. When people get applauded for being able to break film down, this is what they mean. This is the same as memorizing chess plays but mid game making adjustments, it’s knowing all the gambits and being able to be a step or three ahead.
It is not just complex; it is imaginative. They think that one win out of seven is already enough. Yes,they are big, and their mouths are bigger. You can not judge the opponent like that. They may not reach that stage without the ability to beat their past opponent.
@@RisingAboveThis Analysing chess is a whole different ball game. You cannot even analyse it properly if you weren't a high level former chess player yourself (sitting in commentary box).
Yeah like, oh you're gonna clog the paint? I'll just ask jokic to find someone free so they score a 3 You defending the shots? Sure I'll just ask the guys to use their height advantage and dunk on you
AG was PUNISHING them, the play where Murray was trying to give it to Joker, and Joker literally pointed over at AG, Murray passes to AG for easy 2 points.
@@andrewwood763 You're wrong. The average basketball simpathizer had their attention to the Bucks, Lakers, Suns, Clippers and Celtics. But little to Heats and Nuggets. It's because of the stars and how the media overrates them, if you watch the games on ESPN you can be tired on how the commentators never shut up about LeBron. And that's a good thing imo, it gives teams like Heats and Nuggets to build a good basketball team in shadows.
@@andrewwood763Hes saying since you dont hear much about them fly under the radar. The Nugs quietly crafted the next NBA blueprint while every other team was still trying to be small shooters like the Warriors
I know this is an old comment, but man the playmaking center is so devastating. I think that’s a new archetype we’re gonna start to see a lot more cause it forces the shot blocker away from the rim so everyone else gets to attack weaker defense in the paint.
@@bryanfoster326 You cant find someone like jokic. You can find if you reduce one of his +, like his weight, height, iq, and shoot. But he damn well for all of it. He might be not the best for defend but his height and weight already help his stamina for defense. Even Steph say it the best, like the best.. He said, Joker just got all of it. Full Package.
The beautiful game. Ball movement. The Spurs had this going in 2014. Jokic is a maestro at this part of the game. So fun to watch and the whole team is bought into the system.
@Elderberry McPlasterpants dude honestly he looks like he's about to get a heartburn every time the team goes back on defense after a score/miss and then the next thing you know he's flinging long passes or bullying the post 😂
Jokic - drafted mid second round Porter junior - drafted late lottery Gordon - acquired via trade Caldwell-Pope - acquired via trade Murray - drafted in the lottery (pick was part of the Carmelo Anthony trade) Bruce Brown - free agent signing. Solid roster construction for a team that's not a free agent destination for stars.
Well back end of the season they had like the 3rd best defense. Then they gave up the last month so they tanked back down out of the top 10. They did make a huge turn around from the beginning of the season cause they were ranked dead last for the 1st month of play.
It's bogus how that narrative about Jokic's defense came out right before the MVP voting and then, surprise, he's a key part of a great playoff defense. Not that Embiid was a terrible choice but Jokic was front-runner for a third MVP until that coordinated narrative dropped.
I think for many, like for example MPJ, its just more effort that is brought out by being in the playoffs/Finals. They dont need to do their best defensively every regular season possession, but when they do need to turn it up, they do that to a great level
@@Praetoriusify the thing is, it looks like jokic is bad at defense, but i think its because coach malone wants jokic to not get a lot of fouls, u want ur superstar through out the whole game afterall, and clearly he's very good at defense, just being careful not to get a foul, and its working out
Sorta makes sense. Since Spo would rather throw his better defenders on the scorers. Granted Spo can also take a risk playing Highsmith to match the size but that could compromise the overall offense as well. Since Vincent is the steadier shooter in the playoff lineups outside of the streaky ones like Strus and Robinson. But maybe in the adjustment is Spo just goes 'screw it' and puts out a better offensive lineup to combat what the Nuggets have. Cuz the Heat match up wise are somewhat compromised as is.
Did you only watch the first quarter? How many points did Gordon have in the three other quarters and who was guarding him in the three other quarters?
@@tr1x243 well whos fault is that?.... if Embid wasn't such a bum and a no show in playoffs.... we already saw the real Western finals.. might aswell give Denver the trophy now....
The Celtics would have been a more interesting match-up for Denver but I’m not bored. I’m a Lakers fan but I very much enjoy watching the Nuggets hoop. 🙂
I said the same thing against Phoenix. Although Durant, Booker, Ayton were superb. The thing that was gunna win Denver the series was their bodies. Jokic is Jokic but I don’t know if everyone realize just how big and athletic both Aaron Gordon and MPJ are.
@@Rogue_Centurion Ayton is playing like he works at the DMV. Just doing a job. PHX needs to trade him asap ffs, they were already dumb to sign him for the big contract to match his offer from Indiana or whatever it was. The dude wanted out, felt disrespected so you need to effin let him go his ways. Instead they gave him the bag and allowed him to poison the locker room. They will unload him to Dallas and get Kyrie in return. Then they need a big dude like Lopez, preferably a younger version that has decent rebounding.
Huge props to the referees this game. Let the teams play and didn’t take over the game. Called a foul when it was a foul and didn’t call the tikky-tak stuff. Hope this continues.
@@JustinhomiiBecause the nuggets didn’t foul. Neither did the heat in the first half. The nuggets had 4 free throws going into halftime, and they were already up 17 at that point. Most of the foul calls made were clearly fouls.
@@Justinhomii if u watched the game and used ur brain a bit, the heat can do nothing against the sizes of denver but to foul them whenever they are inside the paint
@@Justinhomii no foul coz heat mostly took mid range and 3 pt shot. And nuggets is much taller than heat lineup, they only need to raise both their hand, good defense and less likely to get a foul.p
The nuggets play so connected and smart, while jokic is the spear of attack, the rest of the team seems to follow his lead and seeks out every advantage possible. It’s beautiful to watch
The nuggets are the best example of a team that is designed to perfectly fit their superstar. This offense and defense screams champion and it’s a shame that people didn’t notice that sooner.
@@fr.Angel21 Well. Greg is getting a guy he could potentially build this style of team around. That the future could be interesting. I for one, welcome snuffing out the small ball 3 point-fest of the Warriors for the return of the dominate big man.
Aaron Gordon fits the Nuggets system. The Nuggets had a power-forward that attacked and defended the rim like Aaron Gordon, Kenneth Faried, he played with Jokic for years, this can be explained why Jokic feels comfortable playing with him.
It’s hard when Murray is a big 6’4 pg, KCP is a good defender and is like 6’6, MPJ is 6’10 and athletic as hell, Gordon is another 6’10 athletic as hell but better defensively, and Jokic is fucking thicc and you can’t move him. This nuggets team is just so hard to stop. Im a heat fan but I can’t stop enjoying this nuggets team they are so fun to watch
@BBGOD25 he still is pretty athletic dude. Did you not watch the game last night? Had a couple of crazy blocks and dunks that he got fuckin up there. I nean even his jump shot he elevates so much more than 90% of the leauge. He's not as timid as you're making him out to be
@Harpo's Harp Yes. He's more comfortable getting into the thick of it, i think he's starting to overcome that fear of getting an injury (it's not to crazy to assume he would have such fears). I once said in one convo that i think srenewing Mikes contract was a mistake, and i regret ever saying that. Sorry, Mike. Couldn't be happier to be proven wrong. Keep brushing up that jump shot cause it s a thing to behold.
@@Bricknose91 He was great on the defensive end though. Denver are so stacked they don't need to rely on just a couple of guys to show up to get the Win.
