After quietly dominating the first two games of the series, the Nuggets lost this time in Game 3, against a much more determined and urgent Suns team.
“We are not demoralized” relativized Mike Maloneafter the game. “I think our guys understand that they’re a good team up front, but we can play a lot better. Nobody in this locker room thought we were going to make it to the conference semifinals and sweep the Suns with all the talent they have. It is a defeat. We don’t rejoice too much in victories, we don’t get too discouraged in defeats. Let’s be honest with ourselves in the next video session and see what we can do better. I think the overriding theme is that we all feel we could have played much more physically and aggressively tonight.”.
If Denver lost this game, it is largely the fault of Devin Booker. Because the back of Phoenix was simply exceptional! He thus caught fire in the first quarter with 18 points scored and the rest of the meeting was a recital on his part, for a masterpiece concluded with 47 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds and 3 steals at 20/25 shooting including 5/8 from 3-pointers.
“Our defense of Devin Booker was unacceptable” annoyed Michael Malone. “We let him take easy 3-pointers. We have to be much better. You can’t give this team easy points, after lost balls, offensive rebounds or free throws..
Nikola Jokic was not enough
Nevertheless, Nikola Jokic had a daunting performance with 30 points, 17 assists and 17 rebounds. This is his ninth triple-double in the playoffs, which allows him to equal Wilt Chamberlain’s record for a pivot. He also became the first player in NBA history to record a playoff game with at least 25 points, 15 assists and 15 rebounds.
Evidence of his influence? While Denver posted a +/- of +5 during the 42 minutes he was on the floor, this +/- was -12 during the 6 minutes during which the “Joker” rested…
It was in particular the start of the fourth quarter that posed a problem, Nikola Jokic leaving his teammates at the end of the third quarter at +1 (88-87) and finding them at -9 (88-98). A 10-0 that forced Mike Malone to quickly call a time-out to put his double MVP back into play. Because in addition to Devin Booker’s 47 points, the Nuggets defense also had to manage the presence of Kevin Durant, author his side by 39 points.
“We know the problem and we know who we have to stop, but they are talented players” spoke Nikola Jokic about Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. “I always say they’re probably the two best scorers in the league right now, able to create their shot. Teams can take them in twos and they will still put up tough shots. But I think we had our chances and we believe in what we are doing, and hopefully we will do a lot better on Sunday.”.
The Nuggets will indeed have to do much better on Sunday, especially defensively. Game 4 will be the rocker of the series, and Denver has no desire to return to Colorado at 2-2.
“I have faith in our players when we face adversity” concluded the Nuggets coach. “It’s a team that has gone through a lot of hardships in the last three or four years. 3-1 deficits, injuries, whatever. This team always reacts. It’s in our nature, it’s in my nature, and I think we’re going to keep fighting no matter what.”.
| Shots | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | bp | Int | CT | party | Points |
| Nikola Jokic | 69 | 33.7 | 63.2 | 38.3 | 82.2 | 2.4 | 9.4 | 11.8 | 9.8 | 3.6 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 24.5 |
| Jamal Murray | 65 | 32.8 | 45.4 | 39.8 | 83.3 | 0.7 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 6.2 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 20.0 |
| Michael Porter, Jr. | 62 | 29.0 | 48.7 | 41.4 | 80.0 | 1.0 | 4.5 | 5.5 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 17.4 |
| Aaron Gordon | 68 | 30.2 | 56.4 | 34.7 | 60.8 | 2.4 | 4.1 | 6.6 | 3.0 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 16.3 |
| Bones Hyland | 42 | 19.5 | 39.9 | 37.8 | 86.6 | 0.2 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 12.1 |
| Bruce Brown, Jr. | 80 | 28.5 | 48.3 | 35.8 | 75.8 | 0.8 | 3.3 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 2.4 | 11.5 |
| Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | 76 | 31.3 | 46.2 | 42.3 | 82.4 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 10.8 |
| Reggie Jackson | 16 | 19.9 | 38.3 | 27.9 | 83.3 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 3.1 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 7.9 |
| Jeff Green | 56 | 19.5 | 48.8 | 28.8 | 74.4 | 0.7 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 7.8 |
| Zeke Nnaji | 53 | 13.7 | 56.1 | 26.2 | 64.5 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 5.2 |
| Deandre Jordan | 39 | 15.0 | 76.5 | 100.0 | 45.8 | 1.3 | 3.8 | 5.2 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 5.1 |
| Vlatko Cancar | 60 | 14.8 | 47.6 | 37.4 | 92.7 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 5.0 |
| Christian Brown | 76 | 15.5 | 49.5 | 35.4 | 62.5 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 4.7 |
| Thomas Bryant | 18 | 11.3 | 48.5 | 44.4 | 72.2 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 3.3 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 4.6 |
| peyton watson | 23 | 8.1 | 49.2 | 42.9 | 55.0 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 3.3 |
| Ish Smith | 43 | 9.3 | 39.7 | 16.7 | 50.0 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 2.5 |
| davon reed | 35 | 9.0 | 31.3 | 36.4 | 75.0 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 2.3 |
| Jack White | 17 | 3.9 | 42.1 | 33.3 | 66.7 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 1.2 |
