Playing high-level games day after day is difficult, almost impossible. Especially against very quality opponents. After the triumph over the Los Angeles Lakers, the Denver Nuggets hosted the New York Knicks.
And not only did they win, they dominated — 142:103. It can be said that the Knicks took a stroll through Colorado, barely even breaking a sweat, while bringing one of the title contenders to its knees.
Nikola Jokić had an outstanding 13/14 for two-point shots, but his shooting from distance didn’t go well, nor did that of the entire team. The Nuggets shot three-pointers 8/40, while the Knicks on the other side made 16 of 34. Generally, when the shot is not falling in the modern NBA, victory is essentially unimaginable, especially when the opponent scores twice as many.
It seems that the poor shooting was the result of fatigue from the game with the Lakers. Jokić created chances for others, but they kept missing. He tried himself and couldn’t change the outcome, so the Nuggets were already defeated by the end of the third quarter, and David Adelman had no more tricks left, sending the third lineup onto the court, which only worsened the impression.
The Knicks only increased the lead, all the way to a maximum of +40. Perhaps that is not so bad from a playoff perspective, because now everyone knows that Adelman simply cannot rely on the players from the third lineup.
The most important thing after this defeat is to see what is happening with Jamal Murray. The Canadian played 18 minutes in the first half and scored 12 points, but he awkwardly stepped on Nikola Jokić’s foot and injured his ankle. He did not return to the court, and he will probably undergo scans, while everyone certainly hopes that the Canadian guard will not be absent for long, since the playoffs are just around the corner.
The New York Knicks also deserve praise. Mike Brown decided on a tactic allowing Nikola Jokić to shoot and score, while shutting down the others. It turned out to be a good decision, while on the other side the visitors’ offense also functioned excellently.
OG Anunoby scored 34 points, Josh Hart added 18, Karl-Anthony Towns had 17 with 13 rebounds, Mitchell Robinson had 13, Landry Shamet 10, and Jalen Brunson only nine points but an incredible 15 assists.
Besides Jokić and Murray, Daron Holmes stood out for Denver with 11 points, Cameron Johnson scored 10, while Bruce Brown and Christian Braun had seven each. It should also be noted that Aaron Gordon returned to the court after a break, but he is out of form, scoring only three points in 21 minutes.
The Nuggets are now 39–25 and will remain fifth in the West, while the Knicks are third in the East with 41 wins and 23 losses.
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Source: Mozzartsport, Foto:Instagram/Nuggets