Of all the basketball channels I have come across during these playoffs yours are consistently the best. Best production, analysis and overall flow to the videos. Well done.
Its sort of what I envisioned the Kings need to flank their own passing big in Sabonis on defense. They need another forward whose athletic and lengthy who can roam or sit by the dunkers spot when Domas gets caught in screen actions himself.
We could have stole game 1. Kyle lowry and gabe vincent were on fire, but martin and strus played like shit, we need strus's threes and martin's points. Imagine strus just made 3 shots instead of missing all his shots and giving us zero. We would have been right in there.
I remember watching Aaron Gordon back in Orlando, and its good to see him finally put to use properly. He a was a center in Orlando, and him moving to the PF position was a good choice. Finally found the right system for him
Same. They have a great team and I love the basketball they play. Hope they can stick together for 2 or 3 more seasons, especially if they win. If you have a championship winning team, the hope is you don’t destroy the chemistry and run it back
All five starters are signed through next year, the year after that KCP has a player option and the other four are signed. Joker and MPJ are locked up long term, Jamal is due for an extension next year.
@@midoban23 Denver potentially could be the next GSW in terms of success and team chemistry. As far as beating a healthy Denver team though, probably could in 2022. Definitely not this year since the warriors facing multiple issues.
That pass out of the double team they keep replaying was a work of art, but my perspective was just limited to that. @4:48, pointing out the mismatches provoked by Murray's play of drawing Bam into the corner was something I completely missed, and the little shove from Gordon as well. Amazing video, great eye.
This is years of playing together. Denver probably the only team with this much cohesion. Their top 3 guys are all drafted by the organization. And their top two guys have been there during the entire time their coach has been there for. This like that helps especially in games that are tight ,that almost telepathic understanding is something which has been brewing for years. Team building is still alive and I’m all for the nuggets being rewarded for their patience with the team. Kudos to Denver.
The nuggets just really have a well rounded team with a legit super star unicorn center who literally dosent make mistakes. Hes such a special player for how unathletic he is. I remember watching them the last 2 ueats getting bounced and thinking they are going to be trouble when murray and porter come back. But man I didn't think murray would come back even better than before. Porter too. It's just crazy how they have developed as a team. You just don't see it happen too often outside the warriors
There are just different types of athleticisms. By the end of the Lakers series, Anthony Davis was exhausted running down the floor with the Joker and being knocked around by him. The Joker is like a car that can only go a maximum of 65 mph, whereupon Davis car can go 120 mph. But on the highway a car only needs to go 65 mph to maintain speed. And because of the lower speed Jokers car runs out of gas later than Davis's car. And because Joker carries more adipose fat on his body, his gas tank is larger, too.
This is just beautiful basketball, amazing to watch. Thank you for this breakdown and analysis, adds so much more to the enjoyment for us who aren’t as good at understanding the Intricacies and ins and outs going on in realtime!
Bam tries to front Jokic on the first play and it gets instantly countered. Gotta give Malone his flowers, he has his guys ready to play every single night.
this was like watching a seniors vs freshman exhibition match. men against boys. their only hope is if Kevin Love can give them some quality minutes and use his 6 fouls to guard Jokic, and have Bam guard Gordon.
Jimmy needs to play some mind games with Murray. And they need to play Hack-a-Jokic. Cause Jokic is always so calm just relentless. Punish him, make him angry, I dont think he gets better when mad.
This is just the beginning. Joker and Jamal will go on to win this series. And eventually go down in history as two of the greats. A dynasty in the making here. Enjoy folks !!
What's crazy is that even though joker and Jamal are the top scorers, the other guys like mpj, kcp and brown are buckets too. It all out offensive attack from every side . I think Nuggets gonna make a dynasty with these players.
Last team I remember to really use its size advantage was the 2010 Lakers. Nice to see some vintage bball in the age of chucking 35 three-pointers per game.
Crazy to think I was watching Aaron Gordon and MPJ in BallisLife clips like 6 or 7 years ago. Now bothered starting and killing it inthe NBA Finals. Just awesome
Denver were good in the Bubble Adding AG50 made a big difference Adding KCP and BB etc, whilst getting rid of Rivers + Compazzo + Bol made the 3rd tier much stronger too Meanwhile Jokic just kept getting better and should have been 3 time MVP Malone has been improving his coaching too Nuggets rising!
They were ok in the bubble. But I was at one point piqued in a trade that would bring Ben Simmons to Denver back in 2020 (and before he folded). Simmons could answer the on-ball defense and is a ball handler himself. Jokic and Murray can find him spots on the floor to attack as well. If anything the Nuggets were smart to let Jerami Grant get his bag (with the Pistons) and find another talent to replace that big versatile forward role who can defend. Thankfully Aaron Gordon was that guy.
Denver has insane offensive rating when they get a stop. But I was curious, is it even higher when Jokic grab the rebound? It sometimes feels like a guarenteed score at the other end of the court
Spoelstra is a great coach. He will make adjustments so that a smaller defender doesn't constantly end up on gordon. BUT then jokic and porter jr will eat those same guys for breakfast
Think about this: the last 2 games Denver lost, came against Phoenx. And the Suns only managed to do it in 2 games and only because KD and Booker combined for 80 or so points. The Heat don't have 2 players who can give you 80 in a game. If they get lucky and everything works out, they can get 4 guys with 20, but not for 4 games. Barring an injury or a ridiculous meltdown hitting Denver, I don't see the Heat winning a game. Also, keep in mind, Denver is averaging 115 points those playoffs, they had 100 this night. Plus their defence didn't look nearly as intense as it did against LA, for example. Watching that game live, it felt like Denver could've always gone up 1 or 2 gears, but just didn't need to except those 3 minutes in the 4th, were they did just long enough to go back to +16 and just coasted to the end.
You missed one thing. Suns' defense and the Western Conference teams' defense in general is nowhere near the level of Heat's, Celtics' or Bucks' defense. Nuggets ain't gonna score 120 and 130 points like they did so far. And they were on fire last night, consistently making shots while guarded. Meanwhile Miami were bricking dozens of free shoots.
While watching the game I had a feeling that Denver could bench Murray and stil win, or they could bench Jokić and still win. The last two rounds for Denver were close, they needed to give everything that they've got in order to win but against Miami, it feels like they are on cruise control.
@@TheEfrain1017 Again, that was a result of Heat's defense. Don't expect them to have the same percentages like they did against the Suns. Meanwhile Heat were missing open shots and had 33%, way below their 40% average and even worse than their 50% nights they had against Celtics.
@@enagah how is it the WC defense 'nowhere' near the level of Miami etc, when the lakers had the first rank defense (and still ranked 3 AFTER getting swept) and nuggets have a better ranked defense than Miami?
Size is a massive problem for Miami. It was their issue last year with the Celtics, which they didn't bother to address in the offseason. And now its a problem again. Considering how the game went and that Miami played about as poorly as you could and still made it interesting at the end, I think its possible for them to figure something out and win. But they are just determined to do it in the most difficult way possible. Being so small means they need to give max effort on every play and they need to be on point with every detail the entire game. And its just too much to ask for an undersized team to do game in and game out. I know Miami thinks they can out scheme and out hustle their way to a championship, but I don't know why they have decided to make it this hard on themselves.
