With the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers out of the 2021 NBA Playoff picture, there will be a new NBA champion come next month. The team that the Lakers to the offseason earlier then expected is looking to take a step closer to that opportunity to compete for the Larry O’Brien trophy for the third time in franchise history. But first they will have to get passed their next opponent who was just one step from being in that position a season ago.
In their third postseason meeting ever, their
first since the best-of-five First-Round tilt in the spring of 1989 where the
Suns won 3-0, the Suns hope to be better against the Nuggets then they did in
their three regular season series tilts.
After taking the first matchup (106-103) in
the Nuggets house on Jan. 21, the Nuggets took two the two matchups at the Suns
in late January, with the first of their back-to-back mini-series (130-126)
resulting in a loss in overtime on Jan. 22. That was followed by a 120-112 loss
in double-overtime one night later.
The three regular season tilts were high
scoring affairs with the Nuggets averaging 117.7 points, while the Suns
averaged 114.7 points.
Suns All-Star guard Devin Booker, who has played
like a man on a mission in his first postseason appearance was out in the
double-overtime loss.
Back then the Nuggets had their dynamic 1-2
punch of leading candidate for Kia MVP in Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murry.
The Nuggets hopes of seriously contending for
an NBA championship took a major hit when they lost Murray to a torn ACL in his
left knee in the 116-107 loss on Apr. 12 at the Golden State Warriors.
Many felt at that moment the Nuggets would
have fallen down in the standings without their second-best player and most
clutch player that they would have to play their way into the postseason
through the NBA’s inaugural Play-In Tournament.
Instead, head coach Michael Malone’s squad
went 13-5 to close the regular season, which included a four-game, five-game,
and three-game winning streaks and earned the No. 3 Seed in the Western
Conference, earning their third consecutive playoff appearance, the longest in
team history.
Leading the way for the Nuggets is the aforementioned Jokic, who was simply brilliant during the team’s First-Round series against the No. 6 Seeded Portland Trail Blazers averaging 33 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists on 52.8 percent from the field, 42.9 percent from three-point range and 91.7 percent from the free throw line.
Without Murray, the Nuggets needed a new
Robin to go alongside Jokic, who played the role of Batman, and Michael Porter,
Jr. stepped up to the plate against the Trail Blazers averaging 18.8 points and
6.7 rebounds on 53.8 percent from the floor, including 41.5 percent from
three-point range.
Along with not having Murray, the Nuggets
have been without in recent weeks Will Barton III and reserve P.J. Dozier due
to respectably a right hamstring strain and right adductor strain.
That has opened up opportunity for the likes
of Monte Morris, Aaron Gordon, who was acquired from the Orlando Magic at the
Mar. 25 trade deadline, Austin Rivers, who was signed when they lost Murray,
and 30-year-old rookie Facundo Campazzo, JaMychal Green, and the veteran Paul
Millsap to step up and they have done so, especially in the final two games of
the Trail Blazers series.
After taking one on the chin in Game 4
(115-95) that nodded the series at 2-2, the Nuggets overcame a 55-point explosion
from Trail Blazers perennial All-Star guard Damian Lillard to win Game 5 and
take a 3-0 series lead thanks in part to a near triple-double from Jokic of 38
points, 11 rebounds and nine assists, and four block shots on 14 for 31 from
the field with three made three-pointers and Porter, Jr.’s 26 points and 12
rebounds on 10 for 13 shooting.
As great as Jokic and Porter, Jr. were,
the Nuggets do not win Game 5 without Morris’ playoff career-high of 28 points
with five assists on 4 for 9 from three-point range and 10 for 11 from the foul
line.
Rivers, who scored 16 of his 21 points in the
fourth quarter going 5 for 10 from three-point range of the Nuggets 120-115 win
at the Trail Blazers in Game 3 that put them up 2-1 in the series had 18 points
and seven assists in Game 5 going 4 for 8 from three-point range. Gordon also
had a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds.
For much of last season, the Nuggets were
behind in all three series in the 2020 Playoffs in the restart in Orlando, FL
having to comeback from 3-1 series deficit in the first two rounds, and that
they had two chances to close out the Trail Blazers in an epic Semifinals
series in 2019 really showed their growth in the Game 6 clincher at the Trail
Blazers.
Down by 13 points in the third quarter and
staring at another Game 7 tilt against the Trail Blazers at home, the Nuggets
used a 16-3 run to close the gap to 101-98 after three quarters, capped by a
Morris three-pointer at the buzzer.
