Nuggets’ Jokic, Murray Make History In Game 3 Win
Hoops Rumors ordinarily doesn’t cover this sort of thing, at least not directly. But the historic performances tonight by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray in the Nuggets‘ 109-94 Game 3 victory over the Heat are worth highlighting.
Jokic and Murray became the first teammates in NBA history — regular season or playoffs — to record 30-point triple-doubles in the same game, the league announced (via Twitter). And it came on the biggest stage, during the NBA Finals.
Jokic, the two-time MVP, finished with 32 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists, which made him the first player to record a 30-20-10 game in the Finals, ESPN Stats & Info tweets. That marks his third career 30-20-10 playoff game; there have only been two other postseason instances of that stat line, with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain recording one apiece.
Murray also made individual history, becoming the first player to record 10-plus assists in his each of his first three Finals games, per ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk (Twitter link). The 26-year-old finished with 34 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said it was “by far their greatest performance as a duo,” according to Mike Singer of The Denver Post (Twitter link).
As impressive as the victory was, it was still only one game, and the series is far from over. The Nuggets now lead the best-of-seven series 2-1, with Game 4 set for Friday night in Miami.
Nuggets Notes: Malone, Jokic, Strategy, Game 3
Nuggets coach Michael Malone was incredulous about the way his team approached Game 2 of the NBA Finals, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post. With a chance to take control of the series, the Nuggets came out flat Sunday night, allowing Miami to start the game on a 10-2 run.
“We had guys out there that were just whether feeling sorry for themselves for not making shots or thinking they can just turn it on or off. This is not the preseason, this is not the regular season,” Malone said. “This is the NBA Finals. That to me is really, really perplexing, disappointing.”
Malone was particularly upset about “miscommunication, game-plan breakdowns, personnel breakdowns” that enabled the Heat to shoot 17-of-35 from three-point range. He cited slow rotations and called for his players to start making contact with Miami’s shooters as soon as they cross mid-court.
“Those are guys that we are supposed to have a heightened awareness to,” Malone said. “As I mentioned after Game 1, the fact that they got 16 wide-open threes was concerning. They didn’t make them. So we got lucky in Game 1. ”
There’s more from Denver:
- Nikola Jokic had 41 points Sunday night, but Miami was able to disrupt the Nuggets’ offense by turning him into more of a scorer than a passer, notes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Jokic had 10 assists by halftime in Game 1, but only four overall in Game 2. “They just put us in their rhythm,” Jokic said. “And we didn’t want to play that way, and they want to, obviously. But maybe just to play a little bit faster is going to help us.”
- Malone explained his decision to not call a timeout on the final possession of the game with his team trailing by three points, per Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. Denver wound up with a step-back three-point shot by Jamal Murray that spun out. “Some nights, yeah, I think we can take the timeout,” Malone said. “Other nights, give our guys the freedom to get out and run. But with how well they were guarding in that quarter and how hard it was for us to generate looks, I felt in that transition we had the best chance to get the look that we wanted.”
- Sunday’s game marked the Nuggets’ first home loss of the playoffs and the first time they haven’t held a 2-0 lead in a series, states Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post. The team will be facing real adversity for the first time in the postseason as the series resumes Wednesday at Miami. “I think we understand what’s at stake,” Jeff Green said. “They did what they were supposed to do. They came in here, got a split. Now they’re going home, and I think we have to go in there worried about Game 3. We can’t worry about Game 4. We have to worry about Game 3.”
Nuggets Notes: Green, Smith, Murray, Jokic, Offense
Veteran Nuggets power forward Jeff Green, an unrestricted free agent this summer, is hoping that his 11th NBA team will be his last, writes Chris Tomasson of The Denver Gazette.
“I’m finishing my career here, if I can,’’ Green said. “I want to just play two more years and, if my wife lets me play three, cool. But my goal is to play two more years and be a Nugget for those two years.”
Even in his 15th NBA season, Green remains surprisingly athletic and has been a solid two-way role player. As a reserve in these playoffs, the 36-year-old is averaging 3.9 PPG, 1.9 RPG and 0.7 APG across 18.1 MPG. He inked a two-year, $9MM deal with the Nuggets in 2021.
Here’s more out of Denver:
- Nuggets guard Ish Smith has suited up for even more franchises than his teammate Green, having played for 13 different teams across his 13 pro seasons. The journeyman role player is hoping to nab his first title with the Nuggets this year, writes David Aldridge of The Athletic. “It would be gratifying, honestly,” Smith said of a possible title. “The years you go through, the 13 years and counting. The years you won 10 games. The years you were enjoying a city, you’re on a team, and all of a sudden they call you and say, ‘Ish, you’re about to get traded.’ … A ring isn’t everything, but man, it (would feel) good.”