Yea yea they have to start treating every possession with a little more caution. They had a decent run in the r 3rd quarter that was squandered by turnovers and on top of that they kepy making terrible mistakes near the rim like missing some easy contested layups and settling for 3s. When Kyle Lowry made those 2 3s and no one passed him the ball after i knew the heat werent thinking and we're too desperate
This is why they have Cody Zeller, he's similar to Jokic in terms of size and height but even so, Ayton, Gobert and AD couldn't stop Jokic Bam or Zeller 1000% doesn't have a chance of stopping him
Problem is, if Heat doesn't have excellent shooting night, they are done, for real. But Nuggets have like 3 game plans, they win through height advantage, through fast turnovers and they can beat Miami in shooting if they have a good night. Idk, Nuggets team is extremely balanced, their chemistry is awesome, I really don't see a way how Miami can win FOUR (4) games. I give them 2, and they should be happy with 2 wins against the best team in the NBA if I'm being honest.
I dunno, i think it works both ways. There are many advantages to smaller lineups. Denver being so much better at playmaking, despite their size, really hurts Miami tho. To me, the problem is that Miami's great strength is D, but they're facing an undefendable offense.
They need butler to step up and play like a 2 way star, you don’t want your best player to have to take that much defensive responsibility but he’s the only one who can really match up with Gordon and him asking for a switch led to multiple baskets so the heat really have no choice
Hes gonna wear him self down the only match up he can take is murry he can't even guard murry because of ag hes. useing alot of emgery on him since everyone one is small bam cant come off jok
@@roberthall1818 The heat is also coming off of a 7 game series and faced 4 back to back elimination games. And on top of that theyre facing a team that has rested for more than a week and emphasizes endurance training in altitude. If Butler goes too hard, his body is gonna fail in a few games, if he takes a few losses to rest, Nuggets are gonna take the series lead and they'll be facing elimination again. Lose-lose situation for the heat
@@potatovine I know but this is literally it I know it’s a bad situation but you gotta leave it all out there for your team to win and can’t really think about getting tired now
When it's all said and done, Jokic might have the case for being the most complete offensive player ever. There is simply no facet on that side of the ball he isn't good at. He is a fantastic scorer at all 3 ranges (paint, midrange, 3pt), capable of creating his own shot. He is the greatest passing big men and is up there with Magic and Bron for best all time. Add to that his offensive rebounding and the willingness to set screens at an high level, he just provides the whole spectrum of offensive utility.
well said! And like SAS just said today, if he wins Denver their first chip people have to put him in the conversation / give him the recognition he deserves.
Also the way he plays is very sustainable too not super athletic so he doesn’t really put himself at risk by doing crazy dunks or anything like that like Joel and other big men
the only skill set that he doesn't have thought not needed, is driving to the basket like the way Lebron or Gianis can. He just backs up from the elbow, which is fine being so big.
@@zoulzopan Then again you weren't excepting any big man in older era's and today's era with the exception of giannis to do that in the history of the NBA
the biggest issue for denver last season was size, with the four little dwarves lineups with monte morris campazzo forbes and bones. Now we're one of the bigger teams in the league and actually have people who know how to go over screens
I've been saying this since before the postseason even started. The only team that would've been capable of contending with a healthy nuggets squad was a healthy Bucks squad. As amazing as this Heat run has been, and as much as I'm looking forward to these finals games, I'm so sad that Giannis' injury cost us what would've been an all-time great series between Milwaukee and Denver.
@@TheEfrain1017 God I hope so. With Giannis and Nikola in their primes I wouldn’t mind them going head to head for another 5 years LeBron/Curry style. Completely different individual playing styles clashing at the biggest stage of basketball. That being said, Lopez may not be with the bucks next year, and even if he is, he’s gonna be getting too old to be guarding the likes of Nikola Jokic for 40 minutes a night in a 7 game series. Great defensive bigs like that with an outside game to contrast well with Giannis’ elite rim pressure are hard to come by
@@ymaysernameuay1113 Completely agree. Milwaukee really disappointed me in all 5 games. But I’d like to think that a completely healthy Giannis Antetokounmpo in games 2-5 would’ve increased Milwaukee’s chances of getting past that first round. Not guaranteeing, just increasing their chances of winning.
Unfortunately for the Heat won't matter in Miami like a coach once said about a smaller team playing a bigger talented team hoping to win at home "3 point shooting and shooting in general comes and go...but size travel all the time."
@@edsonmawalla4203 they also have very good size, expect steph all other guys where big for their position,klay is bigger then every other guard,wiggins is very atlethic,green is short but strong,even 2015 team you have livingstone who is tall
Nikola Jokić transcends being a basketball player - he embodies basketball itself. He encapsulates the essence of the game as a whole, rather than being defined by individual statistical categories. He represents something unprecedented, as his style of play epitomizes the very core of basketball. He epitomizes the true spirit of basketball, where collective effort and collaboration are paramount. Mr.Mac
I knew that Miami is severely outmatched but watching yesterday's game, Miami is spread to thin whilst Nuggets is not even giving their best. They're just cruising with their lead and only stepped up a bit when Miami gets things going in the 4th.
They stole a dunk contest from AG but I can't wait for him to win a title. A real good guy in the league. The whole Nuggets deserve to win. Amazing teamwork. Reminds me of the Early 2000 Spurs with Timmie and the gang.
Here's hoping NBA teams watch Denver, and realize that being three-point happy doesn't work unless you have historically good shooters; Denver varies what they do, and work with their strengths. Also, newsflash: Being really tall helps in basketball. ;)
It's great to see players from both sides being knocked on the floor and getting up as fast as they can without complaining. No flopping! It would have been disgustingly different if the Flopping King were present.
Spo is a psycho if he insists running that Gabe/Jimmy/Caleb/Strus/Bam or Zeller lineup. I understand that’s been their best lineup but it’s only playable against Gordon and Jokic if they’re hitting their 3s at a great rate
This was a great analysis. I was thinking the same thing when I saw Miami's starting five. I kept seeing Gordon get matched with a smaller player, and that is an easy gimmie. By the way, what happened to Jimmy Butler? He totally took a back seat in this game.
His ankle is probably bothering him, also doesn't help that he had to play 7 games against the Celtics while the entire Nuggets team got one full week of rest
"Tottaly took a bak seat " - nah , its like when ppl hated Kobe cause he shot the balls, but when he stopped shooting and passed the ball ppl said he has bad mentality and attitude. Jimmy tried to involve his teammates in the game so they will be able to get "hot" (feel the rythm) , if you watched the games in playoff Heat was insane when somebody next to Jimmy had backets so enemy's Deffense need it to spread their energy not only focus on him. Its not his fault that his teammates where terrible at shooting in Game1.
@@fullfradi95 SO you say it was ok for Jimmy to play passive and try to get his teammates going, but totally hand the game over without being aggressive and attacking his defenders. ITS THE FINALS Dude. The Finals is where your best players show up and do their work, not play passive and help their teammates get going while they chill. It's ridiculous. Jimmy needed to score 20+ and be a bully taking advantage of mismatches. But now the Heat are down 1 game without showing any fight in them against a bigger more physical Denver Nuggets. After seeing this game, I really thing Denver can sweep. By the way, Jimmy IS NOT Kobe. And it showed because Kobe in the finals would be going hard at anyone defending him, and he was going to get his buckets.
Watching Nuggets play is like watching Spurs 2014, the ball movement, teamplay, all is about team, not rely on individual talent. That's how the Spurs was described as boring back then... But only true basketball lover know that's how should the basketball play as 5 on 5.
@Brendan Bloom that's not my point. My point is that the Western conference finals decided the NBA finals this year. Whether it was the T-wolves or Sun's playing the Nuggets in the conference championship the winners of that would beat the Heat or Boston in a 7 game series. Of course, this is only my opinion
@@ChrisTesch87 well yeah you could also make the case that whowever won the nuggets suns series was gonna win even though we don’t know cuz it took booker and kd having to score like 70 for them to win and they were hurt and lacked playing time together but were the most competitive team vs Denver.
