Tag: Nuggets

Predicting the NBA Western Conference Finals

The Denver Nuggets have gone on a run for the ages. Can they continue it against the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals? Charles Curtis and Mike Sykes discuss

The Denver Nuggets have gone on a run for the ages. Can they continue it against the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals? Charles Curtis and Mike Sykes discuss

Patrick Beverley tried to call out Nikola Jokic for ‘flailing’ and NBA fans roasted him for it

Pot, meet kettle.

The NBA is great. Basketball is great. But flopping is one of the most annoying aspects about the game. It leads to so many excessive foul calls, which lead to reviews, which lead to super long games sometimes.

A lot of players do it, and you can’t really blame them because they’re rewarded for it. They absolutely should do it.

But what they should not do is call out other players for flopping when they’re doing it, too. That’s what Patrick Beverley tried to do after Monday night’s Clippers win over the Nuggets.

When talking about what it’s like to guard Nikola Jokic, he made sure to note the Nuggets center does a lot of “flailing” and putting pressure on the officials to make the right calls. He even compared him to Luka Doncic who, by the way, absolutely roasted Beverley in the first round.

“He presents the same thing Doncic presents…Luka presents. A lot of flailing. You know, puts a lot of pressure on the referees to make the right calls.” 

That’s hilarious coming from Beverley, who is absolutely known as one of the league’s most frequent floppers. NBA fans called him out on it.

Talk about the pot meeting the kettle. Sheesh. Nikola Jokic also had the perfect response to it all.

Fair point.

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See the epic finish to Jazz-Nuggets Game 7 in photos because it was just that good

What an epic moment.

Game 7 for the Jazz and the Nuggets didn’t play out exactly how we thought it would, but it was everything we wanted it to be at the same time.

We expected Jamal Murray and Donovan Mitchell to duke it out one last time, going for 40+ points each once again in a final high scoring showdown. Instead, we got a slow paced 80-78 finish with the true final battle coming from Nikola Jokic and Rudy Gobert in the paint.

It was still just as epic as Game 7’s usually are. It was undoubtedly a classic that came with an ending that made it even more unforgettable. If Mike Conley hits that shot? Man.

It was only a first round series, but those final moments deserve to be remembered in NBA history forever.

Here’s a look at the final sequence as it happened.

First, Mike Conley Jr. puts up the final shot. In real time, this looks good. But Jamal Murray got a good contest, somehow.

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

The shot is off. Now, here’s where the suspense comes in. This moment didn’t last for more than a few seconds, but the faces here say it felt like forever.

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) 

Here comes the agony.

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

More agony.

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

It stinks, but somebody had to lose. Is what it is. There’s always room for good sportsmanship, though. Jamal Murray goes straight to Donovan Mitchell after the buzzer to congratulate him on a fantastic series.

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

And they hug it out. What an awesome moment.

(Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)

If this is what Bubble ball is like? Sign me up for a few more rounds of this. What a series. What a performance. Hats off to both teams.

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Members of the Golden State Warriors react to the Nuggets vs. Jazz wild Game 7

Following the wild finish of game seven between the Jazz and the Nuggets, Eric Paschall and Juan Toscano-Anderson chimed in on Twitter.

On Tuesday, the Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz capped off one of the most entertaining series from the first round of the playoffs. Although Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the series, Jamal Murray helped push the Nuggets to force an improbable game seven.

With a back and forth contest in the second half, game seven between the Nuggets and the Jazz lived up to the hype. Despite Denver’s 14 point lead at halftime, a Utah comeback stretched the game to its final possession.

A smooth turnaround hook from Nikola Jokic gave Denver the lead with 27 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. The Jazz failed to convert two attempts at tying or winning the game, ending the contest and their season, 80-78.

During and after game seven, a trio of Golden State Warriors weighed in on the performances between the Jazz and Nuggets.

Eric Paschall had praise for the Jazz-Nuggets series. The Golden State rookie also paid respect to Utah point guard Donovan Mitchell.