- Heat reserve point guard Kyle Lowry, Denver’s latest nemesis in the playoffs, drew a Hall of Fame parallel between the lethal Nuggets tandem of point guard Jamal Murray and center Nikola Jokic, per Vic Lombardi of Altitude TV (Twitter link). “Yeah, I’m old,” Lowry said. “The closest I can remember is (title-winning Spurs duo) Tim Duncan and Tony Parker.”
- Denver’s diverse offensive arsenal is helping drive its romp through the playoffs, and could be the key to its first championship, as Zach Lowe of ESPN (Insider link) details. “It’s about being selfless, playing for each other, wanting others to succeed — all the things this culture is about,” versatile small forward Michael Porter Jr. said. Starting power forward Aaron Gordon shares this ethos. “The open man is the right one,” Gordon said. “As long as they’re open, the ball has to go there.”
Nuggets Notes: Jackson, Nurkic, Jokic, Altitude, Malone
Nuggets guard Reggie Jackson got a taste of the NBA Finals as a rookie in 2012 with the Thunder, who lost to the Heat. Jackson finds himself facing the Heat again 11 years later after passing through several organizations.
Jackson never realized how hard it would be to get back to the Finals, he told Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times.
“I just thought it was going to be championship after championship after championship,” Jackson said. “So being here, taking 11 years, the ups and downs of the business, injuries, changing franchises, yeah, I don’t take it for granted. I think the 11-year run has made me realize how much luck you really have to have.”
We have more on the Nuggets as they head into the Finals:
- Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic remains close friends with Nikola Jokic. Nurkic asked for a trade after it became clear Jokic was Denver’s center of the future and he was dealt to Portland during the 2016/17 season. Jokic actually offered to the coaching staff to give Nurkic his starting job back prior to the deal, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. “We still talk about what could have been,” Nurkic said. “But everything happens for a reason. I’m happy with my career. And I’m happy for him too … His story is really amazing.”
- Coach Michael Malone hopes Denver’s altitude will mess with the Heat‘s heads and lungs, ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk writes. “When we can establish that pace of play, that makes it really hard for visiting teams to kind of sustain and stay with that initially,” Malone said. “Most teams will wind up getting their second wind and be able to work themselves into that. But yeah, the altitude is here, man. Might as well use it to our advantage.”
- The smartest thing owner Stan Kroenke did was remain patient with Malone, Sean Keeler of the Denver Post opines. His core players believe in him and that’s why the Nuggets are in the Finals for the first time. Malone is grateful for the ownership group’s trust in him. “I feel really fortunate and blessed to be working in an organization run by Stan and Josh Kroenke,” Malone said. “They gave me a chance eight years ago to lead this team, and the most important part of this last eight years is their ability to be patient and have a big-picture approach and let this thing grow into what it is today.”
Nuggets Notes: Layoff, Jokic, Porter, Roster Construction
The Nuggets are eager to get back to action after a long layoff, writes Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post. Denver’s sweep of the Lakers wrapped up on May 22, so by the time Game 1 of the Finals tips off Thursday night, the team will have gone 10 days without playing. The break provided some welcome rest for the players, but it might have lasted too long.
“I told my wife when Boston won Game 6, it almost felt like – we’d been sitting so long, it almost felt like we weren’t in the playoffs anymore because the only thing we were doing was watching them,” Jeff Green said. “But I watched two good teams battle and when they won, it was like, ‘Now it’s time to refocus.’ The time off, I think it helped in many ways. It allowed us to regroup, touch up on some things, better ourselves. I enjoyed that series. They showed me some things on both ends. I’m looking forward to this matchup.”
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope said the Nuggets were focusing their preparation on Miami after the Heat took a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals. More Celtics work was mixed in as Boston rallied to tie the series.
“We’ve been sitting for a long time, we’re going to be a little jittery and anxious to play,” Caldwell-Pope said. “Just try to keep them calm. The first couple possessions are going to be a lot, even for myself. I’ll be feeling anxious, even right now.”
There’s more from Denver:
- Coach Michael Malone says Nikola Jokic has many of the “selfless superstar” qualities that Tim Duncan exhibited with the Spurs (video link). Even though Jokic has become one of the league’s best players, Malone said he’s never lost focus on helping his teammates and doing whatever is necessary to win.
- Michael Porter Jr. overcame three back surgeries to reach the NBA Finals, notes Mirin Fader of The Ringer. With his athleticism reduced by the repeated injuries, Porter focused on adding things to his game and has become an improved rebounder, defender and three-point shooter. “There was a lot of sad feelings and there was a lot of really, honestly, depression and anxiety, not knowing if you’re able to fulfill what you thought for your life,” Porter said about last year’s recovery process.
- Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports takes a look at how the Nuggets’ roster was built, including the 2021 Aaron Gordon trade that meant saying goodbye to Gary Harris, a long-time cornerstone of the franchise.
