Nikola Jokic is the hero. And the Suns, the last victims of him. The Nuggets are the first finalists of the Conference of the basketball course 2022-23 and along the way they sentence a project designed to win the ring and that, in the same way that it was expected to be unsustainable at the beginning, has been so at the end. DeAndre Ayton’s injury prior to the clash, no matter how much the center is highly questioned, made a rotation that was already shortened even shorter and that was added to the usual loss, once again, of a Chris Paul who something always happens to him. And so it all ended. Logic and reason prevailed and the Nuggets, leaders of the West during the normal season (53-29) are the ones who advance leaving a corpse on the road to which a time for reflection is now opening up and we will see if it also changes. An end that had to come and that has been extended thanks to the exploits of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, a couple full of talent who did not give up for more. The Suns lost 25 (100-125) a year after saying goodbye, in the same round but against the Mavericks, 33 (90-123). Another failure that will leave marked. As much as it is more or less painful than the previous one.
There was no story: in the first quarter, the Nuggets were already leading overwhelmingly (26-44). At the end of the second, the difference was going to +30 (51-81). It became 32, but in reality everything had already been said. Durant and Booker barely played 3 and 2 minutes in a last quarter in which Jokic walked around without much effort., knowing that the homework was done, the Serb’s series have been fabulous and the sixth game was not going to be less: 32 points (13 of 18 in field goals), 10 rebounds and 12 assists (third triple-double of the tie). Without Ayton in the area, he did what he wanted with Jpock Landale and the help sought by a Monty Williams whose position is now in danger were so timid that they did not even seem real. Those from Colorado shot over 50%, won the battle for the rebound (41 to 29), distributed more assists (24 to 20) and caused 14 turnovers in their rival. They were just better. A superficial analysis that is often used to define a differential situation in a series that could (and perhaps should) have lasted lessbut which ends fairly and without further heroics from that talented couple who drove a car that has run out of gas.
The Nuggets reach their first conference finals since 2020, in the Orlando bubble. And the second since 2009, with Carmelo Anthony as a reference. The two went against the Lakers, against whom they could repeat if the Angelenos manage to round off the wonderful series they are having against the Warriors, the current champion. Mike Malone vindicates himself again, Jamal Murray looks more and more like he was (26+4+4, with 4 steals today), Michael Porter comes and goes (10 points) and Aaron Gordon is a perfect gear on both sides of the court (8+6+3) that gives an extra point of intensity and physicality in defense. Bruce Brown is a masterful relief from the bench (13), and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (21), champion with the Lakers precisely in 2020, a reliable shooting guard who can cause problems in almost any matchup. A good team that ended the regular season badly but had a first round against the Timberwolves that allowed them to recover sensations and now they are, mind you, 8 wins away from being NBA champions. It is said soon.
On the other side are the Suns. The signing of Kevin Durant made them candidates for the title and in the end they have not been. “They hit us in the mouth and we couldn’t recover”, Said the star at the end of the sixth and final meeting. Devin Booker was more concise, since he did not even attend to the media, a practice that is becoming common lately. The first ended at 23+5+5, with 4 losses and 8 of 19 shooting from the field. Booker’s thing was worse: 12 points on 4 of 13 shooting. That the top scorer was Cameron Payne (31) says it all. Now, to the thinking corner: we’ll see what happens with Monty Williams… and with the mayor. The staff of the squad is tied, since Booker has a contract until 2028, Durant until 2026 (from the contract he signed with the Nets), Ayton until 2026 (we’ll see if they seek a transfer) and Paul until 2023, with player options for subsequent seasons. But the guard is just 38 years old and Durant is 34. Of the others, only Landry Shamet is guaranteed to continue. The rest, to fly: it will be the secondaries who have to reinforce a squad poor in resources and with a lost coach. It does not seem that this will give them the ring, with or without injuries. The future is uncertain. We will see.
|
8
terrence ross |
|
18
Bismack Biyombo |
|
twenty-one
T. J. Warren |
|
35
Kevin Durant |
|
fifteen
cameron payne |
|
1
Devin Booker |
|
10
Damion Lee |
|
0
Torrey Craig |
|
2
josh okogie |
|
14
Landry Shamet |
|
eleven
Jock Landale |
|
55
Darius Bazley |
|
12
Ish Wainright |
| Min | pts | RT | RO | DR | Ast | Per | rec | Tap | T1 | T2 | T3 | FR | CF | Val | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
8
terrence ross | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/1 | 0/4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
18
Bismack Biyombo | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0/2 | 1/1 | 0/0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
|
twenty-one
T. J. Warren | fifteen | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
35
Kevin Durant | 36 | 23 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 7/7 | 8/19 | 0/0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
|
fifteen
cameron payne | 41 | 31 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0/3 | 5/7 | 7/9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
|
1
Devin Booker | 35 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3/4 | 3/10 | 1/3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
|
10
Damion Lee | eleven | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0/0 | 3/3 | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
0
Torrey Craig | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0/0 | 2/2 | 0/1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
|
2
josh okogie | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
14
Landry Shamet | 36 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/2 | 3/9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
|
eleven
Jock Landale | 30 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3/4 | 5/6 | 0/0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
|
55
Darius Bazley | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
12
Ish Wainright | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
32
Jeff Green |
|
6
DeAndre Jordan |
|
fifty
Aaron Gordon |
|
5
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope |
|
7
reggie jackson |
|
14
ish smith |
|
fifteen
Nikola Jokic |
|
27
Jamal Murray |
|
13
Thomas Bryant |
|
31
Vlatko Cancar |
|
1
Michael Porter Jr. |
|
eleven
Bruce Brown |
|
22
Zeke Nnaji |
|
0
Christian Braun |
|
8
peyton watson |
| Min | pts | RT | RO | DR | Ast | Per | rec | Tap | T1 | T2 | T3 | FR | CF | Val | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
32
Jeff Green | 17 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4/4 | 0/1 | 0/0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
|
6
DeAndre Jordan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
fifty
Aaron Gordon | 3. 4 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2/4 | 3/7 | 0/0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
|
5
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | 35 | twenty-one | 5 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5/5 | 5/6 | 2/5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
|
7
reggie jackson | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 1/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
14
ish smith | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 1/1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
fifteen
Nikola Jokic | 37 | 32 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6/6 | 13/17 | 0/1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
|
27
Jamal Murray | 3. 4 | 26 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 8/8 | 3/9 | 4/7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
13
Thomas Bryant | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
31
Vlatko Cancar | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
1
Michael Porter Jr. | 23 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2/2 | 4/6 | 0/4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
|
eleven
Bruce Brown | 30 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0/0 | 5/9 | 1/4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
|
22
Zeke Nnaji | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
0
Christian Braun | 14 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2/2 | 1/2 | 0/0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
8
peyton watson | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 1/2 | 0/0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |