It’s one thing to lose two games of a series on the road. It’s another to be slammed by 17 and 25-point defeats and just say and think, “We have to win two at home.”
Denver head coach Mike Malone said this after Game 2’s 123-98 drubbing at Phoenix. “I felt we quit tonight, which is something you never want to see,”. Malone continued “This was an embarrassing performance from myself all the way through the last player,” Malone said emphatically.
Friday, June 11, 2021 – 7:35 PM EDT at Ball Arena
Most coaches wouldn’t have the courage to do this (Boston’s Brad Stevens comes to mind), but Malone did. The thinking behind this has to be a calculated risk to ensure a laser-focused effort for Game 3, looking for a fast start.
Top sportsbooks like Bovada (visit our Bovada Review) have made Denver a 1.5-point home favorite. Will the Nuggets respond to beating the NBA odds for backers or do the Suns go up 3-0 and this series is all but concluded?
Coach Monty Williams has been preaching since the first get-together after Game 2 that Denver is going to come at them like some of the characters on “The Blacklist” TV show. The Nuggets crowd will be in full throat and the Joker and his gang will have their pupils dilated ready for battle.
In these types of situations, the visitor has to prepare for two waves. One is at the start of the contest and usually at some juncture of the third quarter when the opponent makes several shots in a row. How does Phoenix combat this?
Often, the best way is balanced scoring. If the Suns are moving the ball, that is their best method to untangle a defense, freeing up shooters for good views at the basket and they maintain their poise and launch a natural shot.
On defense, the Suns deploy very sound principles which is why they were Top 11 in defensive field goal percentage and defensive efficiency in the regular season. Denver will come right at Phoenix and how they react will help determine the outcome.
In today’s sports world, being disrespected is as a hurtful thing that can happen to a player or a team. Though the Nuggets’ players might not agree with their coach’s assessment of their Game 2 effort, they know and understand what occurred.
Suns fans and players were having a rollicking time at their expense and Malone’s words had to sting.
Attitude will be a big part of Denver’s rebuttal. The Nuggets have been too casual in advancing the ball after Phoenix makes or misses and has to apply more pressure on them earlier in the shot clock.
Every first or second pass has to be into the Nuggets frontcourt and whoever catches the orange has to think aggressively to dribble to the basket or intent on finding an open shooter. Don’t let the Suns get comfortable on defense where they feel they are controlling the tempo.
Defensively, forget the 2 OT win against Portland in which they allowed 140 points, in the other seven playoff matches, Denver is permitting 117.4 PPG. That’s way too many points no matter how good your offense.
The Nuggets need to show mental toughness and defensive purpose to take the first step towards making this a series.
For NBA picks, does Denver have what it takes? We’ll say “yes”, figuring the return of Will Barton will have a greater impact in his second contest back. In addition, Michael Porter Jr. and Monte Morris could hardly have played any worse in the land of tall cactus (11-for-43 combined).
Malone needs more scoring going towards the basket so expect similar tactics as they used against Portland in Game 3, to get Porter and Aaron Gordon involved in the paint with Jokic handling the ball, which opens up deeper shooting lanes later in the contest.
The Nuggets are 14-4 ATS after two or more consecutive losses and force a longer series.
NBA Picks: Nuggets -1.5 points (-110) at Bovada (visit our Bovada Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.