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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And not only did they win, they dominated \u2014 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nikola Joki\u0107 had an outstanding 13\/14 for two-point shots, but his shooting from distance didn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It seems that the poor shooting was the result of fatigue from the game with the Lakers. Joki\u0107 created chances for others, but they kept missing. He tried himself and couldn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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 Joki\u0107\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The New York Knicks also deserve praise. Mike Brown decided on a tactic allowing Nikola Joki\u0107 to shoot and score, while shutting down the others. It turned out to be a good decision, while on the other side the visitors\u2019 offense also functioned excellently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n