Jokic looks like a lumbering giant coming down the court, but appearances are definitely deceiving cause he really is so damn good.
NBA 2022-2023
- Thread starter charlton66
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Unbelievable performance from Heat but this series still looks Denver's to lose. 50% from 3, near perfect in 4th, Denver giving the ball up like it's they are on a donation drive and those absolute dumbass fouls and yet you only win by 3. Denver in 6.
Well this will be interesting. Unbelievable that Denver lost two 4th quarters like that... At home. I have concerns. I had huge confidence in Denver but MPJ is choking hard in these finals.
This will be some final...
This will be some final...
Steve Kerr with some interesting insights on Draymond's podcast about how Spoelstra adjusted to account for Jokic/Murray.
Also, that "Three more" shirt from Jimmy
Also, that "Three more" shirt from Jimmy
Heat in 6. They're just too good an overall team. It's ironic that throughout the playoffs people talked about how good Denver's overall team is with KCP, MPJ, Gordon and Brown, and that they've defeated teams with some great stars, that they will finally meet their downfall against a team that has a better supporting cast of players.
Heats supporting cast are just mentally stronger than Denver's and that will decide the series. Heat won't back down.
Heats supporting cast are just mentally stronger than Denver's and that will decide the series. Heat won't back down.
Well respect for the Heat. They played a superb game, and still won only by 3.
I still expect the Nuggets to win it 6.
I still expect the Nuggets to win it 6.
There is this thing called "effort". Less talented team can always put in more effort and that is what Miami has done. Their shooting in these playoffs are not a fluke anymore. When you shoot near 50% from the three with 30+ attempts... That is just demoralizing. Denver is definitely a more talented team basketball wise, however there are things like fight, grit and mental strength. I am not sure Denver has that part. They got dominated in the 4th last night and in the first game. That is a huge cause of concern.
So much overreaction in this thread. Denver will still win
I just saw Spoelstra harshly answer a question about Jokic. It's interesting to see how full of respects coaches and current players are for Jokic, they are almost protective.
Bring back Seattle please.
Kyrie supposedly tryna recruit LeBron to the Mavs 
Its not a reason why Denver lost but why NBA puts them self in such position with this specific ref, so fecking dumb, imagine if you swap Lakers with Heat, it would be a conspiracy fiesta, not to mention ref duties or w/e its called wasnt revealed until very last moment.
Has to be Seattle and Vegas, with New Orleans or Memphis moving to Eastern Conference.
Maybe outside chance for Kansas City, Louisville and Mexico City but very unlikely. Vancouver would be great but will probably not get it because of Grizzlies fiasco 30 years ago, and it's also quite close to Seattle which is my no. 1 favorite.
But Seattle and Vegas is almost 100% IMO.
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Kyrie supposedly tryna recruit LeBron to the Mavs
The guy reporting it is signed to LeBron's clutch agency. Not sure how the salaries would even work out. Kyrie would need to take a big paycut and Doncic would have to agree to have an aging ball dominant player brought in. I sincerely doubt there's anything to it.
Shown at about 200A that night as the NBA Finals were tape delayed way back yonder…
This topic is a predictive trainwreck or Miami have demi-god powers… cannot say yet.
It is starting to look more likely that Charlotte will pick Miller at 2, leaving us to pick Scoot at 3.
Now I think he’s a phenomenal talent that would probably go no. 1 in many of the recent drafts but his fit next to Dame and Sharpe, even disregarding Simons, is questionable to say the least. We should still take the best player available but I think it’s possible we will try to either trade down (eg to Magic who need a point guard) or trade out of the draft altogether but we may end up regretting that.
Now I think he’s a phenomenal talent that would probably go no. 1 in many of the recent drafts but his fit next to Dame and Sharpe, even disregarding Simons, is questionable to say the least. We should still take the best player available but I think it’s possible we will try to either trade down (eg to Magic who need a point guard) or trade out of the draft altogether but we may end up regretting that.
What I have always loved about the POs is the unexpected players performing out of their skin in games. This Braun rookie has been dominating
Jokic: 21 / 10 / 32
Murray: 10 / 10 / 34
What a duo.
Edit:
Jokic finals stats so far: 14/9/33
Disappointing. Dude clearly needs to step up his assists game.
Murray: 10 / 10 / 34
What a duo.
Edit:
nba.com said:
nba.com also said:
https://www.nba.com/news/nikola-jokic-30-20-10-nba-fiinals-historynba.com then went on and said:
Jokic finals stats so far: 14/9/33
Disappointing. Dude clearly needs to step up his assists game.
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Jokic is having one of the best playoff runs in nba history.
Nice win. Need MPJ to show up. Weird game. Felt close but at one point Denver had 20+ point lead.
Hard to believe part of the MVP narrative was questioning Jokic's post-season performances. Best player in the world at the moment.
Especially considering they gave it to Embiid, who's not exactly stepping up his game come playoff time.
Jokic is out of this world, no words really. And when Murray is having a great game the Nuggets are unbeatable.
Think this was the game where even the Heat realized that the Nuggets are too big, too strong and all together just too good to have a chance in this series. Maybe they can nick another one, but that's about it.
Think this was the game where even the Heat realized that the Nuggets are too big, too strong and all together just too good to have a chance in this series. Maybe they can nick another one, but that's about it.
