The excretion of nuggets shows problems with regard to Nikola Jokić. How can Denver improve?

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Happy 49th birthday to Kevin Garnett! He is one of the biggest players they have ever put together. A true warrior on the pitch. For everyone who tries to reduce his career, take a look at most games in Minnesota in his 12 years. It is a sobering list. But he would never do this apology.

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About game 7

“The Jokić Stopper” is outweighed by 100 lbs

If you have not looked at the game, you will see the end result of game 7 and think that the thunder that won 125-93 over the nuggets was only an obliteration from start to finish. The Nuggets tried to hold their rotation together with Aaron Gordon and its upper limit of 2 degrees 2. They also hoped that the energy behind Julian Strawther's 6 -performance after Oklahoma City. And for a while the nuggets pushed the thunder and made them, which fix things on the left and right.

Then something happened in the second quarter. Alex Caruso was switched to Nikola Jokić and perfectly defended him By refusing any kind of post entry. He pressed. He pushed himself. He circled the massive frame of Big Honey and stayed in the gravitational suit, while thundersteing helped him to keep the ball from Jokić's grip away. There were Thunder coach Mark Daignult enough trust to make a completely small line -up at all to give his two big ones a break.

Caruso Jokić guarded for almost two minutes in the second quarter. Not because of switches. It was from design. During this time, the thunder agreed with the nuggets with 4: 4. Jokić was 0-1 with sales and he had two points with two free throws. It was stunning not only to overwhelm Jokić and get the best out of Caruso. Immediately after this small line -up, the thunder went on a run to end the last three minutes of the first half. They converted a one-point lead with a lead of 14 points with an 18: 5 run, which was driven by 11 points and an assist by Jalen Williams.

The all-star striker finally appeared to have his best game in the series. He ended with 24 points at 10 out of 17 shots, seven templates and five rebounds in 33 minutes. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 11 of his 35 points in the third quarter to open it, and the thunder drove to the final of the Western Conference, where they will take over against the timber wolves.

Caruso was physically with Jokić. Denvers side wanted fouls called him. Okc's side of experience would remind her of how Jokić usually moves his defenders out of the way with physicality. Nevertheless, it was not as much a question of having the office as breaking the dam.

• Twenty-two sales sales for 37 points.
• The thunder exceeded the Nuggets 64-42 points in the color.
• They also had a 27-14 advantage at fast break points.
• OKC led by up to 43.

Game 1 of the Western Conference Final begins tomorrow evening in OKC. It is a quick turn for thunder. We will look at the series tomorrow.

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The last 24

How the Knicks settled the Celtics

🏀 Hoopers allowed. The Knicks only had a meeting with players to get them on the right track. It worked against Boston.

🤫 not yet. Al Horford (will be asked on June 3, 39) about retirement. He won't talk about it yet.

💰 Money to spend. Danny Leroux gives a guide for what every team can spend this summer. Hello Brooklyn!

👀 Too moved? The “No Dunks “Crew drew landing sites for Giannis Antetocounmpo in one trade. Could he join Victor Wembanyama??

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In 2000 …

Knicks-Pacers Matchup is the best scenario

I know a month or two ago, we caught up on the cavaliers and Celtics to land in the conference final. We wanted to see whether the improvements of the CAVs against the defending champion Celtics could hold out and get mixed up. Before Jayson collapsed or collapsing Cleveland, this matchup of the Pacers and Knicks had the most juice. This is not just an expansion of the incredible series of the second round you played last season. This series has the most personal and most interesting star force in the east.

And while people have complained about the basketball style that Celtics played and won the title with last season, the Pacers and Knicks give us something in which the fans of Hoops can actually sink with their teeth. It's not just about Reggie Miller Spike Lee, or about these great battles from about three decades ago. Although that's nice. This is not just about what we saw last year. Knicks-Pacers give us two relentless, persistent teams that attack all over the ground. You will be physical and talk about garbage and have all types of fireworks on the pitch.

Game 1 is on Wednesday evening in Madison Square Garden, but that doesn't mean that we cannot start the preview now.

Battle of the point gods

Tyrese Haliburton against Jalen Brunson will be incredible. You won't protect yourself much. Brunson will probably protect Andrew Nembhard or Aaron Nesmith. Haliburton will probably be hard on Josh. But the way they both operate and lead their teams is very different, but very effective.

Brunson achieves an average of 28.8 points, 7.7 assists and 2.6 sales with 44.0/36.3/81.9 shooting columns. It reaches 7.8 times per game for the free sausage line. The Clutch player of the year this season dealt with top defenders in this playoff run in both rounds, and he still puts on very impressive numbers.

