Warriors coach Steve Kerr has eight NBA championship rings — 5 as a participant and three in his present function.
There may be just a few individuals who know easy methods to win within the playoffs in addition to Kerr, however nobody is aware of greater than him.
Preserve that in thoughts after I let you know that the Warriors will beat the Denver Nuggets within the staff’s first-round playoff collection.
However on Sunday, Golden State missed its likelihood to handle enterprise and finish the collection within the minimal 4 video games. Denver beat the Warriors 126-121, forcing a Sport 5 Wednesday in San Francisco.
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Kerr noticed the loss coming. He warned his staff within the first quarter.
They didn’t heed the lesson till it was too late.
DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 24: Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokić (15) knocks the ball away from Golden State Warriors’ Kevon Looney (5) within the third quarter of Sport 4 of the staff’s NBA basketball first-round playoff collection at Ball Enviornment in Denver, Colo., on Sunday, April 24, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)
With the Warriors trailing the Nuggets early, Kerr known as a timeout and known as out his staff. ESPN cameras picked all of it up:
“It feels to me like we odor blood and we’re making an attempt too onerous,” Kerr stated. “We’re going for the kill. It doesn’t work that method. You get the kill by executing to dying — simply executing again and again.”
The Warriors had their moments in Sport 4, Sunday, however they had been just too rare and finally inadequate. The execution was, certainly, lower than par over the course of 48 minutes.
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The Warriors had been too keen and too disjointed to shut out the Nuggets.
“It took us a very long time to get going,” Kerr stated after the sport. “We didn’t play our sport tonight.”
Maybe that’s an vital lesson realized for this staff. I feel that’s ascribing an excessive amount of which means to the second. Sunday was nothing greater than a missed alternative for the Dubs.
The true which means of Sunday’s sport shall be outlined on Wednesday.
DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 24: Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) loses the ball in opposition to Denver Nuggets’ JaMychal Inexperienced (0) and Denver Nuggets’ Bryn Forbes (6) within the second quarter of Sport 4 of the staff’s NBA basketball first-round playoff collection at Ball Enviornment in Denver, Colo., on Sunday, April 24, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)
A proud Denver staff, paired with a referee crew that was someway much more disjointed than the Warriors, ensured that Sunday could be the Golden State’s hardest sport of the collection.
Wednesday ought to show to be even harder, even with home-court benefit. Denver now has some confidence and has nothing to lose. The Warriors have only a smidgen of strain on them heading into Sport 5.
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If the Warriors can gradual themselves down on offense and keep away from making a symphony of whistles with late rotations on protection, the Sport 4 loss gained’t imply a lot within the grand scheme of issues.
Sure, they’ll need to play another sport this postseason than they need to, however another isn’t a big situation for the Warriors. Their second-round opponent — both Memphis or Minnesota — is assured to play no less than six video games.
DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 24: Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) holds his head after being hit within the head by the ball on a go by Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Inexperienced (23) throughout their sport in opposition to the Denver Nuggets within the third quarter of Sport 4 of the staff’s NBA basketball first-round playoff collection at Ball Enviornment in Denver, Colo., on Sunday, April 24, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)
Now, if the Warriors need to go to Denver once more for a Sport 6, we’ll have one thing important to debate with this Dubs staff.
However even after a poor efficiency Sunday, I see causes to be bullish on the Warriors forward of Sport 5; causes to imagine this loss was a one-off for the collection.
That’s as a result of as lopsided as the sport was — Denver made 15-of-31 3-pointers — it was shut within the ultimate minutes.
Golden State performed possibly 10 complete minutes of engaged, high quality basketball Sunday.
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Draymond Inexperienced used an expletive within the postgame press convention to explain the Warriors’ crummy protection in Sport 4.
“That falls on me,” he stated.
DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 24: Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Inexperienced (23) dunks the ball in opposition to the Denver Nuggets within the third quarter of Sport 4 of the staff’s NBA basketball first-round playoff collection at Ball Enviornment in Denver, Colo., on Sunday, April 24, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)
Jordan Poole, the breakout star of the postseason, went 3-for-10 from the ground.