@Brendan Bloom agreed, the Sun's definitely put up the most fight. It's just crazy how good the freaking Nuggets are though. They can have a relatively cold shooting night and still beat the heat without it being close. Gordon is a beast down low too. They're going to have to pay that guy soon
Knowing what denver and jokic are going to di and still being unable to defend it just shows what a strong unit this team is. Well balanced, shooting, height, ball movement theyve got it all
Don't forget this type of plays and defense is allowed thanks to rule changes. It is shame NBA allowed such soft type of basketball during 2010 - 2020 where the 3pts and small ball dominated. I'm very very glad to see the post moves and power dribbles again without many the floping. God bless Jokic and AG
Denver's transition offense is lethal, nobody can figure it out. Pkus their biggest player Jokic is conditioned to be able to run up and down all game long, it's pretty incredible
Bro awesome analysis. I was telling my friend this is exactly what the nuggets are going to do. He was bringing up jump shots and 3pt shooting. I’m like nah nah, nuggets are going To play bully ball. Jokic is going to play the distraction role for most of the game and then go off in the 4th quarter. Double teaming Jokic and going into a zone will not work much cause they will score anyways. Gordon and porter can post up Lowry, Martin, strus and Vincent all day and set themselves up for the easy 2 pts all the time. If you dare to go after Gordon on the post you leave shooters wide open. Porter and Jokic can shoot over peoples head and Murray can get hot quick. Don’t forget about kcp and brown who are 2 way guards that have been so good for them and can splash that three. I’m rooting for my boy Bruce brown miss him on my nets. I’m not sure what the heat can really do and tbh 3pt shooting is all they can do to really keep up not take over or even tie the game. But this is spolestra so he gotta have something up his sleeve. Let’s see what happens but I got nuggets in 5.
I think people don't quite realise how big Gordon is. And it't not even just size...its strenght, speed, athleticism, dude a match up nightmare for the Heat.
Yeap, against LA he couldn't bully ball that much since he had a bigger body like Lebron or Rui in the switches but every time he had Reaves or Dennis it was an automatic basket
watching as a wolves fan, i can second that. he absolutely destroyed both KAT and Rudy when he was guarding them
@@jdelgado216 He did play good defense on LeBron and Rui because of his body
@@paquinraino8180 he was talking about bully ball not d.
@@jdelgado216bro was literally bullying lebron 🤣🤣 check game 4
It’s crazy seeing a game broken down and analyzed like this, nuts how complex nba basketball really is
Exactly
Underrated for sure. When people get applauded for being able to break film down, this is what they mean. This is the same as memorizing chess plays but mid game making adjustments, it’s knowing all the gambits and being able to be a step or three ahead.
It is not just complex; it is imaginative. They think that one win out of seven is already enough. Yes,they are big, and their mouths are bigger. You can not judge the opponent like that. They may not reach that stage without the ability to beat their past opponent.
@@RisingAboveThis it’s not even close to analysis chess my guy…
@@RisingAboveThis Analysing chess is a whole different ball game. You cannot even analyse it properly if you weren't a high level former chess player yourself (sitting in commentary box).
Denver just seems to have an infinite bag of “oh you’re gonna do this? Well then I’ll just do that”
Yeah like, oh you're gonna clog the paint? I'll just ask jokic to find someone free so they score a 3
You defending the shots? Sure I'll just ask the guys to use their height advantage and dunk on you
Basketball IQ...
AG was PUNISHING them, the play where Murray was trying to give it to Joker, and Joker literally pointed over at AG, Murray passes to AG for easy 2 points.
He was killing them, I thought it was a bit of a mistake not going to him more in the 2nd half would have stopped those Heat mini runs.
@@alblack3425 tbf, knowing Coach Spo, they probably devised a plan to stop AG in the 2nd half. Mini runs are better than a comeback.
Just more Jokic genius 😂. Really is a lot like Bron just reading the game like he's watching in 3rd person
@@daddyfuse50he honestly might have higher basketball IQ than Bron
)!!
It just looks like Denver have built a great all around team. Everyone knows what they are doing and they do it well.
@@andrewwood763 You're wrong. The average basketball simpathizer had their attention to the Bucks, Lakers, Suns, Clippers and Celtics. But little to Heats and Nuggets.
It's because of the stars and how the media overrates them, if you watch the games on ESPN you can be tired on how the commentators never shut up about LeBron.
And that's a good thing imo, it gives teams like Heats and Nuggets to build a good basketball team in shadows.
@@andrewwood763 Because it's already to late
@@andrewwood763Hes saying since you dont hear much about them fly under the radar. The Nugs quietly crafted the next NBA blueprint while every other team was still trying to be small shooters like the Warriors
@@daddyfuse50
@@andrewwood763 their team defense...
Steph re-defined the game by hitting insane 3's. Jokic is bringing the game back to the post by being so versatile. It's so fun to watch.
💯👏💯👏💯👏💯👏💯👏💯👏💯👏💯👏💯👏💯 Finally-Right!
I know this is an old comment, but man the playmaking center is so devastating. I think that’s a new archetype we’re gonna start to see a lot more cause it forces the shot blocker away from the rim so everyone else gets to attack weaker defense in the paint.
@@bryanfoster326 You cant find someone like jokic. You can find if you reduce one of his +, like his weight, height, iq, and shoot.
But he damn well for all of it. He might be not the best for defend but his height and weight already help his stamina for defense.
Even Steph say it the best, like the best.. He said, Joker just got all of it. Full Package.
The beautiful game. Ball movement. The Spurs had this going in 2014. Jokic is a maestro at this part of the game. So fun to watch and the whole team is bought into the system.
In short, Denver isn't Lazy. They have trained endurance to execute all of their Coach's plays and switches. I like the Denver mentality.
They're a well oiled up machine that works smoothly.
When a team like that are all committed they're a tough team to beat. Hope Denver wins, they've played their cards right
@Elderberry McPlasterpants dude honestly he looks like he's about to get a heartburn every time the team goes back on defense after a score/miss and then the next thing you know he's flinging long passes or bullying the post 😂
Denver can become a dynasty if they keep this team together. They play incredibly well!
@@adriandaliva1341 Jokic looks like he's having an asthma attack then just full on sprints to beat his man to his spot on offense 😭😭😭😭😭
Jokic - drafted mid second round
Porter junior - drafted late lottery
Gordon - acquired via trade
Caldwell-Pope - acquired via trade
Murray - drafted in the lottery (pick was part of the Carmelo Anthony trade)
Bruce Brown - free agent signing.
Solid roster construction for a team that's not a free agent destination for stars.
KCP wasnt a free agent. They traded for him
Meanwhile, leclown needs all the stars to help him get past first round of western conference playoff
for real they deep
@@csklmf86 rent free
KCP was traded
I know most people are saying this is a boring finals but .This is the type of basketball I love to watch !
It's good ball! I've been hoping for this, and not another 3-point shooting festival.
Most people!?
It’s only butthurt Lakers & Boston trolls who claim “muh boring basketball “. The rest of us love to see how this game is meant to be played.
nah its only boring to casual fanboys of thier idols that are eliminated already . for true basketball fans this is beyond entertaining .
Only casuals says that, This is a great final.
