Putting Rui Hachimura on Nikola Jokic was the gamble attempted by Darvin Ham in the second half of Game 1 in Denver. A tactic that almost paid off since the Lakers, dominated at the start of the game, managed to get back into the game, even if they narrowly failed in the end.
The Los Angeles coach welcomed this one-time success, also recalling that he had not been “too far in the adjustments at the end of the game because we are still in a game of chess. We know that this solution exists, with others that we have not shown”.
Michael Malone, he was not shaken by this option. “The idea was to put Hachimura on Jokic and we have already seen that”commented the Nuggets coach for ESPN. The Sixers had notably placed PJ Tucker on the Serb this season, to keep Joel Embiid as a defensive control tower.
Put one more shooter to surround Nikola Jokic?
With Denver’s victory in Game 1, Mike Malone believes that the essentials have been done for his team and that the dynamic of the Californians in the second period is not enough to rejoice.
“There are discussions that, despite the loss, the Lakers would have left here with something,” continues the coach of the best team in the West in the regular season. “I’m willing to bet Darvin Ham would rather lead 1-0 than trail. That’s why stopping on what we did wrong after a victory, it’s not a bad situation. »
How will Mike Malone adapt? With Anthony Davis in a defensive checkpoint role, behind Rui Hachimura, Aaron Gordon is losing his low-post influence. The inside is valuable and effective in this position near the circle when Nikola Jokic starts his high post actions. But with Anthony Davis close to the circle, during those streaks of play, he didn’t weigh in the first set.
Putting one more shooter to rule out the game could therefore be a solution. In the meantime, Michael Porter Jr. judges that the Lakers have found nothing revolutionary to counter the double MVP and thwart the Nuggets…
“Collectively, we have already seen everything to try to defend on Jokic”, he recalls as if to confirm Mike Malone’s words. “It may have surprised us a bit in the second half, but looking back at the footage, I don’t think it’s a problem for us. »
| Nikola Jokic | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2015-16 | DEN | 80 | 22 | 51.2 | 33.3 | 81.1 | 2.3 | 4.7 | 7.0 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 10.0 |
| 2016-17 | DEN | 73 | 28 | 57.8 | 32.4 | 82.5 | 2.9 | 6.9 | 9.8 | 4.9 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 16.7 |
| 2017-18 | DEN | 75 | 33 | 49.9 | 39.6 | 85.0 | 2.6 | 8.1 | 10.7 | 6.1 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 18.5 |
| 2018-19 | DEN | 80 | 31 | 51.1 | 30.7 | 82.1 | 2.9 | 8.0 | 10.8 | 7.3 | 2.9 | 1.4 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 20.1 |
| 2019-20 | DEN | 73 | 32 | 52.8 | 31.4 | 81.7 | 2.3 | 7.5 | 9.7 | 7.0 | 3.0 | 1.2 | 3.1 | 0.6 | 20.0 |
| 2020-21 ★ | DEN | 72 | 35 | 56.6 | 38.8 | 86.8 | 2.9 | 8.0 | 10.8 | 8.3 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 26.4 |
| 2021-22 ★ | DEN | 74 | 34 | 58.3 | 33.7 | 81.0 | 2.8 | 11.0 | 13.8 | 7.9 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 3.8 | 0.9 | 27.1 |
| 2022-23 | DEN | 69 | 34 | 63.2 | 38.3 | 82.2 | 2.4 | 9.4 | 11.8 | 9.8 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 3.6 | 0.7 | 24.5 |
| Total | 596 | 31 | 55.3 | 34.8 | 82.9 | 2.6 | 7.9 | 10.5 | 6.6 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 20.2 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