A three-pointer by Jokic put the Nuggets up 108-106, and a Rivers triple as part of a 7-2 run put the Nuggets up 117-108 with 3:52 left. Another three-pointer by Gordon right in front of the Trail Blazers bench sealed the win as the Nuggets were up 124-115.
Jokic finished with his fifth 30-point
performance in the series with 36 points, eight boards and six assists on 13
for 22 from the field, scoring 29 of those points in the second half, including
20 points in the third quarter on 6 for 10 from the field and hitting all eight
of his free throws.
Porter, Jr. had 22 of his 26 points on the
night in the first quarter, hitting an NBA playoff record 6 for 7 from three-point
range, finishing the night 6 for 12 from distance. Morris, who prior to this
postseason had not scored more than 14 points in a playoff game had 22 points
and nine assists going 3 for 6 from three-point range scoring nine of those
points in the fourth quarter. Gordon had 13 points and seven rebounds, while
JaMychal Green had 10 points and nine boards off the bench. Campazzo added 10
points.
“You see all these other teams in the
playoffs and a lot is made of guys being out with injuries,” Coach Malone said.
“Jamal Murray’s been out 24 games now and look what we’ve done without a guy
that was one of the best players in the bubble last year. We’re down two
starters. We’re down two starters [including Barton III]. We’re down another
guy in P.J. Dozier, who is one of the first guys off the bench.”
“So, what it says about our group is that
we’re resilient, we’re mentally tough, we believe in ourselves and we believe
in our teammates. That’s a great feeling. We’re gonna need that same resolve
moving forward. I’m hoping that we can get a player or two back. But if we don’t,
what a great opportunity. That’s why I love that group because no matter who
you call upon, they’re ready to go out there and simply do their job.”
The do your job, be resilient and never
give up moto is the same thing that can be said for the Phoenix Suns, who punched
their first ticket to the playoffs in 11 seasons.
The reward for second-year head coach
Monty Williams’ squad was a date with the defending NBA champion Los Angeles
Lakers, who despite being the No. 7 Seed still came in with one of the best
tandem’s in “The Association” in four-time league MVP and four-time NBA
champion LeBron James, the reigning Finals MVP and fellow perennial All-Star
Anthony Davis.
The Suns though had plenty of reasons to
be confident entering this matchup with one of the best floor generals in the
game in Chris Paul, a dynamic rising 1-2 punch in center Deandre Ayton and
Devin Booker, and a head coach in Monty Williams who preaching and attention to
detail has lifted the Suns since the restart in Orlando, FL to a 59-21 mark in
the regular season.
The Suns took it to the Lakers in Game 1
winning 99-90, led by Booker, who had in his playoff debut 34 points on 13 for
26 shooting with three three-pointers, eight assists and seven rebounds. Ayton
had a double-double of 21 points and 16 rebounds.
The only downer of Game 1 is Chris Paul
suffered a shoulder contusion that would be a major problem for the Suns in
Games 2 and 3 as the Lakers came back with back-to-back wins of 109-102 in Game
2 and 109-95 in Game 3.
Through three games, Paul had totaled 20
points and 19 assists on 8 for 21 from the field the first three games of the
series.
It did not get any better in Game 4 as the
Lakers built an 11-point lead in the second quarter, but after Davis went down
with what was diagnosed as a groin strain, the Suns took advantage outscoring
the Lakers 27-15 in the third quarter and 77-68 the final three quarters to win
Game 4 and tie the series 2-2 with a 100-92 win.
Paul scored 12 of his 18 points and had
all nine of his assists in the second half of the Suns first road playoff win
since May 9, 2010, Game 4 of the West Semis at the Spurs, which capped a
four-game sweep.
In the Game 6, the Suns simply put
dominated the Lakers leading 66-36 at the half on their way to a 115-85 win,
outscoring them 44-22 in the paint; scoring 23 points off 16 Lakers turnovers,
registering 29 assists with just four turnovers and went 14 for 42 from
three-point range.
The Suns blew the game open by outscoring
the Lakers 32-10 in the second quarter and led the game by as many as 36
points. Booker scored 22 of his 30 points in the opening half, scoring 18 of
those points in the first quarter. He finished 13 for 22 from the field. Cameron
Payne, who had been a solid understudy to Chris Paul all season, particularly
in this series had 16 points.