Via @epaschall on Twitter:

 

Bay Area native Juan Toscano-Anderson shared a salute to game seven.

Via @juanonjuan10 on Twitter:

After appearing on the NBA on TNT, Draymond Green took his analyst skills to social media. The former Defensive Player of the Year tweeted some of his thoughts during game seven.

Via @Money23Green on Twitter:

 

With the Nuggets advancing, Murray and Jokic will look to take on Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and the Los Angeles Clippers. Round two of the Western Conference playoff series begins on Thursday at 6 P.M. PT.

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Eric Paschall reacts to Jazz’s Donovan Mitchell dropping 57 points in playoffs vs. Nuggets

While Donovan Mitchell was busy dropping 57 points in the playoffs against the Nuggets, Eric Paschall called the Jazz guard a “problem.”

Instead of suiting up for another run at the NBA Finals, the Golden State Warriors are at home. With the league’s worst record at 15-50, the Warriors’ chances at the postseason were decided before the schedule was put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Although the Warriors aren’t in the playoff picture, one Golden State rookie is tuning into the postseason action inside the NBA’s Orlando Bubble.

During the Denver Nuggets contest against the Utah Jazz in the opening round of the Western Conference playoffs, Eric Paschall chimed in on social media to support his childhood friend. While Donovan Mitchell was recording the most points scored in Jazz playoff history, Paschall called Utah’s point guard a “problem” on Twitter.

Via @epaschall on Twitter:

Prior to the postseason kicking off, Paschall shared a “throwback” photo over the weekend from his time as a teammate alongside Mitchell.

Mitchell finished the game with a new postseason career-high of 57 points on 19-of-33 shooting from the field. Along with his scorching scoring performance, the Louisville Cardinals product added nine rebounds, seven assists and a steal in 43 points. However, Mitchell’s career-high wasn’t enough.

Behind Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets were able to pace Mitchell and the Jazz for an overtime victory, 135-125.

Watch highlights from Mitchell’s historic scoring contest via YouTube:

Game two between the Jazz and Nuggets will tip-off on Wednesday at 1:00 P.M. PST.

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Broncos QB Drew Lock offers to come off the bench for Nuggets

Broncos quarterback Drew Lock says he’s willing to play for the Nuggets if they’re looking for more depth.

After the Nuggets shared a clip of coaches and players tossing a football on Twitter, Broncos quarterback Drew Lock responded by saying he’s willing to join the team if they’re looking for some three-pointers off the bench.

Lock is clearly a big basketball fan. He attended a Nuggets game and chatted with former quarterback Peyton Manning at the Pepsi Center in March.

In high school, Lock received offers to play college basketball from Oklahoma, Missouri and Wichita State. As a freshman at Lee’s Summit, he averaged 12.6 points per game with 1.3 assists per contest and 2.7 rebounds per game, according to MaxPreps.com.

Last December, Lock spoke to media members after a practice session about his fond memories of playing basketball in Missouri.

“You miss it a little bit,” Lock said. “I love the game of basketball. We had an Applebee’s right across from our school — half-priced appetizers after 9 [p.m.] — by the time you’re done playing your game, you and a couple of buddies that stayed after to wait for you to come out of the locker room and you go over there, get a little kiwi lemonade and go to town.”

Fortunately for the Broncos, Lock later transitioned his focus to football. If the Nuggets ever need a man off the bench, though, he’s ready to fill in.

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Denver Nuggets NBA Championship odds, picks and best bets

Assessing the betting odds and chances of the Denver Nuggets winning the Western Conference and the 2019-20 NBA Championship, with picks and best bets.

The Denver Nuggets were third in the Western Conference with a record of 43-22 when the 2019-20 NBA season was suspended. Below, we look at the BetMGM betting odds of the Nuggets winning the NBA Championship once play resumes with a 22-team format in Orlando, Fla., later this summer.

