The notion that the basketball public is just now discovering Jokic is silly. “Give him his damn respect,” Malone said. Anyway: Jokic had three assists, played decent defensively while walking that foul tightrope and hit the eventual game-winning bucket on a finger roll to break a 111-all tie in the final minute. Jokic was fortunate he wasn’t whistled for a sixth when he made contact with Davis’ arm on the very next possession. After Jokic earned his fourth and fifth fouls in quick succession, Nuggets coach Michael Malone kept him on the floor. But it was the manner in which Jokic chopped down the Lakers in Game 4, by being a constant presence around the rim, sinking crazy step-back 3-pointers - Davis shot him a you-gotta-be-kidding-me look after Jokic dropped one in the fourth - and coming up big in the fourth.
FINAL DRAFT BIG BREAK SERIES
He had three triple-doubles in the series and saved his best for last: 30 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists, three blocks and a steal. Is he the best player in the NBA who lacks a championship? A case can be made for that distinction, and maybe, in a few weeks, Jokic will gladly surrender that distinction to someone else.
It takes a special talent to rise above those two and yet Jokic did so with no doubt. Imagine being the best player on a floor shared with LeBron and Anthony Davis. Nikola Jokic dominates with his eighth triple-double of the playoffs, most in any postseason in NBA history. captured the championship that season, and in a few weeks we’ll learn if the Nuggets can do the same. Here’s five takeaways from the Nuggets’ 113-111 victory in Game 4 and a West final that was a reversal from 2020, when the Lakers prevailed. Meanwhile, Jokic battled through foul trouble in the final five minutes and supplied timely plays and a few finishing touches that put the Lakers to sleep. LeBron delivered a blistering if desperate effort in the first half of Game 4 with 31 points and then, somewhat predictably, was gassed in the second half and especially the fourth quarter. was never in control at any point in the four games. 1 West seed with a dominant performance, and to Jokic, a two-time Kia NBA MVP who captured one major trophy - the Magic Johnson Trophy as the most valuable player in the series - and now begins the hunt for an elusive championship trophy.ĭenver swept the Lakers and honestly, with a few exceptions during brief stretches, L.A. So congrats to the Nuggets, who confirmed their No. And so, there was a transition that became official Monday: A team with 17 championships along with its legendary star playing his 20th season gave way to a franchise with no titles led by a superstar built for this generation. That essentially captures what you saw, what emerged from Lakers vs. This was a series short on games, long on drama and fourth-quarter suspense … and Jokic. The Nuggets’ long wait for a taste of the NBA Finals? Over. Nikola Jokic rushed over and tapped the loose ball away. He drove the lane and was met by Jamal Murray, who reached for the ball and disrupted LeBron’s shot before Aaron Gordon blocked it for good measure. LOS ANGELES - On the last possession, the pass went to LeBron James. Kentucky also only has 10 scholarship players currently committed for ‘23–24 including Tshiebwe and Reeves, so losing either or both would be a considerable blow just from a depth standpoint.The Nuggets team up to deny LeBron James' game-tying layup attempt to clinch a 113-111 win and push Denver to its first NBA Finals. Reeves shot 40% from deep at high volume in 2022–23. Wagner and Robert Dillingham, but could really use a veteran shot-maker as a complimentary option in the starting lineup or as a bench shooting weapon. Kentucky has brought in a pair of high-usage freshman guards in D.J. Even after a disappointing 2022–23, Tshiebwe is still one of the best bigs in college basketball. Kentucky swung for Hunter Dickinson in the portal, but after losing that battle to Kansas could really use a Tshiebwe return to avoid having an incredibly inexperienced frontcourt.
Tshiebwe had a pair of productive scrimmages at the NBA draft combine, but still is a questionable fit in the NBA because of his struggles defending in space and lack of floor-spacing ability. Kentucky has a loaded freshman class incoming, but the decisions of these two veterans will have a huge impact on the Wildcats’ season. Oscar Tshiebwe and Antonio Reeves, Kentucky
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