Can the Denver Nuggets, who have advanced to the playoffs for five consecutive seasons, achieve a glorious milestone in the ‘Yokichi Era’? so far it’s smooth
Denver, led by coach Michael Malone, played the 2022-2023 American Professional Basketball (NBA) Phoenix Suns at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, USA on the 30th (Korean time), the 2nd round of the playoffs (4 out of 7), 125- 107 and took the first win in the series. After winning the No. 1 seed as the leader of the Western Conference this season, Denver, which came up after defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1 in the first round of the playoffs, dreams of winning its first championship in club history.
It was a ‘garbage game’. Denver’s pillar, Nikola Jokic, posted 24 points and 19 rebounds, and the somewhat poor success rate of assisted passes and field goals was completely compensated by Jeomal Head with 34 points and 9 assists, including 6 3 points. Denver extended the score to 8 points without a head with Jokic at the beginning of the 2nd quarter, and ran away after a one-two punch returned to the court, completing a 25-point lead within 5 minutes of the 4th quarter, forcing all Phoenix players to the bench. did크크크벳
Phoenix’s ace did not live up to its name. Kevin Durant, who was brought in last winter in exchange for the club’s future, scored 29 points and 14 rebounds, but recorded 7 turnovers and lost the team’s pursuit power. Devin Booker, who scored an average of 37.2 points (second overall) in the first round of the playoffs, struggled with 27 points, but it was not enough. Phoenix’s ‘volleyball basketball’, which is highly dependent on the starting player, collapsed in front of Denver’s organizational power.
Durant and Booker played an average of 43 minutes over the previous five rounds. Of the 15 top scorers in the playoffs, only two players averaged more than 40 minutes per game. Due to the nature of short matches followed by high-intensity matches, physical problems can be a hindrance. On the other hand, it was a perfect start for Denver. I remember meeting Phoenix at the same spot two seasons ago and ending the postseason with a humiliating 0-4 ‘sweep’ loss. Now is the ‘time for revenge’.
With Jokic, Denver has made the playoffs every year since 2019 and is knocking on the floor. Denver has never even made it to the finals since being incorporated into the NBA in 1976. The ‘Mile High City’ (Denver’s nickname), which aspires to reach the top, will continue its second match in the home on the 2nd.