Nuggets Notes: Jokic, Front Office, Brown
Nikola Jokic enjoyed sweeping the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, but he didn’t view it as a reason to celebrate, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post. Jokic was typically low-key on Saturday during a session with reporters as he prepares for the first NBA Finals appearance for both himself and his team.
Denver had to overcome a large deficit in Game 4 against L.A., and the victory wasn’t secure until Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon combined to shut down LeBron James on the final play. It set up a career milestone for Jokic, but he didn’t get emotional about it.
“The win was nice,” he said. “Like half an hour after that, it was just OK. It’s a win. I thought it’s gonna be much bigger feeling, to be honest.”
There’s more from Denver:
- Jokic’s desire to join the Nuggets a year after being drafted stemmed more from personal reasons than professional, per Mark Kiszla of The Denver Post (subscription required). Jokic played one season in the Adriatic League, but he wanted to come to the United States to be closer to his girlfriend, who’s now his wife, and his brothers. Jokic wasn’t certain that he was good enough to play in the NBA, but he asked the Nuggets if he could take part in training camp in 2015 so he could be near his loved ones. “I was more happy to be around them than to be in the NBA,” he admitted.
- General manager Calvin Booth has been in his current job for less than a year, so he wants to make sure the architects of the team get recognized for assembling a championship roster, Singer adds in another Denver Post story (subscription required). Booth offered thanks to former team president Tim Connelly, who put together a version of the Kentavious Caldwell-Pope trade before he left to take over the Timberwolves last summer, and to others who played a role in building the team’s foundation. “(Tim) deserves a ton of credit,” Booth said. “I also think Josh (Kroenke) and (former GM) Masai (Ujiri) deserve credit. … They did the Carmelo (Anthony) trade, and the Carmelo trade ended up being a lot of different assets that helped this team get to this point, one of them being Jamal with the pick swap. I feel like each iteration of the front office has helped contribute to get to this point.”
- The Nuggets were fortunate to land Bruce Brown on the second day of free agency last July, Harrison Wind and Adam Mares of DNVR Sports state on their podcast. Brown said he didn’t get any immediate offers when free agency began, so he was thrilled when Denver expressed interest.
Nuggets Notes: Brown, Braun, Watson, Jokic, Rest
Nuggets wing Bruce Brown has been one of the keys to the team’s success all season long, making winning plays with his versatility on both ends of the court. He referred to Denver as a “perfect fit” and said it was a “great decision” to sign with the Nuggets last offseason, tweets Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports.
The 26-year-old could be a free agent again this summer if he declines his $6.8MM player option in search of a bigger payday, which seems likely. The Nuggets will be limited to offering him $7.8MM, as they only have his Non-Bird rights.
Here’s more on the Nuggets:
- Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link) hears the Nuggets are optimistic that Christian Braun will be able to step up as the sixth man if Brown leaves Denver in free agency, and the team is also bullish on Peyton Watson becoming a rotation player in 2023/24. Both Braun and Watson are finishing out their rookie seasons as Denver makes its first NBA Finals appearance.
- In a Q&A with Chris Hine of The Star Tribune, former Timberwolves head coach Ryan Saunders, who is now an assistant with the Nuggets, raved about Western Conference Finals MVP Nikola Jokic. “It’s unbelievable his work capacity,” Saunders said as part of a larger quote. “How hard he works every time he steps on the floor. His approach. His commitment. Just everything that he does is with winning in mind. Everything he does is with helping his teammates in mind. … You can’t help but fall in line in how he approaches it because any time he’s around in the building you want to work hard for him, and he wants to work hard for everyone else involved. He leads by example in so many ways.”
- After sweeping the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, the Nuggets have a lengthy wait until the Game 1 of the Finals, which starts June 1. While they keep a close eye on the Boston/Miami series, they plan to enjoy the extra rest without developing complacency, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. “We take the rest, yeah, but you don’t want to pick up bad habits throughout this week,” guard Jamal Murray said. “… We don’t want to relax and just wait.”
Nuggets Notes: Finals Appearance, Murray, Jokic
While the Nuggets were happy to beat the Lakers and earn a spot in the 2023 NBA Finals, the team remains in championship-or-bust mode, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic. According to head coach Michael Malone, his squad knows its work isn’t done and won’t be content until it wins four more games.
“To beat this team in the Western Conference Finals, and to get the first sweep in franchise history, it means a lot,” Malone said. “But I speak for 17 players in that locker room and then the entire organization. We are not satisfied. We’re going to enjoy it for a moment, and it’s going to be a hell of a plane ride home. But we have more work to do.”
Regardless of when the Eastern Conference Finals end, the NBA Finals won’t tip off until June 1, so the Nuggets still have a full week to rest up and prepare for their next opponent.