Denver Nuggets season recap

Denver was a game-and-a-half behind the Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference standings when regular-season play was halted on March. 10. An improved defensive team in 2019-20, the Nuggets had been scuffling a bit at that end of the court over the weeks leading up to the stoppage in play. Over their last 10 games, Denver went 5-5 straight up and 3-7 against the spread. Five of those seven ATS setbacks were by margins of nine or more points.

C Nikola Jokic was averaging a career-high 20.2 points per game and is part of a young group that got off to a quick start this season (10-2 over their first 12 games). Against the number, Denver was 13-16-3 on the road and 15-15-3 team at home. The Under is 35-30 (53.8%) in the team’s 65 games.

The Nuggets have been a 50-50 proposition against other top teams in the West. They are 8-8 over 16 games against teams better than .500 in their conference. They have shown a solid bounce-back ability, however, going 16-5 SU and 11-6-4 ATS after a loss.

Looking to place a bet on the NBA Championship? Get some action on it at BetMGM. Bet Now!

Denver Nuggets NBA Championship odds

Odds provided by BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Sunday, June 14 at 9:20 a.m. ET.

Denver is +2200 to win it all as the No. 6 favorite. That draws a NO on a play, but it also draws a watch-and-wait note. Something in the neighborhood of +2500 would have some value. The Nuggets have success in creating a slower tempo at the defensive end, and that plays well against a few of the top teams in the East.

Denver Nuggets Western Conference odds

The Nuggets are listed at +1200 to win the West. Any drift north on that price makes the conference title bid a worthy play.

Get some action on the NBA Championship by signing up and betting at BetMGM. If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com.

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Denver Nuggets at Cleveland Cavaliers odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s Denver Nuggets at Cleveland Cavaliers sports betting odds and lines, with NBA matchup analysis, picks and tips.

The Denver Nuggets (42-20) travel to meet the Cleveland Cavaliers (17-45) at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland at 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday. We analyze the Nuggets-Cavaliers sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.

Nuggets at Cavaliers: Key Injuries

Nuggets

  • C Bol Bol (foot) out
  • PF Noah Vonleh (ankle) questionable

Cavaliers

  • C Andre Drummond (calf) questionable
  • PG Dante Exum (ankle) out
  • PG Darius Garland (groin) out
  • SF Alfonzo McKinnie (foot) questionable
  • SG Kevin Porter Jr. (concussion) out
  • C Tristan Thompson (knee) questionable
  • SF Dean Wade (ankle) questionable
  • SG Dylan Windler (shin) out

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM.

Nuggets at Cavaliers: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 10:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Nuggets 116, Cavaliers 106

Moneyline (ML)

The Nuggets (-455) are heavy favorites, and they’re not likely to flame out against the lowly Cavaliers (+333). Still, you cannot lay nearly four times your potential return. AVOID.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Nuggets ML returns a profit of just $2.20 if they win. A $10 bet on the Cavaliers ML returns a profit of $33.30.

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The NUGGETS (-9.5, -106) have managed just two covers in the past eight outings, and they’re just 1-4 ATS in the past five against teams with a winning percentage under .400. However, they have bounced back nicely after non-covers, going 9-4 ATS in the past 13. Plus, the Cavaliers (+9.5, -115) are super banged up, and just 5-12-1 ATS in the past 18 games at home, while going 8-17-1 ATS in the past 26 against winning teams.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 218.5 (-110) is worth a small-unit play, but this one might actually be close to the number. The over is 4-1-1 in Denver’s past six overall, and a perfect 8-0 in their past eight as a road favorite. You can’t bet against that. The over is also 4-1 in Cleveland’s past five at home, and 5-2 in the past seven overall.

Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Steve Kerr on Dragan Bender’s future: ‘I would love to give him another 10-days’

Has Dragan Bender earned another 10-day contract with the Golden State Warriors?

During the final stretch of the season, the Golden State Warriors are using the bank end of their roster to experiment with players on 10-day contracts. With 20 games left, Golden State has already circulated through five different players on 10-day deals.

