Depending on the outcome of Monday’s Rockets/Thunder showdown, it’s possible we’ll still get one more Game 7 in the first round of the NBA’s 2020 postseason. For now though, Jazz/Nuggets is the only series guaranteed to go the full seven, with the deciding contest scheduled to take place on Tuesday.
The series between two Northwest rivals has been a back-and-forth affair, with Denver taking a 1-0 lead, Utah winning three consecutive games, and Denver clawing back to make it 3-3.
The first-round matchup has also served as a coming-out party for two of the NBA’s most promising young guards. Donovan Mitchell, a first-time All-Star earlier this year, has taken his game to another level this postseason as he has assumed an even greater share of the Jazz’s offensive responsibilities, averaging an eye-popping 38.7 PPG to go along with 5.5 APG on .548/.554/.946 shooting in six games vs. Denver.
However, Jamal Murray has matched him nearly every step of the way, proving that the Nuggets weren’t wrong to sign him to a five-year, maximum-salary extension a year ago. After pouring in 50 points on Sunday for the second time in three games, Murray is now averaging 34.0 PPG and 6.7 APG on .585/.574/.913 shooting for the series.
The Nuggets and Jazz will do all they can in Game 7 to slow down the opposing team’s top scorer, but the outcome may ultimately come down to which club’s other stars and role players step up. In Game 6, Nikola Jokic and Jerami Grant came up big for Denver. The Nuggets also got a boost from Gary Harris‘ return following a lengthy absence due to a hip injury.
Mike Conley (22.8 PPG on .569/.607/.889 shooting) has had a strong series and Rudy Gobert has been solid, but the Jazz may need contributions from complementary players like Joe Ingles, Jordan Clarkson, and Royce O’Neale to slow the Nuggets’ momentum in Game 7.
What do you think? Are you taking either the Nuggets or the Jazz in Game 7? And which team do you think would match up better in the second round against the Clippers?
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The Nuggets seem to have the momentum and unlike Utah, have a pair of superstars to work with in Jokic and Murray. If Mitchell can’t carry the team or is limited by Harris, the Jazz may not have anyone to turn to. Jokic has done a good job on Gobert lately and is limiting his defensive impact by expanding his game to the perimeter. As the article mentions, Utah will need stronger offensive contributions from the bench.
As for the Clippers, Denver matches up pretty well to be perfectly honest. Jokic should be able to feast upon Zubac and Harrell, although Murray will be limited by Kawhi and Beverley. If the Nuggets are going anywhere, they’ll need Monte and Grant to continue to play well, while Millsap and Porter need to step it up and break out of their slumps. A healthy Will Barton wouldn’t hurt either. This team has depth and it’s time they use it to their advantage. If Denver either loses game seven or can’t steal at least two from the Clippers, it might be time to cut ties with Malone
Denver has two stars, not superstars.
Who cares who wins this series. They will be swept by the Clippers due to exhaustion from 7 game series.
The Clippers didn’t exactly take care of business against a short-handed Dallas team in round 1. Neither them nor Denver don’t look like teams capable of winning the WCF.
Ignore the double negative.
Lakers are gonna win the west
Looks like we got a spicy debate going! Should be an exciting next couple of rounds. Anybody has a shot, barring injury of course
No kidding. You shouldnt have freaked out after that Blazers game.
Rockets
Legs of Covington Tucker Gordon look old
Porter had a bad gm. I don’t see that again. Nuggets are deeper. They should win. And you do know Muarray is 23 yrs old. He’s doing stuff. No One In This Bubble Has Ever Done. Witness
The higher seeds will win both game 7’s. The cream always rises to the top.
1 more loss man then what will your excuse be?
1 more loss to the Lakers this year? I’m OK with the Gentleman’s Sweep.
The great thing about the playoffs. Is that it usually does prove who is better. The playoffs are about matchups not season records. Did you really believe Rockets would go 7. Look at the Heat. Gotta love gm 7s.
OKC has gotten lucky so many times, the series should have easily been over in 4 or 5 games. The refs came out and said after game three that they blew the call with 24 seconds left in regulation that basically would have won the game for Houston. So in reality the series should have ended with the 114-80 blowout in game 5.
Hopefully the Rockets won’t get screwed by the refs yet again in game 7. All they have to do is play well enough not to beat themselves like they did in game 6 to advance to the 2nd round to face the Lakers.
No he thought it would be over quickly because of emotion. For whatever reason, negative feelings for the Thunder, Nets and Lakers shape his voting, as does for Lebron. The refs just won’t get in line. Can’t bet parlay like that, as one of the props would fail and ruin the card.
We almost got screwed again at the end of game 7.
But as always the Rockets rose to the occasion and won.