Haliburton's numbers are 17.5 points, 9.3 assists and only 2.1 sales with 47.4/33.8/79.4 shooting conditions more different and more modest. His 3-point shootout and its free sausage accuracy have so far dropped dramatically in the off-season (38.8 or 85.1). But the way he orchestrated the Pacers against Miami and then was brilliant in the breakdown of Cleveland.

These were two of the most coupling players in the post -season, so there is no goal for every team.

The cat factor

These two teams played three times this season, but I'm really only interested in the third game. This happened in February, while Indianas Turnaround 2025 when they became one of the best teams in the NBA. The Knicks won 128-115 with Karl-Anthony Towns for 40 points on 14 von-23 shootings. He also had 12 rebounds, five assists and three steals. Josh Hart had 30 and Brunson only had eight points when he fought against against against food difficulties.

OG Anunoby and Myles Turner did not play in this game. However, the Pacers are unable to stop Kat, but is nothing new. For his career, the highest score of the cities is 27.8 per game against each team. It is a tie against the bulls and the Pacers. His shooting gaps against the Pacers in 18 games are ridiculous 56.1/40.3/87.5. This is a real shootout of 66.7 percent.

Turner will have a lot of responsibility to prevent the cities from getting into a rhythm and at the same time keeping an eye on Brunson to get into the color.

It's not just a league of 3-converter

You probably consider these two teams to be many 3-point shot, but that is simply not the case at least not by today's standards. The Pacers are occupied in a 3-point volume. The Knicks are 28. Against this background, both teams from Deep are very precise. The kinks are eight in the percentage and the Pacers are nine. But these two teams not only run up and down the floor, with many deep shots being used up.

These two teams attack the color quite a bit. This series is likely to be won there. The Knicks in the NBA in the painting (52.5) ​​took sixth place in the NBA this season, and the Pacers are not far back at 11. (51.0). These two teams also give up many points in color. The Knicks are 20 and the Pacers 26 ..

We will see many relentless attacks in this series. Let's just hope that both teams will stay healthy this time.

We want to hear from you! We have a small survey for you, the bouncers, to meet your predictions for the final of the Eastern Conference!

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Dispute

Nuggets are on a crossroads this summer

Nikola Jokić is the ultimate Cologne. This Nugget team stinks after championship standards. That's why you fired your trainer with three games. Therefore, they all let you know that former general manager Calvin Booth Calvin was booted. For this reason, all the reasons for Booth and former head coach Michael Malone fought this season about how the squad was used on the square (short bank, young people who have no time about veterans etc.) exactly what interim coach David Adelman did in the playoffs.

This is not a good roster. Jokić is just so good that he can tempt you to think that there is something here. When Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon are healthy, obviously help much more like 2023. Christian Braun did a solid job to fill Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's shoes, but nobody filled the shoes behind brown consistently. The experience of Russell Westbrook was great/terrible, depending on how the wind blew.

Michael Porter Jr. does not inspire trust and they had to beg for his engagement in the playoffs. Yes, he has a shoulder injury, but I'm pretty sure that you can still turn defensively afterwards.

You have no depth. They are laid out. And there is no real way to expand the squad. The nuggets have to find a fool who is ready to speak in the remaining 79 million US dollars over two years, which are due to Porter while sending a few high -quality role players back. Denver has to develop from Deandre Jordan, who is a great teammate and find a real backup center that Jokić can give a kind of breather.

I assume that you keep Adelman as a trainer and really let him go out what he wants to do with full control over the court. But that also depends on where you go with the front office. The nuggets are a chaos, and Jokić showed them as far as he can carry such chaos without being healthy help.

Nuggets (50-32, fourth in the west)

• Draft selection situation: Her first-rounder (25th overall rank) belongs to Orlando and her second round (52nd) belongs to Phoenix.
• Upcoming free agents: Dario Šarić (5.4 -MI. -Dollar option), Westbrook (3.4 -million dollar -player option), Jordan, Vlatko Čančar
• Cauptmen: Jokić, Murray, Gordon, Porter Jr.
• Any cap room? Not in the slightest.
• Do you have to take care of tax hairdresses? A few million are currently being forecast of the first apron. You will probably avoid the second apron.
• What do you need this summer? You have to find out whether David Adelman is her full -time coach and how you get the urgently needed depth.

(Toptoto: Isaiah J. Downing / USA Today Network about IMAGEN IMAGES )))