The highest-profile player to come to Golden State on a 10-day contract is 2016 lottery pick, Dragan Bender. The former Phoenix Suns fourth overall draft pick was waived as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2019-20 season, leading him to the Warriors.

In six games with Golden State, the 22-year-old big man averaged 7.5 points and 6.3 rebounds in 23.3 minutes per game. Bender started three games during his stint with the Warriors, but struggled to show off his long-distance shot. The Croatian shot 29.2% from 3-point land on 24 attempts in six games.

Although his time in Golden State was up and down, Bender saved his best performance in the final game of his 10-day contract. The center scored 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting with two makes coming from beyond the arc. Bender added five rebounds and two assists in Golden State’s comeback win against the Denver Nuggets.

Steve Kerr spoke to reporters in Denver about Bender’s future with the team. Golden State’s coach said he wants to keep Bender around for another 10-days if possible.

Via Anthony Slater of The Athletic:

I really like Dragan; I think he’s got a lot of potential. We’ll see what happens going forward. I would love to give him another 10 days if that’s possible. We’ll figure that out as an organization going forward. He’s got a lot of potential, obviously — the fourth pick in the draft, there’s a reason for that. I think he’s shown in the 10-days that if you give him a little confidence, you give him a chance to play and he can gain some confidence he can do a lot of good things out there. He’s helped us win two games in a season when we’ve not won a whole lot of games. He’s helped us win two of the last three and done a great job. He’s fighting; he’s competing. I really like him — I think he’s got a future in the league.

With injuries to Golden State’s frontcourt in Draymond Green, Kevon Looney and Alen Smailagic, the Warriors have a need for a presence like Bender. The Warriors will have only one day off with Bender’s contract expired before the Toronto Raptors come to San Francisco on Thursday night.

Andrew Wiggins and rookies drive Warriors to comeback win in Denver, 116-100

Andrew Wiggins records a double-double in a 15-point comeback win against the Denver Nuggets.

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The Warriors road trip to Denver started as a typical game for Golden State in the 2019-20 season. Golden State battled the Nuggets early to keep it close, but eventually, Denver’s talent overwhelmed the young Warriors squad.

Golden State fell down by 15-points against the playoff-bound Denver Nuggets, but a strong ending to the third quarter sprung the Warriors back into the game. The Warriors have struggled throughout the season to close games, yet in Denver, things were different. The Warriors outscored the Nuggets 34-19 in the fourth quarter to seal their comeback win, 116-100.

Golden State has registered wins in two of their last three games. With the defending champion Toronto Raptors coming to town next, the Warriors could get some help in the return of Stephen Curry from injury.

Andrew Wiggins

In Denver, Andrew Wiggins played one of his best games as a member of the Golden State Warriors. The former member of the Minnesota Timberwolves recorded a double-double with 22 points and 10 assists — the second time in his career, he’s tallied 20 points and 10 assists in the same game. Wiggins added five rebounds, a steal and a block.

Rookie Run

Two picks from Golden State’s 2019 draft class made a significant impact in the Warriors comeback effort in Denver. Second-round pick Eric Paschall filled the stat sheet with 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting, with five rebounds, five assists and a steal against the Nuggets.

Golden State’s first-round pick Jordan Poole continues his impressive play at point guard recording 15 points, six assists and three rebounds. Poole added four 3-pointers on six attempts from long distance.

Beyond the arc

Since the All-Star break, the Warriors have struggled from 3-point range, shooting only 26.3 % from deep. However, against the Nuggets, Golden State performed their best “Splash Brothers” impression. The Warriors shot 18-of-41 from beyond the arc, with the Nuggets only hitting three 3-pointers on 20 attempts.

10-day contract turned starter, Mychal Mulder led the Warriors from long distance, adding five 3-pointers on 10 shots. Five other members of the Warriors added two or more makes from deep.