They’re so organized on offense and in transition, it’s beautiful to watch
And the Nuggets are a big team- the 90's Bulls would have slaughtered the Warriors teams!
yes it is beautiful to watch 1-1 tied series 😂😂😂
The improved defense in the playoffs by the Nuggets is really impressive
Well back end of the season they had like the 3rd best defense. Then they gave up the last month so they tanked back down out of the top 10. They did make a huge turn around from the beginning of the season cause they were ranked dead last for the 1st month of play.
It's bogus how that narrative about Jokic's defense came out right before the MVP voting and then, surprise, he's a key part of a great playoff defense. Not that Embiid was a terrible choice but Jokic was front-runner for a third MVP until that coordinated narrative dropped.
I think for many, like for example MPJ, its just more effort that is brought out by being in the playoffs/Finals. They dont need to do their best defensively every regular season possession, but when they do need to turn it up, they do that to a great level
@@Praetoriusify the thing is, it looks like jokic is bad at defense, but i think its because coach malone wants jokic to not get a lot of fouls, u want ur superstar through out the whole game afterall, and clearly he's very good at defense, just being careful not to get a foul, and its working out
@@suprgee 100%. Jokic's offense is key, he can't get in foul trouble.
Breath of fresh air watching these guys. We get to watch efficient team basketball as opposed to forced isos and insta-bricked 3's nowadays
It's a damn shame that 6'2 Gabe Vincent was more willing to defend Gordon than Jimmy, Martin, or Strus.
What were they thinking letting 6'2 player guarding 6'10 gordon
Sorta makes sense. Since Spo would rather throw his better defenders on the scorers. Granted Spo can also take a risk playing Highsmith to match the size but that could compromise the overall offense as well. Since Vincent is the steadier shooter in the playoff lineups outside of the streaky ones like Strus and Robinson. But maybe in the adjustment is Spo just goes 'screw it' and puts out a better offensive lineup to combat what the Nuggets have. Cuz the Heat match up wise are somewhat compromised as is.
Did you only watch the first quarter? How many points did Gordon have in the three other quarters and who was guarding him in the three other quarters?
Can’t believe people are hating on this finals. I love basketball and Jokic’s game is a joy to watch.
Problem is that Heat wont make it competitive. Denver is a nightmare match up for Heat, they have no answer for Jokic/Gordon.
@@tr1x243 well whos fault is that?.... if Embid wasn't such a bum and a no show in playoffs.... we already saw the real Western finals.. might aswell give Denver the trophy now....
Lol these causals don’t really watch basketball
The Celtics would have been a more interesting match-up for Denver but I’m not bored. I’m a Lakers fan but I very much enjoy watching the Nuggets hoop. 🙂
@@grahamstrouse1165 100%
I said the same thing against Phoenix. Although Durant, Booker, Ayton were superb. The thing that was gunna win Denver the series was their bodies. Jokic is Jokic but I don’t know if everyone realize just how big and athletic both Aaron Gordon and MPJ are.
Ayton was not superb
I think most people have a concept of height and weight. So they know AG and MPJ are both tall and strong.
@@Rogue_Centurion Ayton is playing like he works at the DMV. Just doing a job. PHX needs to trade him asap ffs, they were already dumb to sign him for the big contract to match his offer from Indiana or whatever it was. The dude wanted out, felt disrespected so you need to effin let him go his ways. Instead they gave him the bag and allowed him to poison the locker room. They will unload him to Dallas and get Kyrie in return. Then they need a big dude like Lopez, preferably a younger version that has decent rebounding.
Huge props to the referees this game. Let the teams play and didn’t take over the game. Called a foul when it was a foul and didn’t call the tikky-tak stuff. Hope this continues.
The heat didn't have one free throw 💀
@@JustinhomiiBecause the nuggets didn’t foul. Neither did the heat in the first half. The nuggets had 4 free throws going into halftime, and they were already up 17 at that point. Most of the foul calls made were clearly fouls.
@@Justinhomii they had a playoff record, two.
@@Justinhomii if u watched the game and used ur brain a bit, the heat can do nothing against the sizes of denver but to foul them whenever they are inside the paint
@@Justinhomii no foul coz heat mostly took mid range and 3 pt shot. And nuggets is much taller than heat lineup, they only need to raise both their hand, good defense and less likely to get a foul.p
The nuggets play so connected and smart, while jokic is the spear of attack, the rest of the team seems to follow his lead and seeks out every advantage possible. It’s beautiful to watch
The nuggets are the best example of a team that is designed to perfectly fit their superstar. This offense and defense screams champion and it’s a shame that people didn’t notice that sooner.
@@thebman468 its not a shame for my bets this year
The Nuggets system is Popovich's wet dream system
The Barcelona of the NBA 😅
@@fr.Angel21 Well. Greg is getting a guy he could potentially build this style of team around. That the future could be interesting. I for one, welcome snuffing out the small ball 3 point-fest of the Warriors for the return of the dominate big man.
I’m happy for Aaron Gordon, I always knew he was a winning player he was just stuck in Orlando
Yeah. The Magic is notorious for having an ass team except for Paulo Banchero.
Aaron Gordon fits the Nuggets system. The Nuggets had a power-forward that attacked and defended the rim like Aaron Gordon, Kenneth Faried, he played with Jokic for years, this can be explained why Jokic feels comfortable playing with him.
@@fr.Angel21 oh yeah, the Manimal. He was a beast back in the Nuggets. But Aaron Gordon fits the description of him, but more bonuses.
@@krisbd6262 very young, talented team. Give a few years. Also Franz and fultz are good rn
@@bakrom3734 Yeah. Those guys can help this ass franchise go to the playoffs. And make Scooter happy.
It’s hard when Murray is a big 6’4 pg, KCP is a good defender and is like 6’6, MPJ is 6’10 and athletic as hell, Gordon is another 6’10 athletic as hell but better defensively, and Jokic is fucking thicc and you can’t move him. This nuggets team is just so hard to stop. Im a heat fan but I can’t stop enjoying this nuggets team they are so fun to watch
MPJ is not athletic as hell. He isnt fast, he doesnt jump high and is stiff because of 3 back surgeries.
@@bbgod2525 still cookin tho, and he’s lengthy and can disrupt airspace
@@ClumsyRoot the game is evolving again
@BBGOD25 he still is pretty athletic dude. Did you not watch the game last night? Had a couple of crazy blocks and dunks that he got fuckin up there. I nean even his jump shot he elevates so much more than 90% of the leauge. He's not as timid as you're making him out to be
@@88benz I like MPJ, but he’s not cooking. 5-16 2 games in a row and 4-11 the game before that. He hasnt been cooking and hes not athletic.
Nikola Jokic’ passing is a thing to behold.
Mike is getting dangerous, man. His improvement this season is second to none.
He was like 1-11 from the 3
@Sammy Sprinklers Good for Denever it wasn't a three point shooting competition 👍
I love watching MPJ grow & become a better defender. Blocking those shots, contesting. He seemed to get in Butler’s head.
@Harpo's Harp Yes. He's more comfortable getting into the thick of it, i think he's starting to overcome that fear of getting an injury (it's not to crazy to assume he would have such fears). I once said in one convo that i think srenewing Mikes contract was a mistake, and i regret ever saying that. Sorry, Mike. Couldn't be happier to be proven wrong. Keep brushing up that jump shot cause it s a thing to behold.
@@Bricknose91 He was great on the defensive end though. Denver are so stacked they don't need to rely on just a couple of guys to show up to get the Win.
Of all the basketball channels I have come across during these playoffs yours are consistently the best.
Best production, analysis and overall flow to the videos.
Well done.
Not only big, their two forwards are super athletic.
