A brutal Jokic devastates the Wolves… and makes the Nuggets a candidate?

PIt seems unbelievable given how the regular season unfolded, but the short-termism of basketball elevated to the maximum exponent placed as a possible NBA Playoff disappointment to the Denver Nuggets. The team of Nikola Jokic, the penultimate ‘fantasista’ alive, the leader of the West. A few bad weeks pointed out to those from Colorado, who do not hesitate to get up emphatically when it matters. Not with words, but on the floor and for the post-season. They passed over (4-1 on aggregate) the blurred Minnesota Timberwolves, who saved by Anthony Edwards -league star- never lived up to it.

The strength of the result does not mean that the Nuggets passed the broom by default from Minnesota. The Wolves fought within their limitations, especially in interior mobility against Jokic, and put together a fifth game of gunmen. Rhythm, as a key element. The magnificent Edwards (29 points) kept Minnesota going, even tying the game after Murray’s first pull in the last period (102-102, 47′) with a hook. Jokic then changed his pace. He became eternal under the hoop and with two miraculous baskets under the board he settled the series. Here is Denver.

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Starting with Jokic, of course, all the options for the Nuggets will start. His fifth game sums up very well a series that he dominated from start to finish. 28 points, 17 rebounds, 12 assists and tremendous influence on defense. He placed two blocks and stole two balls, achieving numbers not seen before in the Playoffs. It is the everything. “He’s relentless,” summed up his coach, Mike Malone. The Serbian closes the first round with an average of 26.2+12.4+9 in percentages of 49% from the field and 50% from the triple.

He is a relentless player

Mike Malone

Denver, since its emergence as a star franchise, has also been in demand for the appearance of other players. In the In the first round, what had always been the best of Jokic’s squires, Jamal Murray, returned. Forgotten that crossed injury, the Canadian returns to being energy, finding impossible triples and a measure of rhythm. He closed the game with 35 points, 5 assists, 12/23 on 3-pointer and 5/9 from 3-pointer. His fifth Playoff game in more than 35 points.

What will test Denver is keeping the gas going throughout the Playoffs. Their stars are there, while the secondaries must give way -in the fifth a good Brown Jr. appeared with 14 points-. In defense, Achilles heel during the course, Jokic puts the rest. His exhibition is a hit on the table. Another team claiming the ring.