The Warriors’ true bench gamers (which means everybody however Steph Curry) made three pictures all evening.
The Dubs turned it over 11 occasions within the first half and had 27 fouls known as in opposition to them within the sport.
What a large number it was.
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DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 24: Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) fights for the ball in opposition to the Denver Nuggets within the third quarter of Sport 4 of the staff’s NBA basketball first-round playoff collection at Ball Enviornment in Denver, Colo., on Sunday, April 24, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)
And but there have been the Warriors, in place to finish Denver’s season late within the fourth quarter. That speaks volumes concerning the high quality of this operation, even when we didn’t see sufficient of it on Sunday.
Credit score the unimaginable — however collectively inconsistent — trio of Curry (15 fourth-quarter factors), Klay Thompson (seven made 3-pointers), and Inexperienced (plus-18 within the sport, however fouled out with 2:05 to play within the sport).
Finally, although, the Warriors’ early-game failures proved the distinction. They by no means dug themselves out of their early gap of exuberance and maybe hubris, too.
Tip your hat to the Nuggets, although. As a substitute of getting an early begin on their spring holidays, they performed a full 48 minutes with critical gumption. That might not have been simple to do, seeing as no staff in NBA historical past has ever come again from a 3-0 deficit. Denver’s gamers, deep down, need to know they won’t be the exception, as evidenced by the Warriors’ likelihood to win late on Sunday afternoon.
DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 24: Denver Nuggets’ Bones Hyland (3) celebrates his 3-point basket with Denver Nuggets’ DeMarcus Cousins (4) in opposition to the Golden State Warriors within the second quarter of Sport 4 of the staff’s NBA basketball first-round playoff collection at Ball Enviornment in Denver, Colo., on Sunday, April 24, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)
I didn’t see that form of effort coming. Not after the primary three video games of the collection.
However on Sunday, the Nuggets had been worthy adversaries to the Warriors.
This Golden State staff has what it takes to win a title. The primary three video games of this collection confirmed that.
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However the Warriors will not be so good that they can’t be crushed. Sport 4 confirmed that.
The Warriors simply took what would be the first of what’s going to be many punches this postseason.
I’m fascinated to see how they counter.
DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 24: Denver Nuggets’ JaMychal Inexperienced (0) dunks the ball in opposition to the Golden State Warriors within the fourth quarter of Sport 4 of the staff’s NBA basketball first-round playoff collection at Ball Enviornment in Denver, Colo., on Sunday, April 24, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)
On Sunday, fans will be treated to a head-to-head contest between two rapidly emerging offensive powerhouses, both of whom are bonafide Rookie of the Year contenders. Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix and Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers found new homes with consecutive picks during last April’s NFL draft, and since then, they’ve performed exceptionally well in the pro ranks.
Nix is firmly on the radar of Raiders head coach Antonio Piece, but that’s even more true after yet another award-winning performance last week.
“He was a winner as a freshman. He was a winner as a six-year player,” Pierce noted of Nix. “All he does is win, come in the league. Won the quarterback battle there in Denver. Maybe they were keeping them tight on the leash early on, and now they’re not. He has full control that offense. You can see that Sean Payton gives him opportunities to audible and make some adjustments. He’s making throws, he’s running with his legs, he’s taking care of the football, and he’s winning. That’s all you can ask for from a rookie.”
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Nix presents a clear and present danger to the Raiders’ chances of squeezing out what would be only their third win of their massively disappointing season. Stopping the impressive rookie is proving to be another matter entirely for NFL defenses, especially one with a badly beaten-up roster like the Raiders.
“This is crazy,” Raiders linebacker Divine Deablo said via ESPN‘s Paul Gutierrez. “I’ve never seen this amount of injuries on any team I’ve been on.”
This week, Broncos head coach Sean Payton has pumped the brakes a little on the burgeoning hype exploding around Nix. That being said, you get the distinct feeling that Payton is more than comfortable unleashing Nix’s full array of talents at his disposal. Confidence is growing in Nix, and that’s been reflected in how Payton has opened up the playbook for his first-year signal-caller.