Its sort of what I envisioned the Kings need to flank their own passing big in Sabonis on defense. They need another forward whose athletic and lengthy who can roam or sit by the dunkers spot when Domas gets caught in screen actions himself.
if Butler doesn’t take game 1 personally, this series is over
He can if he wants. It’s still over.
and if he takes it personally.... this series is still over because they don't have the talent or the size to deal with denver
He has the will and determination but so does Denver
We could have stole game 1. Kyle lowry and gabe vincent were on fire, but martin and strus played like shit, we need strus's threes and martin's points. Imagine strus just made 3 shots instead of missing all his shots and giving us zero. We would have been right in there.
@@Akkbar21 amen
Watching the Nuggets is like watching a throw back team of the 90's! They are fun to watch.
Denver is looking like a very tough match up for any team as long as they stay healthy. They can fo it all.
I remember watching Aaron Gordon back in Orlando, and its good to see him finally put to use properly. He a was a center in Orlando, and him moving to the PF position was a good choice. Finally found the right system for him
Bro i hope denver sticks together for some time!!! They seem like a very likeable group
Same. They have a great team and I love the basketball they play. Hope they can stick together for 2 or 3 more seasons, especially if they win. If you have a championship winning team, the hope is you don’t destroy the chemistry and run it back
All five starters are signed through next year, the year after that KCP has a player option and the other four are signed. Joker and MPJ are locked up long term, Jamal is due for an extension next year.
next season GSW will destroy denver.
@@midoban23 Denver potentially could be the next GSW in terms of success and team chemistry. As far as beating a healthy Denver team though, probably could in 2022. Definitely not this year since the warriors facing multiple issues.
@dark LOL gl with that. Warriors are done. Klay is toast, Poole sucks and has the worst contract in the league
These videos make basketball so beautiful thank you for putting in the effort to make these more in depth videos!
I watched the whole game but didn't realize till then end that Jokic had a Trip Dub, man what a silent monster. The Tim Duncan comparisons are good!
That pass out of the double team they keep replaying was a work of art, but my perspective was just limited to that. @4:48, pointing out the mismatches provoked by Murray's play of drawing Bam into the corner was something I completely missed, and the little shove from Gordon as well. Amazing video, great eye.
This is years of playing together. Denver probably the only team with this much cohesion. Their top 3 guys are all drafted by the organization. And their top two guys have been there during the entire time their coach has been there for. This like that helps especially in games that are tight ,that almost telepathic understanding is something which has been brewing for years. Team building is still alive and I’m all for the nuggets being rewarded for their patience with the team. Kudos to Denver.
The nuggets just really have a well rounded team with a legit super star unicorn center who literally dosent make mistakes. Hes such a special player for how unathletic he is. I remember watching them the last 2 ueats getting bounced and thinking they are going to be trouble when murray and porter come back. But man I didn't think murray would come back even better than before. Porter too. It's just crazy how they have developed as a team. You just don't see it happen too often outside the warriors
There are just different types of athleticisms. By the end of the Lakers series, Anthony Davis was exhausted running down the floor with the Joker and being knocked around by him.
The Joker is like a car that can only go a maximum of 65 mph, whereupon Davis car can go 120 mph.
But on the highway a car only needs to go 65 mph to maintain speed. And because of the lower speed Jokers car runs out of gas later than Davis's car. And because Joker carries more adipose fat on his body, his gas tank is larger, too.
This is just beautiful basketball, amazing to watch. Thank you for this breakdown and analysis, adds so much more to the enjoyment for us who aren’t as good at understanding the Intricacies and ins and outs going on in realtime!
Bam tries to front Jokic on the first play and it gets instantly countered. Gotta give Malone his flowers, he has his guys ready to play every single night.
Denver paid their dues, it's Denver time, at this moment they are in league of their own. Miami has no saying in this series....
These breakdowns are unreal! I hope you plan to do a breakdown for each game in the finals. 😃
damn didn't realize how much Jimmy keeps pointing to his teammates to take on Gordon, this series is over
this was like watching a seniors vs freshman exhibition match. men against boys. their only hope is if Kevin Love can give them some quality minutes and use his 6 fouls to guard Jokic, and have Bam guard Gordon.
Jimmy needs to play some mind games with Murray. And they need to play Hack-a-Jokic. Cause Jokic is always so calm just relentless. Punish him, make him angry, I dont think he gets better when mad.
@@maxmeier532 As Nikolas fellow Serb my advice is NOT to make him angry lol, things would get much worse for Heat.
@@nenadpopov3601jokic always done worse when he’s mad
This is just the beginning. Joker and Jamal will go on to win this series. And eventually go down in history as two of the greats. A dynasty in the making here. Enjoy folks !!
I can see it
Fck no. Get ready. They may win this year but the shit aint happening again.
What's crazy is that even though joker and Jamal are the top scorers, the other guys like mpj, kcp and brown are buckets too. It all out offensive attack from every side . I think Nuggets gonna make a dynasty with these players.
Love your videos. Insightful and concise. Great work!
Hot take: the Nuggets are playing the best basketball since the 2014 Spurs
I was thinking the same thing
Not hot at all. Its true
Yes
I made this comparison myself
2014 spurs, 2016 warriors
Last team I remember to really use its size advantage was the 2010 Lakers. Nice to see some vintage bball in the age of chucking 35 three-pointers per game.
The 2020 lakers were similarly tall
I mean the 2020 lakers were also huge. Biggest reason why they beat denver in the bubble. They outsized them by a mile.
@@noivern1380 really wish we got to see a full uninterrupted season from that team
@@Gdfsandoz now it was the opposite this year😂
@@rex6830 look at me, I am de captain now
Crazy to think I was watching Aaron Gordon and MPJ in BallisLife clips like 6 or 7 years ago. Now bothered starting and killing it inthe NBA Finals. Just awesome
Denver were good in the Bubble
Adding AG50 made a big difference
Adding KCP and BB etc, whilst getting rid of Rivers + Compazzo + Bol made the 3rd tier much stronger too
Meanwhile Jokic just kept getting better and should have been 3 time MVP
Malone has been improving his coaching too
Nuggets rising!
They were ok in the bubble. But I was at one point piqued in a trade that would bring Ben Simmons to Denver back in 2020 (and before he folded). Simmons could answer the on-ball defense and is a ball handler himself. Jokic and Murray can find him spots on the floor to attack as well. If anything the Nuggets were smart to let Jerami Grant get his bag (with the Pistons) and find another talent to replace that big versatile forward role who can defend. Thankfully Aaron Gordon was that guy.
Denver has insane offensive rating when they get a stop. But I was curious, is it even higher when Jokic grab the rebound? It sometimes feels like a guarenteed score at the other end of the court
Can’t wait for the “How the Miami Heat dismantled a bigger opponent” video.
Spoelstra is a great coach. He will make adjustments so that a smaller defender doesn't constantly end up on gordon. BUT then jokic and porter jr will eat those same guys for breakfast
Think about this: the last 2 games Denver lost, came against Phoenx. And the Suns only managed to do it in 2 games and only because KD and Booker combined for 80 or so points. The Heat don't have 2 players who can give you 80 in a game. If they get lucky and everything works out, they can get 4 guys with 20, but not for 4 games.
Barring an injury or a ridiculous meltdown hitting Denver, I don't see the Heat winning a game.
Also, keep in mind, Denver is averaging 115 points those playoffs, they had 100 this night. Plus their defence didn't look nearly as intense as it did against LA, for example. Watching that game live, it felt like Denver could've always gone up 1 or 2 gears, but just didn't need to except those 3 minutes in the 4th, were they did just long enough to go back to +16 and just coasted to the end.