As they await the winner of the Heat/Celtics series, here’s more on the Nuggets:
- Nikola Jokic has earned most of the accolades for the Nuggets this postseason, including unanimous Western Conference Finals MVP honors, but Jamal Murray‘s historic shooting performance in the series vs. the Lakers was a major factor in Denver’s win, writes Law Murray of The Athletic. Murray, the Nuggets’ leading scorer in the series with 32.5 points per game on .527/.405/.950 shooting, joined Kevin Durant as the only players in NBA history to average 30+ PPG with 50/40/90 shooting splits in multiple playoff series — Murray also achieved the feat in the 2020 bubble vs. Utah.
- After moving from the ABA to the NBA in 1976, the Nuggets made the Western Conference Finals in 1978, then repeated that feat in 1985, 2009, and 2020, but never broke through to make the NBA Finals until now. This year’s playoff run has been a salve for 47 years of heartbreak, says Nick Kosmider of The Athletic.
- Within Kosmider’s story, Malone spoke about his first impressions of Jokic after the Nuggets selected the Serbian center 41st overall in the 2015 draft. According to Malone, he viewed Jokic as a “nice player” at the time, but not much more than that. “No one, and if they tell you any different they’re full of s—, could see that he’d be a two-time MVP, passing Wilt Chamberlain (in the record books) it seems like every other night,” Malone said. “It speaks to his dedication to his craft, getting in great shape and understanding that for him to fulfill his potential, he had to work harder.”
- Following the Lakers’ Game 4 loss, LeBron James said this Nuggets squad is the best team he has faced in any postseason series since he arrived in Los Angeles in 2018 (Twitter link via Jovan Buha of The Athletic).
Nikola Jokic Named MVP Of Western Conference Finals
Nuggets center Nikola Jokic was named the Most Valuable Player of the Western Conference Finals after Denver completed its four-game sweep of the Lakers on Monday, the NBA announced (via Twitter).
A panel of nine media members voted on the award and Jokic was the unanimous choice, receiving all nine votes (Twitter link).
The decision came as no surprise, given that Jokic continued his historic postseason run in four consecutive victories over the Lakers, registering triple-doubles in three of those four games and averaging 27.8 PPG, 14.5 RPG, and 11.8 APG on .506/.471/.778 shooting.
Over the course of 15 playoff games, including 12 Nuggets wins, Jokic has put up 29.9 PPG, 13.3 RPG, and 10.3 APG with a shooting line of .538/.474/.784.
Jokic is the second player to win the Magic Johnson Trophy as the Western Finals MVP, joining Warriors guard Stephen Curry, who earned the honor in 2022. The NBA introduced the award – along with the Larry Bird Trophy for the Eastern Finals MVP – during the 2022 playoffs.
Asked after Denver’s victory about winning the Western Finals MVP award after finishing as the runner-up to Joel Embiid in the regular season MVP voting, Jokic defended the Sixers center, whose team was eliminated in the second round. As Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN tweets, Jokic said Embiid had an incredible year and deserved MVP honors, adding that people who say Embiid didn’t deserve to win it are being “mean.”
Nuggets Notes: Murray, Strategy, Jokic, Porter
It was an ear infection that had Jamal Murray listed as questionable for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post. Murray contracted the infection on Saturday, but he was able to score 31 points Tuesday night as the Nuggets held off a late Lakers comeback.
Coach Michael Malone had Murray sit out practice leading up to the game so he could rest and try to recover. He watched film and reviewed the scouting reports, but he didn’t do anything physical until Tuesday’s tipoff.
“I sometimes marvel at the kid,” Malone said. “He showed up and performed like he always does.”
There’s more from Denver:
- The Nuggets focused on attacking D’Angelo Russell in Game 1, Singer adds in another Post story. Speaking after Wednesday’s film session, Bruce Brown described Russell as “not the best defender, but he tries.” The Lakers guard was a minus-25 for the game and played just nine minutes in the second half. “A guy that’s played really well for them was not on the floor in the fourth quarter, D’Angelo Russell,” Malone said. “And that to me is an interesting storyline. Are they going to play him? Are they not going to play him?”
- The Lakers had some success by using Rui Hachimura, a smaller defender, to guard Nikola Jokic in the second half Tuesday, but the Nuggets say other teams have tried the same tactic, including the Timberwolves in the first round, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “As a team, we’ve seen everything there is to see on how teams will try to guard Nikola,” Michael Porter Jr. said. “It might have surprised us for a little bit in that late second half, but looking at the film, I don’t think that that’ll be an issue for us. Next thing we know how to counter that when they put (Anthony Davis) off ball and AD is roaming a little bit, it opens up some stuff on the backside, so we just got to execute.”
- The Nuggets have benefited from Porter’s unselfish attitude during the playoffs, per Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports. During the second-round series against Phoenix, Porter told Malone that he wouldn’t object if Brown was used in his place to close out games, adding, “I just want to win.”