In the Game 6 clincher, the Suns simply
took it to the Lakers ended their reign as NBA champions 113-100 in Game 6 on
Thursday night led by the playoff career-high of 47 points by Booker with 11
rebounds Jae Crowder had 18 points and eight boards, going 6 for 9 from
three-point range. Paul had eight points and 12 assists.
The Suns began Game 6 36-14 after the first
quarter and led 62-41 at half. Suns led by as many as 29 points in the contest and
held off a Lakers rally to win their second game of the series in L.A.
“It’s the only way we wanted it to be
honest,” Booker said to NBA on TNT and Yahoo! Sports Chris Haynes after the
win. “We knew we weren’t going to get to where we want to go without going
through them, and it happened to be in the First-Round.”
“It was a tough matchup all the way through.
Once they got us down 2-1, we had to regroup and get everything right, and we
came in and we battled.”
This moment was not only big for the but
it was a big moment for Booker because he finally got the chance to show the
entire country the kind of player he has been since he was drafted by the Suns
No. 13 overall in 2015.
To put the kind of player Booker has been into context, in Games 3 and 4 at the Lakers, he only scored 19 and 17 points on a combined 11 for 33 shooting. In the Game 6 clincher, Booker went 15 for 22 shooting including 8 for 10 from three-point range.
Coach Williams in his postgame Zoom
presser after the Game 6 clincher that he and Booker had a conversation about
how the Lakers defensively are so good in how they shift to the ball that the
first opportunity that Booker has to shoo the ball might be his best.
“That was the mentality that we wanted him
to have, and he’s a gifted scorer,” Williams said about Booker’s exceptional
scoring night in Game 6. “But it was the shot making and then the stops on top
of that probably deflated them [Lakers] a little bit in the first half. But it
was an impressive first half…But it was a special night for him.”
“To do that in a closeout game is really cool.
So, I was happy for him. Happy for our team and certainly happy to be moving
on.”
Booker was so impressive that after the win,
LeBron James postgame congratulated Booker and gave him an autographed jersey.
That signed a respect simply put comes
from the time put in away from the court in preparation to take care of
business on it.
In a conversation Booker’s father Melvin
had with ESPN’s “The Undefeated’s” Marc J. Spears after the game that in a
conversation with his son that before the series started that this was his
moment and that he and the Suns had to “seize this moment.” Mr. Booker felt his
son’s squad was better than the Lakers squad.
It was also an opportunity for Mr. Booker’s
son to quiet the naysayers who felt he did not deserve to be named an All-Star
as an injury replacement.
Booker not only showed the naysayers and
the nation who Booker is, and he showed it for sure in Game 6 particularly in
the first quarter where he scored 22 points going 8 for 9 from the field,
including a perfect 6 for 6 from three-point range.
Booker’s 47-point performance in Game 6 is
the most by a Suns player in a playoff game since Amar’e Stoudemire on May 23,
2010.
“I mean I’ve been working my whole life
for this moment. So, it wasn’t time to shy away from it,” Booker said to
Haynes. “Plenty of hours of sacrificing a lot of life to this sport, to this
game. So, I wanted to put it on full display tonight.”
This best-of-seven tilt between the Suns
and Nuggets will come down to three things. Which teams starting front court
can have the biggest impact? Which starting backcourt can play at a consistent
level? Can the Suns starting small forward in Mikal Bridges contain Porter, Jr.?”
In the first three games of the opening-round against the Lakers, Suns’ starting center Deandre Ayton registered a double-double the first four games averaging 22 points and 13.5 rebounds. He only averaged 10 points and nine boards the final three games of the series.
While the Suns will need some offensive punch
in the paint from Ayton, his main priority will be to somehow slowdown the
presumptive Kia MVP in Jokic, who during the regular season averaged 26.4
points, 10.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists on 56.6 percent from the field against
the Suns.
The best attribute of Jokic’s game might be
as a passer.
To put this into context, in the four wins
in the First-Round series against the Trail Blazers, Jokic averaged 6.3 assists.
In the losses in Game 1 and Game 4, Jokic tied a season-low with just one
assists.
Jokic’s ability to act as the Nuggets’
point guard from the center spot with his court vision and ability to locate
cutters to the rim or finding his teammates on the perimeter to make open shots
is a big part in the Nuggets offensive attack.
Ayton’s length and versatility to defend
the rim and ability to hold his own when he is switched onto guards has been
important for the Suns defensively, who enter this series allowing on average
44.7 points in the paint.