You missed one thing. Suns' defense and the Western Conference teams' defense in general is nowhere near the level of Heat's, Celtics' or Bucks' defense. Nuggets ain't gonna score 120 and 130 points like they did so far. And they were on fire last night, consistently making shots while guarded. Meanwhile Miami were bricking dozens of free shoots.
@@enagahMiami did miss a ton but nuggets had one of their worst 3pt shooting games. MPJ especially
While watching the game I had a feeling that Denver could bench Murray and stil win, or they could bench Jokić and still win. The last two rounds for Denver were close, they needed to give everything that they've got in order to win but against Miami, it feels like they are on cruise control.
@@TheEfrain1017 Again, that was a result of Heat's defense. Don't expect them to have the same percentages like they did against the Suns. Meanwhile Heat were missing open shots and had 33%, way below their 40% average and even worse than their 50% nights they had against Celtics.
@@enagah how is it the WC defense 'nowhere' near the level of Miami etc, when the lakers had the first rank defense (and still ranked 3 AFTER getting swept) and nuggets have a better ranked defense than Miami?
Size is a massive problem for Miami. It was their issue last year with the Celtics, which they didn't bother to address in the offseason. And now its a problem again. Considering how the game went and that Miami played about as poorly as you could and still made it interesting at the end, I think its possible for them to figure something out and win. But they are just determined to do it in the most difficult way possible. Being so small means they need to give max effort on every play and they need to be on point with every detail the entire game. And its just too much to ask for an undersized team to do game in and game out. I know Miami thinks they can out scheme and out hustle their way to a championship, but I don't know why they have decided to make it this hard on themselves.
Yea yea they have to start treating every possession with a little more caution. They had a decent run in the r 3rd quarter that was squandered by turnovers and on top of that they kepy making terrible mistakes near the rim like missing some easy contested layups and settling for 3s. When Kyle Lowry made those 2 3s and no one passed him the ball after i knew the heat werent thinking and we're too desperate
The problem is that Nuggets are great hustlers themselves.
This is why they have Cody Zeller, he's similar to Jokic in terms of size and height but even so, Ayton, Gobert and AD couldn't stop Jokic Bam or Zeller 1000% doesn't have a chance of stopping him
Problem is, if Heat doesn't have excellent shooting night, they are done, for real. But Nuggets have like 3 game plans, they win through height advantage, through fast turnovers and they can beat Miami in shooting if they have a good night. Idk, Nuggets team is extremely balanced, their chemistry is awesome, I really don't see a way how Miami can win FOUR (4) games. I give them 2, and they should be happy with 2 wins against the best team in the NBA if I'm being honest.
I dunno, i think it works both ways. There are many advantages to smaller lineups. Denver being so much better at playmaking, despite their size, really hurts Miami tho.
To me, the problem is that Miami's great strength is D, but they're facing an undefendable offense.
Finally someone with a basketball brain!. Thank you!! Not like the other tv shows that are bullcrap and totally stupid.
cant wait for the "miami are too tough for denver" video
LOL
lol
this guy just does hot takes to get views. he actually knows very little about the game of basketball
@@hineighbor totally true
@@hineighbor this is so wrong
They need butler to step up and play like a 2 way star, you don’t want your best player to have to take that much defensive responsibility but he’s the only one who can really match up with Gordon and him asking for a switch led to multiple baskets so the heat really have no choice
Hes gonna wear him self down the only match up he can take is murry he can't even guard murry because of ag hes. useing alot of emgery on him since everyone one is small bam cant come off jok
@@roberthall1818 The heat is also coming off of a 7 game series and faced 4 back to back elimination games. And on top of that theyre facing a team that has rested for more than a week and emphasizes endurance training in altitude. If Butler goes too hard, his body is gonna fail in a few games, if he takes a few losses to rest, Nuggets are gonna take the series lead and they'll be facing elimination again. Lose-lose situation for the heat
@@potatovine should of finished off the Celtics in 4 to 5 he was terrible 4 of the last 5 games how many good games can he put together
@@potatovine I know but this is literally it I know it’s a bad situation but you gotta leave it all out there for your team to win and can’t really think about getting tired now
When it's all said and done, Jokic might have the case for being the most complete offensive player ever. There is simply no facet on that side of the ball he isn't good at. He is a fantastic scorer at all 3 ranges (paint, midrange, 3pt), capable of creating his own shot. He is the greatest passing big men and is up there with Magic and Bron for best all time. Add to that his offensive rebounding and the willingness to set screens at an high level, he just provides the whole spectrum of offensive utility.
What gets me is how mobile and active he is on offense. He's everywhere, passes from everywhere, scores from everywhere. Nightmare to game plan for.
well said! And like SAS just said today, if he wins Denver their first chip people have to put him in the conversation / give him the recognition he deserves.
Also the way he plays is very sustainable too not super athletic so he doesn’t really put himself at risk by doing crazy dunks or anything like that like Joel and other big men
the only skill set that he doesn't have thought not needed, is driving to the basket like the way Lebron or Gianis can. He just backs up from the elbow, which is fine being so big.
@@zoulzopan Then again you weren't excepting any big man in older era's and today's era with the exception of giannis to do that in the history of the NBA
Thanks a lot for this analysis. ❤ You uncover the intricacies of the game and make them understandable. Samory from Cameroon
the biggest issue for denver last season was size, with the four little dwarves lineups with monte morris campazzo forbes and bones. Now we're one of the bigger teams in the league and actually have people who know how to go over screens
I've been saying this since before the postseason even started. The only team that would've been capable of contending with a healthy nuggets squad was a healthy Bucks squad. As amazing as this Heat run has been, and as much as I'm looking forward to these finals games, I'm so sad that Giannis' injury cost us what would've been an all-time great series between Milwaukee and Denver.
Maybe next year 😉
The Bucks were outplayed by Miami. You cannot blame their loss on Giannis's injury.
@@TheEfrain1017 God I hope so. With Giannis and Nikola in their primes I wouldn’t mind them going head to head for another 5 years LeBron/Curry style. Completely different individual playing styles clashing at the biggest stage of basketball. That being said, Lopez may not be with the bucks next year, and even if he is, he’s gonna be getting too old to be guarding the likes of Nikola Jokic for 40 minutes a night in a 7 game series. Great defensive bigs like that with an outside game to contrast well with Giannis’ elite rim pressure are hard to come by
that would be interesting
@@ymaysernameuay1113 Completely agree. Milwaukee really disappointed me in all 5 games. But I’d like to think that a completely healthy Giannis Antetokounmpo in games 2-5 would’ve increased Milwaukee’s chances of getting past that first round. Not guaranteeing, just increasing their chances of winning.
After Denver swept the lakers, we knew it was a wrap
This has been some of the most beautiful basketball I’ve watched in a long time
My boy nikola drives this team but Jamal is simply incredible too..Also Gordon is huge part of this Nuggets team,, very versatile team
Love the breakdown of AG's role.
Unfortunately for the Heat won't matter in Miami like a coach once said about a smaller team playing a bigger talented team hoping to win at home "3 point shooting and shooting in general comes and go...but size travel all the time."
The warriors bieng the exception to this rule
@@edsonmawalla4203 they also have very good size, expect steph all other guys where big for their position,klay is bigger then every other guard,wiggins is very atlethic,green is short but strong,even 2015 team you have livingstone who is tall
@@edsonmawalla4203 They also have the two best shooters of all time, and three of the best if you include KD
I hope you keep doing these for all the games, gives me easy analysis since I often have to miss the games
Damn Denver is poetry.
