Nuggets save season, see Dubs are ‘beatable’

DENVER — The Denver Nuggets did not simply maintain their season alive with their 126-121 Sport 4 victory. They now see that the Warriors are “beatable.”

After being dominated so completely within the first two video games that they left San Francisco merely attempting to maintain issues collectively, the Nuggets averted being swept for the second straight postseason and now return to the Bay Space for a Sport 5 with confidence that they’ll lengthen the collection much more in the event that they play the best way they did in Denver.

“There isn’t a strain on us,” mentioned level guard Monte Morris, who hit 5 3’s within the third quarter and scored 24 factors. “I feel Sport 3 and 4 has been our greatest basketball, how bodily we need to be, we displayed that.

“Going again there, we see they’re beatable. They are a helluva group. However after we play our model of basketball and make it powerful and make them see our bodies — they’ll make powerful pictures — however we all know if we play our model of basketball and convey the vitality, we give ourselves an opportunity. And that’s the reason I feel it will be totally different going again.”

The Nuggets return to San Francisco with a training workers and key gamers who know what it takes to drag off an inconceivable comeback. Solely 13 occasions have groups come again from down 3-1 to win. The Nuggets, nevertheless, did it twice within the bubble in the course of the 2020 playoffs.

“Clearly of all groups within the playoffs, we’re in all probability most comfy being down 3-1,” head coach Michael Malone mentioned. “Can I say we are saying now we have them proper the place we wish them? No. However we’re alive. We reside to struggle one other day.”

Malone the followers for the vitality they gave his group in Denver in Video games 3 and 4 after which mentioned the Nuggets will want the identical factor from them for a possible Sport 6.

“I thank all of our followers and after we come again for Sport 6, we want the identical factor,” Malone mentioned. When a reporter chuckled, a cussed Malone responded, “What you laughing at?”

The Nuggets mentioned successful Sport 4 and feeling like they let Sport 3 slip away after shedding a lead with three minutes remaining has given them confidence. They actually be ok with the best way their famous person is enjoying. As soon as once more, they acquired an MVP-like efficiency out of the reigning MVP Nikola Jokic.

Jokic, who took a painful poke to the attention within the first minute of the sport, was aggressive from the beginning and completed with 37 factors, eight rebounds and 6 assists. Aaron Gordon additionally had his second straight robust recreation with 21 factors, six rebounds and 4 assists. There was additionally rookie Bones Hyland, who electrified the house crowd when he hit three 3-pointers, all from 30 ft or deeper, in simply over a minute early within the second quarter to present the Nuggets a 17-point lead.

Hyland, who stands 6-foot-2 and is 169 kilos, had 15 factors and 7 assists.

Morris additionally helped set the tone for the Nuggets with a tough foul on Draymond Inexperienced on the rim within the third quarter. The 2 mates, who grew up in Michigan, barked at each other however Morris let the Warriors know he and the Nuggets weren’t backing down.

“We acquired muscle groups within the coronary heart,” Hyland mentioned when requested about shorter level guards like himself and Morris flexing muscle groups.

Hyland mentioned he thought the Warriors have been beatable earlier than Sport 4. When requested if he nonetheless thinks that, Hyland displayed his rising confidence. “After all,” Hyland mentioned. “We simply proved that on the market. We go on the market and play Mile Excessive Metropolis basketball, we will beat anyone. I really feel like now we have a really unguardable group. We go on the market and play our basketball, we’re unguardable.”

Denver had plenty of issues go its manner, reminiscent of Inexperienced fouling out with 2:05 remaining and Stephen Curry (33 factors) lacking 4 of his 14 free throws — probably the most he has ever missed in a recreation. Nonetheless, Golden State managed to erase a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit and lead 121-119 with 1:21 remaining.

“The truth that we had the lead with a minute and a half left speaks to who we’re,” Curry mentioned.

With out Inexperienced to deal with, Jokic scored on a layup to tie the sport. After which after Klay Thompson missed a 3 and Andrew Wiggins missed a putback try, Morris hit a floater. Austin Rivers stole an inbounds lob move by the Warriors earlier than Jokic helped seal the sport by discovering Will Barton within the nook for a 3 with 8.3 seconds remaining.

When requested if he makes use of his expertise from the Nuggets’ consecutive 3-1 comebacks within the bubble towards the Jazz and the Clippers on this collection, Jokic mentioned, “Completely not.”

He is aware of it is a totally different collection towards a way more skilled group: one that’s saying it has to reply to the Nuggets at residence on Wednesday in Sport 5.

“We acquired to enter [Game 5] prefer it’s a must-win,” mentioned Thompson, who scored 32 factors. “We would wish to get some relaxation earlier than subsequent collection and we do not need to journey again to Denver. We acquired to return with the mindset that now we have one thing to show, that it is a must-win.”