Ayton’s ability to play Jokic straight up while
also keeping the Nuggets’ guards in front of him on those switches will be a
big key in how things will go in this series for the Suns, who were
outrebounded in the regular season series against the Nuggets by -4.7 (48.7 to
44.0).
If there is any time in which the Nuggets
would feel the absence of Murray, Barton III, and Dozier it would be in the
Semis against the Suns dynamic backcourt of Paul and Booker.
Campazzo and Rivers more than held their
own against the Trail Blazers stellar starting backcourt of Lillard and CJ McCollum
in the opening-round. However, they are going against Paul, who is hungry for
one more shot at having a chance to add the one thing missing on his stellar
career resume, an NBA title. While Booker wants to continue making the solid
first impression that he has made to the country during the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
Paul, who as mentioned as battled a right
shoulder injury that he reinjured in the aforementioned Game 5 victory versus
the Lakers might have hindered his ability to be productive as a scorer but it
has not stopped his ability to be productive as a playmaker. He totaled 46
assists with just nine turnovers in the opening-round against the Lakers.
In an effort try to slow down Lillard,
Coach Malone put for a short spell in Game 2 of the series put Gordon on
Lillard. While it worked briefly, it did not slow Lillard down. Meaning Booker,
who averaged 26.5 points on 53 percent from the floor during the regular season
against the Nuggets is for sure licking his chops at the matchup of being checked
by Campazzo and Rivers.
“Their tough. They’re playing hard,”
Booker said to Haynes about the Nuggets. “They played a great series against
Portland. Obviously, the head of the snake Jokic having an MVP year, and it’s
going to be a battle, and we understand that going into it.”
In their three regular season series
tilts, the Suns averaged 15.3 made threes while the Nuggets averaged 11.
If the Suns can continue to get the kind
of production from long range that they have gotten all season from Booker,
Paul, Jae Crowder, Torrey Craig, Cameron
Payne, and Cameron Johnson, the Nuggets could be in some trouble defensively.
There is the possibility that Barton III
could be back for this series, which would give Coach Malone another option to
guard Booker, but right now there is no guarantee that Barton III or Dozier
will be available for this series.
For the Suns, trying to slow down Porter,
Jr. will be tasked to Mikal Bridges, who will have his work cut out for him
because in four of the last five games of the opening-round against the Trail
Blazers, Porter, Jr. has shot 50 percent or better from three-point range.
Of the eight playoff teams left in the
2021 NBA Playoffs six of those teams do not have a Larry O’Brien trophy in
their franchise’s history. The Nuggets in their history have knocked on the
doorstep of being in The Finals, only to fall in the Western Conference Finals
in their history, most notably to the Lakers on a few occasions, including in
last season’s Western Conference Finals. The Suns have not been back the
championship round since Hall of Famer and NBA on TNT studio analyst and “Inside
the NBA” on TNT co-host Charles Barkley led them their in 1993, falling to fellow
Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in six games. The late Kobe
Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers denied the then Steve Nash led Suns their
chance at capturing Mr. O’Brien 11 years ago, their last postseason appearance
prior to this current one.
The Nuggets have managed to overcome the
losses of three of their best perimeter players in Jamal Murray, Will Barton
III, and P.J. Dozier.
The Nuggets are a team under Coach Malone
the last couple of seasons does not make an excuse, and whoever is on the floor
is expected to play and play well. They expect nothing less than that against
the Suns like they have shown since losing Murray as mentioned back in the
middle of April.
“Even when things weren’t going our way
and it looked a little bleak, staying with it, staying connected staying
positive, and that allows you to come out of it on the other side,” Coach
Malone said about the Nuggets comeback in the Game 6 clincher and throughout
this season. “So, what it says about our team is that when we play a certain
way, a certain style of basketball we’re a really tough team to beat.”
But the Nuggets are going against a Suns
squad that has proven that what they did in the restart last season was not a
fluke. They came within one game of making the 2020 Playoffs going 8-0 in the
restart and have been on a mission, and thanks to the right mix of veteran
leadership and experience of Chris Paul, Jae Crowder and head coach Monty
Williams coupled with the youth and hunger of Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton,
Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, and Cameron Payne.
Expect a high scoring and close nit
series. But it seems like the Suns are poised to after missing the playoffs for
11 straight seasons will move one step closer to competing for Mr. Larry O’Brien.
Prediction:
Suns in 7 games.
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