Nikola Jokić transcends being a basketball player - he embodies basketball itself. He encapsulates the essence of the game as a whole, rather than being defined by individual statistical categories. He represents something unprecedented, as his style of play epitomizes the very core of basketball. He epitomizes the true spirit of basketball, where collective effort and collaboration are paramount. Mr.Mac
Miami : front the post!
Denver: oh so no one is in the paint!?
you are one of the only 2 channels i trust anymore
the way Denver plays, is something really delightful, straight out of the books...it's not just Jokic, it's the whole team!
Dude---excellent video! First time viewer. Loved it!
I knew that Miami is severely outmatched but watching yesterday's game, Miami is spread to thin whilst Nuggets is not even giving their best. They're just cruising with their lead and only stepped up a bit when Miami gets things going in the 4th.
this is a very well put together video, great work!
They stole a dunk contest from AG but I can't wait for him to win a title. A real good guy in the league. The whole Nuggets deserve to win. Amazing teamwork. Reminds me of the Early 2000 Spurs with Timmie and the gang.
If you truly love ball, this finals matchup is amazing to watch. Such great coaching and play calling.
Aaron Gordon's growth has been a treat to watch.
The whole Nuggets core squad has grown a lot. All different players than they were in the Bubble, and I agree it's been cool to watch
Yup. He was never a star but his impact was visible. I expect multiple chips. They're a force now
These videos always make me question whether I really watched the entire game lmao. Love the depth of these videos
Love The Way The Nuggets Are Playing The Game Of Basketball. Plus Joker Is Legit!!
5:18 that pin-in is just beautiful when realized.
Here's hoping NBA teams watch Denver, and realize that being three-point happy doesn't work unless you have historically good shooters; Denver varies what they do, and work with their strengths. Also, newsflash: Being really tall helps in basketball. ;)
As a smart person once said: You can teach height lol
In the end, it's all about big ball advantage. All the rest is just masturbatory talk.
It's great to see players from both sides being knocked on the floor and getting up as fast as they can without complaining. No flopping! It would have been disgustingly different if the Flopping King were present.
Spo is a psycho if he insists running that Gabe/Jimmy/Caleb/Strus/Bam or Zeller lineup. I understand that’s been their best lineup but it’s only playable against Gordon and Jokic if they’re hitting their 3s at a great rate
This is the type of content that should be in NBA media, not top all time lists and commercials.
This was a great analysis. I was thinking the same thing when I saw Miami's starting five. I kept seeing Gordon get matched with a smaller player, and that is an easy gimmie.
By the way, what happened to Jimmy Butler? He totally took a back seat in this game.
His ankle is probably bothering him, also doesn't help that he had to play 7 games against the Celtics while the entire Nuggets team got one full week of rest
"Tottaly took a bak seat " - nah , its like when ppl hated Kobe cause he shot the balls, but when he stopped shooting and passed the ball ppl said he has bad mentality and attitude.
Jimmy tried to involve his teammates in the game so they will be able to get "hot" (feel the rythm) , if you watched the games in playoff Heat was insane when somebody next to Jimmy had backets so enemy's Deffense need it to spread their energy not only focus on him. Its not his fault that his teammates where terrible at shooting in Game1.
@@fullfradi95 SO you say it was ok for Jimmy to play passive and try to get his teammates going, but totally hand the game over without being aggressive and attacking his defenders.
ITS THE FINALS Dude. The Finals is where your best players show up and do their work, not play passive and help their teammates get going while they chill.
It's ridiculous.
Jimmy needed to score 20+ and be a bully taking advantage of mismatches. But now the Heat are down 1 game without showing any fight in them against a bigger more physical Denver Nuggets.
After seeing this game, I really thing Denver can sweep.
By the way, Jimmy IS NOT Kobe. And it showed because Kobe in the finals would be going hard at anyone defending him, and he was going to get his buckets.
@@underpressure07140 reasons this early ? bro 😂😂
Having to fly from Boston to Denver and play the next game after a long 7 game series is brutal jet lag is terrible Jimmy is exhausted
Are we going to get that game 2 vids about Jokic’s lack of defense? 👀
Best breakdowns in all of sports.
Watching Nuggets play is like watching Spurs 2014, the ball movement, teamplay, all is about team, not rely on individual talent. That's how the Spurs was described as boring back then... But only true basketball lover know that's how should the basketball play as 5 on 5.
That’s how basketball should be played but when I’m watching it I don’t wanna see some boring play
This was FANTASTIC! Thank you!
Now give us the follow up to this video now that MIA has taken Game 2
Your videos are such a vibe while high 😌
The Heat will be extremely LUCKY if they can get 1 win in this series. Sadly, the finals were the Nuggets vs. Lakers and we saw how that went.
It was lakers got beat worse than incomplete suns and twolves.
@Brendan Bloom that's not my point. My point is that the Western conference finals decided the NBA finals this year. Whether it was the T-wolves or Sun's playing the Nuggets in the conference championship the winners of that would beat the Heat or Boston in a 7 game series. Of course, this is only my opinion
@@ChrisTesch87 well yeah you could also make the case that whowever won the nuggets suns series was gonna win even though we don’t know cuz it took booker and kd having to score like 70 for them to win and they were hurt and lacked playing time together but were the most competitive team vs Denver.
@Brendan Bloom agreed, the Sun's definitely put up the most fight. It's just crazy how good the freaking Nuggets are though. They can have a relatively cold shooting night and still beat the heat without it being close. Gordon is a beast down low too. They're going to have to pay that guy soon
Thanks bro! LOVE your videos.
Waiting for your game 2 analysis. Hopefully it isn’t another one sided one
First time viewer, truly a great video, thank you.
What should scare the heat is that Jokić can do so much more than he did in this game
Knowing what denver and jokic are going to di and still being unable to defend it just shows what a strong unit this team is. Well balanced, shooting, height, ball movement theyve got it all
Don't forget this type of plays and defense is allowed thanks to rule changes. It is shame NBA allowed such soft type of basketball during 2010 - 2020 where the 3pts and small ball dominated. I'm very very glad to see the post moves and power dribbles again without many the floping. God bless Jokic and AG
Denver's transition offense is lethal, nobody can figure it out. Pkus their biggest player Jokic is conditioned to be able to run up and down all game long, it's pretty incredible
As a Serb im rooting for the nuggets like they are my hometown team😂 lets go jokić, two time MVP lets go for two time this playoff run
The fact orlando just gave up Gordon is wild. The fact that Joker was like the 51st pick or something is insane.
NOW DROP THE GAME 2 VID AND TALK ABOUT HOW THEY WERENT BIG ENOUGH
Bro awesome analysis. I was telling my friend this is exactly what the nuggets are going to do. He was bringing up jump shots and 3pt shooting. I’m like nah nah, nuggets are going To play bully ball. Jokic is going to play the distraction role for most of the game and then go off in the 4th quarter. Double teaming Jokic and going into a zone will not work much cause they will score anyways. Gordon and porter can post up Lowry, Martin, strus and Vincent all day and set themselves up for the easy 2 pts all the time. If you dare to go after Gordon on the post you leave shooters wide open. Porter and Jokic can shoot over peoples head and Murray can get hot quick. Don’t forget about kcp and brown who are 2 way guards that have been so good for them and can splash that three. I’m rooting for my boy Bruce brown miss him on my nets. I’m not sure what the heat can really do and tbh 3pt shooting is all they can do to really keep up not take over or even tie the game. But this is spolestra so he gotta have something up his sleeve. Let’s see what happens but I got nuggets in 5.