Yep. Weird enough to include it in the discussion for a regular season award. But Jokic was already more proven than Embiid in the playoffs anyway. Now the gap is embarrassingly large.
Indeed. That 9 is pathetic. Do better, Jokic....
Bit different because Jokic was trying to win the award for the 3rd season in a row without any notable postseason success. Now that the Nuggets have gone on this run it seems obvious that he could deservedly be given 3 MVPs in a row but we can't be revisionist on these things: he was criticised previously for not getting it done in the PO (even though a lot of that criticism was unfair IMO) and the narrative became 'how can we keep giving this award to a guy who never takes his team anywhere in the PO? Embiid was trying to win it for the first time so it was a bit different re his similar PO failures
This is the problem with the MVP, so many things appear to affect the voting that really shouldn't: prevoous postseason success, how many times someone has won it before, whose 'turn' it is, etc. etc.
It doesn't mater because the PO is (/should be) totally irrelevant to the reg season MVP.
Two playoff bottlers - but one has won two before so let's just give it to the guy trying to win his first? Meh.
I agree it's a bit different, but the narratives are still way wide of the mark, and some of the voters should be penalized for shambolic decisions.
They bottled it, simple as. Voter fatigue with a touch of racism are the key contributors imho.
Voter fatigue has always been a thing though - as much as I loved him D-Rose had no business winning it over James when he did.
Opinions that Jokic was completely robbed are also over the top; Embiid had a strong regular season and there was little between them, both were worthy of winning it imo.
Opinions that Jokic was completely robbed are also over the top; Embiid had a strong regular season and there was little between them, both were worthy of winning it imo.
Not weird because it was more about stopping him from winning it 3 times in a row than anything else. I felt that Embiid missed way too many games to win it tbh
In which way was Jokic a PO bottler ?
Not my opinion - it was regarding the narrative.
Racism? Don't be daft
Fair points. Both Jordan and Lebron were victims of the 'we can't give it to the same guy every year' impulse. Also agree with your comments re Embiid and NJ.
MVP of a regular season imo lost a lot of its appeal, at least in my case. As much as I adore playoffs, the regular season has become an epitome of stat padding, officiating that calls and blows every wrong look to up those same numbers and it's all about pushing individual players/stats narrative where actual basketball that's been played is secondary. Byproduct being that people since day 1 discuss more about who will be MVP of the regular season than who is the best team. The whole narrative is built around it and it is boring as feck. Ironically, Jokic (along with Giannis and probably Steph) doesn't really give a feck about stat padding or that same reward (at least to the extent some other players do), which makes him even more appealing.
Jokic also rightly mocks that reward a bit because in the end and from collective point of view is, well, slightly futile if you have disappointing playoffs. It isn't meaningless of course because it adds to your whole legacy, but Jokic legacy will be largely built on what's happening at this point in time and rightly so. He should have won it for the 3rd time, yeah, but am sure he will be more than happy to take what's coming. It propels him straight into top 10 centers of all time company (he is already the best passing big man ever without a doubt) and even slightly knocking on the door of big 5 (Kareem, Wilt, Bill, Shaq, Hakeem) at the age of 28.
Don't want to jinx him, but hard to see the Nuggets losing this. And well, am still under the impression how outrageously good he's been playing in these playoffs.
Jokic also rightly mocks that reward a bit because in the end and from collective point of view is, well, slightly futile if you have disappointing playoffs. It isn't meaningless of course because it adds to your whole legacy, but Jokic legacy will be largely built on what's happening at this point in time and rightly so. He should have won it for the 3rd time, yeah, but am sure he will be more than happy to take what's coming. It propels him straight into top 10 centers of all time company (he is already the best passing big man ever without a doubt) and even slightly knocking on the door of big 5 (Kareem, Wilt, Bill, Shaq, Hakeem) at the age of 28.
Don't want to jinx him, but hard to see the Nuggets losing this. And well, am still under the impression how outrageously good he's been playing in these playoffs.
I believe it’s legit.
Please explain? Because he's white? Because he's Serbian? I don't get it.
MVP went to Embid for a right reason. Jokic and Denver coasted into the playoffs while Philly roared into it. I get it that now it makes more sense that Jokic is MVP but at that point in time it did not. Trust me guys, I'm probably bigger fan of Jokic than most of you here. Been following him since rookie season, went to NBA games to see him live, etc... Embid simply had a strong finish and Jokic did not. I do agree that winning consecutive MVP award requires some added spice. It is unwritten rule that was applied to many stars before Jokic. Black and white, big and small, loud and quiet, you get my point.
The award at the end does not matter that much and I think not winning MVP is helping Jokic mentally a lot. No extra pressure, no bullshit interviews. He is western final MVP and hopefully will be NBA finals MVP and hopefully he will be NBA champion. That is what matters far more than being MVP of a season where most games feel like exhibition.
The award at the end does not matter that much and I think not winning MVP is helping Jokic mentally a lot. No extra pressure, no bullshit interviews. He is western final MVP and hopefully will be NBA finals MVP and hopefully he will be NBA champion. That is what matters far more than being MVP of a season where most games feel like exhibition.
Because he's white and European, so he doesn't get the attention he deserves in the media, further boosting the voter fatigue.
Kendrick Perkins calling out that voting for him is racist (!), and basically saying that Dirk and Nash only won because of racism against black players(!).
It's a bit tongue in cheek from my side - but I do believe (white) European players don't get the praise/hype/attention they deserve.