Intractable and simply superior, Denver approached a success of a first NBA championship title on Friday.
The Nuggets of the essential Nikola Jokic, supported by his evening lieutenants Aaron Gordon and Bruce Brown, won 108-95 in Miami to lead 3-1 against the Heat in the play-off final.
The wait for Denver could well end on Monday in an already decisive Game No. 5, after 47 seasons in the league. Miami, for its part, finds itself with its back against the wall, forced to achieve a feat that has only happened once in history, in 2016: trailing 3-1 by Golden State, Cleveland and LeBron James won the last three matches of the final.
It will certainly take the Floridians more than their courage, their gnaque and Jimmy Butler, exemplary leader on this meeting with 25 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists to his credit, to overthrow this mountain of Colorado, as the ascent seems impossible whatever be the side.
‘Teamwork’
Because if Nikola Jokic was still ultra-dominant inside, with 24 points and 12 rebounds (4 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks), it only lasted three quarters: at the start of the last he was thwarted by a fifth foul. He also had to have his slightly twisted right ankle treated at the end of the first quarter.
The double MVP will nevertheless have had the satisfaction of seeing Bruce Brown catch fire, since the latter scored 11 of his 21 points in the last quarter, with a formidable address (8/11). Over-motivated, Aaron Gordon meanwhile walked on the water with 27 points at 11/15 shooting including 3/4 from behind the arc. Quite simply the best performance of his career in the play-off.
Thus the Nuggets demonstrate the extent of their collective talent and the variety of their offensive armada, while Jamal Murray was contained to 15 points. ‘Today was a team effort. I can’t even name a person. Everyone got involved’, commented after the meeting the back, before calling his people to ‘stay calm and focused’.
/ATS
2023-06-10 04:21:04
#Denver #sees #coronation