The juices are flowing, and Payton may have found an answer in dynamic second-year receiver Marvin Mims Jr. The mystical “joker” role within the Broncos offense seems to have been filled.
“I think we always gotta be saying, ‘Hey, are we doing everything we can to highlight his strengths?’ And so, yeah, I don’t know if he’s got the ‘joker’ tattoo, but he might be invited to the club,” Payton said via Andrew Mason.
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When push comes to shove, if Nix plays lights out again, an easy win might come Denver’s way, but stopping Bowers would also ensure the victory and help in the race for Rookie of the Year honors. Payton is already on high alert, but it was also tinged with a bit of football envy when he illustrated Bowers’ “joker” abilities.
“Someone had a really good vision for him and you see all the ‘Joker’ traits, means and change of direction,” Payton said of Bowers. “It can’t be a little. It’s a high-end receiving trait and he can move, he can be outside and he can run a route tree maybe different than most tight ends.”
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New York Knicks (9-7, fourth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (9-6, fifth in the Western Conference)
Denver; Monday, 9 p.m. EST
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BOTTOM LINE: Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets host the New York Knicks in a non-conference matchup.
The Nuggets have gone 5-3 at home. Denver ranks sixth in the Western Conference with 12.0 offensive rebounds per game led by Jokic averaging 4.4.
The Knicks are 4-5 in road games. New York ranks seventh in the Eastern Conference allowing only 112.4 points while holding opponents to 47.3% shooting.
The Nuggets are shooting 47.8% from the field this season, 0.5 percentage points higher than the 47.3% the Knicks allow to opponents. The Knicks average 14.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.2 more made shots on average than the 13.1 per game the Nuggets allow.
TOP PERFORMERS: Michael Porter Jr. is averaging 18.6 points and 7.1 rebounds for the Nuggets.
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Jalen Brunson is averaging 25.1 points and 7.4 assists for the Knicks.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 7-3, averaging 118.4 points, 45.5 rebounds, 31.6 assists, 8.7 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 49.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.7 points per game.
Knicks: 6-4, averaging 120.3 points, 42.9 rebounds, 29.9 assists, 6.7 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 50.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.5 points.
INJURIES: Nuggets: Aaron Gordon: out (calf), DaRon Holmes II: out for season (achilles), Vlatko Cancar: out (knee).
Knicks: Precious Achiuwa: out (hamstring), Miles McBride: day to day (knee), Mitchell Robinson: out (ankle).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Could the Brooklyn Nets’ No. 1 scoring option team up with a two-time league MVP?
According to Paul Pierce, it’s possible.
On a recent episode of “Ticket & The Truth,” the former Boston Celtics star suggested a move from Brooklyn to the Denver Nuggets for Cam Thomas to provide the 2023 NBA Champions with a depth boost.
“Alright, let me put my GM hat on,” Pierce said. “I think right now, for Cam, I’d like to see him off the bench for Denver. …Because they need that spark plug off the bench.”
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He may want to take that hat off.
The Nuggets do not have an asset they’d be willing to part ways with that would entice the Nets enough to move off of a 23-year-old who’s turning in over 24 points per game. And even if Denver were to offer a king’s ransom of draft capital, as long as Nikola Jokic is healthy a Nuggets’ choice will never hold much value.
Oct 29, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets small guard Cam Thomas (24) shoots the ball against the Denver Nuggets during the second half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
When reports suggested Thomas could be available in negotiations, they didn’t mean Brooklyn was looking to give him away. The return would have to warrant the transaction, and a hypothetical package consisting of Christian Braun and two first-round picks (no offense Christian) won’t be enough to entice Sean Marks.
The Nets shouldn’t look to move Thomas until a can’t-say-no deal emerges. Until then, let him continue to drop nearly 25 a night on the opposition and revisit any potential thoughts of trading the electrifying scorer at February’s deadline.
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