Nuggets Grind Out Game Five Win, Clinch Franchise's First Title
In a game during which most of the players seemed to be trudging through mud while hurling bricks at the hoop, Nikola Jokic carved out a masterpiece--28 points on 12-16 field goal shooting, 16 rebounds, and four assists--while leading the Denver Nuggets to a 94-89 win over the Miami Heat that clinched a 4-1 NBA Finals victory and the first championship in the franchise's 56 year history dating back to the ABA's first season (1967-68). Jokic won the NBA Finals MVP after averaging 30.2 ppg, 14.0 rpg, and 7.2 apg versus the Heat while shooting .583 from the field (including .421 from three point range) and .838 from the free throw line. Remember when the "experts" said that the Nuggets cannot win a game when Jokic "only" has four assists? Remember when the L.A. Lakers thought that they had "found something" by having Rui Hachimura guard Jokic? Hachimura versus Jokic was not a defensive scheme; that was unintentional comedy. Borrowing a line that then-Houston Coach Del Harris said about Julius Erving after Erving torched his Rockets, Hachimura could not have stopped Jokic with a hockey stick--but neither could anyone else: Jokic is the first player to lead the playoffs in scoring (600 points, 30.0 ppg), rebounding (269 rebounds, 13.5 rpg), and assists (190 assists, 9.5 apg), and he is the first player to log 10 triple doubles in one postseason. LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and Joel Embiid participated in the 2023 playoffs, but Jokic left no doubt that he is the league's best player while outplaying James and Durant head to head as the Nuggets swept past the Lakers and blotted out the Suns en route to winning the championship.
As Jokic would be the first to emphasize, though, Denver's triumph was a team victory and not just a one man show. Michael Porter Jr. continued to struggle with his shooting (7-17 in game five), but he contributed 16 points and 13 rebounds. Jamal Murray shot poorly (6-15) and had six turnovers, but the Nuggets needed every one of his 14 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (11 points) and Bruce Brown (10 points) scored in double figures in a game in which each point was precious and hard-earned. Collectively, the Nuggets' defense, rebounding, and timely paint scoring wore down the Heat.
Jokic and Murray are the first duo in playoff history featuring players who each averaged at least 25 ppg, at least 5 rpg, and at least 5 apg. They are the third highest scoring playoff duo to win a title (56.1 ppg), trailing only Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal (59.8 ppg for the 2001 Lakers), and Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry (56.6 ppg for the 2017 Warriors).
No starter for either team other than Jokic made half of his field goal attempts in game five. Jimmy Butler scored a team-high 21 points, but he shot just 5-18 from the field. Bam Adebayo did as much as he could--finishing with 20 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 9-20 from the field--but Jokic's size and skill overwhelmed him by the end of the game: in the second half with the game up for grabs, Adebayo had two points on 1-7 field goal shooting while snaring just three rebounds as Jokic dominated with 19 points on 8-10 field goal shooting with eight rebounds.
The Heat led 51-44 at halftime, but that small margin should have provided little comfort for the Heat: the Nuggets missed many open shots--including 1-15 (.067) three point field goal shooting--and the Heat could not pull away. The Nuggets won the third quarter 26-20 as Jokic scored nine points and the Nuggets outscored the Heat 14-10 in the paint; unlike "analytically correct" teams, the Nuggets did not keep bricking three pointers and then say after a loss "We missed shots we normally make." No, the Nuggets exploited their size advantage to find a way to win as opposed to coming up with excuses to explain why they lost.
"This is absolute mayhem right now," ABC analyst Van Gundy declared early in the
fourth quarter with Denver clinging to a 79-76 lead. Van Gundy noted
that there are "bodies strewn all over the floor" as both teams ramped
up their defensive intensity. The game was ugly in terms of missed shots, but it was also beautiful in terms of two teams playing very hard.
The Nuggets outscored the Heat 24-18 in the fourth quarter--including 12-4 in the paint--and they seemed to be taking control after Jokic scored in the paint to give them an 83-76 lead with 4:43 remaining, but the resilient Heat had one more run left: Butler hit back to back three pointers, and then he made all three free throws after Aaron Gordon's groin fouled his foot (according to the referees, who made a bizarre call that was upheld even after a coach's challenge). The teams traded baskets until Bruce Brown's putback at the 1:31 mark put the Nuggets up for good. The Heat could have tried to extend the game by going for a quick two pointer but instead--as far too many teams do now--they went for an all or nothing three pointer that Butler missed. Some players and teams act as if the three point line is a fence around the paint instead of an option that can be utilized judiciously.
Other than Jokic, the Nuggets struggled to make shots all night long, but they outscored the Heat 60-44 in the paint and outrebounded the Heat 57-44. The Nuggets shot 5-28 (.179) from three point range, but they clinched their first championship because they attacked the paint on offense while playing excellent defense and completing their defensive possessions with rebounds. Yes, in the "pace and space" era the championship formula still includes paint scoring, defense, and rebounding.
Don't expect the "experts" to understand what they witnessed, or to be persuaded by the evidence. Amin Elhassan of Sirius XM NBA Radio recently declared that defense is overrated, a sentiment that is not surprising coming from someone who (1) worked as a scout for a team (Phoenix Suns) that did not play much defense and therefore never reached the NBA Finals despite being stocked with talented players, and who (2) no longer works as a scout but instead is paid to bash Russell Westbrook and denigrate Bob Cousy (which is not to suggest that every single thing Elhassan says is idiotic--at times he provides cogent basketball analysis--but it is to suggest that he spouts more nonsense than one would expect to be uttered by someone who brags about being an NBA "insider").
Shooting is important, and it is obvious that if no one makes a shot then a game would end in a 0-0 tie--but defense is based on effort and game plan discipline, so you can depend on defense to keep you in the game long enough so that one or two timely shots will decide the outcome.
The Nuggets proved to be the better team led by the best player, but both teams deserve praise and respect for their maturity, intelligence, and toughness. Asked what stuck out about the game's frantic final minutes, Butler--who scored 13 fourth quarter points as the Heat made their last stand--did not praise himself or complain that he needs more help. He said simply, "I turned the ball over." Then, given an opportunity to use an ankle injury that he suffered two rounds ago as an excuse, Butler stated flatly that his ankle is fine, that the Nuggets beat the Heat, and that there are no excuses. Butler does not have Pantheon-level talent, and he may never lead a team to an NBA title, but if I were an NBA player I'd go to battle with him any day: he's tough, he works hard, he gives effort at both ends of the court, and he's confident in his abilities but he makes no excuses when his team loses. I look at the teams that did not keep him around--most notably Minnesota and Philadelphia--and seriously question if organizations that do not value a player like Butler can win a championship as presently constructed.
The 2023 NBA Finals were a treat because we saw two professional teams conduct themselves in a professional manner. There were no histrionics, no cheap shots, no excuses, and no dudes acting like every bump or bruise may be a fatal blow to their health requiring pampering and "load management."
It all culminated with the best basketball player in the world winning his first NBA title and then stating, "The job is done and we can go home now." Jokid did not beg for respect. His play earned respect, and that was more than enough for him.
Labels: Bam Adebayo, Denver Nuggets, Jamal Murray, Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat, Nikola Jokic
posted by David Friedman @ 3:01 AM
