In the NBA Playoffs, the Warriors turn the clock back
Golden State Warriors’ 126-106 win over Denver Nuggets demonstrates their dominance in the Western Conference Finals. The team’s other star players have also been great, including Jalen Green and Draymond Green. Draymond Green has averaged just over 14 points per game, while Klay Thompson is thriving in the playoffs. In the most recent meeting, Curry had a double-double in Game 2. His three triples averaged over 25 points. (In the NBA Playoffs, the Warriors turn the clock back)
Golden State Warriors beat Denver Nuggets 126-106
The Golden State Warriors defeated the Denver Nuggets 126-106 on Monday night at Chase Center. Stephen Curry led the way with 34 points and 12 of 17 shooting from the field. The Golden State bench provided the Warriors with the necessary scoring punch to win the game. And it showed as the Warriors scored 70 points in just over 19 minutes. This was a game worthy of a dynasty.
Credits: NBA
The Nuggets have lost Jamal Murray to a torn ACL for the entire season, but he may play in Game 3 or the final game on Sunday. The Warriors’ defense has been solid all season, limiting Denver to fewer than 100 points per game. Even though Jokic scored 26 points in Game 2, he was minus-26. The Warriors’ three bigs combined for 84 points, and Andrew Wiggins and Nemanja Bjelica both added ten.
The Warriors are up 2-0 in this series, and they’re working toward their NBA title aspirations. While Denver’s reigning league MVP can only do so much to slow the Golden State Warriors, their other big stars are Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry, and Jordan Poole. All three are a solid options at guard. And while the Nuggets have a great offense, they just don’t have the defense to handle their perimeter threats.
Jalen Green has been brilliant in NBA Playoffs
During the regular season, Houston Rockets rookie Jalen Green was openly criticized by Bill Simmons. He was criticized for his team’s record and his lack of production. In the playoffs, however, Green has exploded. Green averaged 17 points per game, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists on 43 percent shooting from the field. Considering he is only 19, Green has had an incredible postseason.
Against the Kings, Green is getting anything he wants with a crafty handle and multiple options. He often books it to the rim and then pulls up for a mid-range jumper. He’s also a versatile scorer and is effective off the ball, as well. The Rockets have a young backcourt, and Green thrives in this environment. His versatility makes him an absolute must-see for any NBA fan.
Credits: The SportsRush
Green’s explosiveness has been one of his best traits. He’s bouncing around the rim in high school was legendary. His standstill burst with the ball allows him to break the first line of defense. But Green’s scoring ability is not limited to those moves; he’s also proving that he understands that deceleration is just as important as acceleration. His patience on the pick-and-roll has also been impressive.
While Green has been brilliant in the NBA Playoffs, he might not have a great season in Houston. They could finish with the worst record in the league, but at least Houston will have a good chance at winning the championship. If Green is healthy, they will likely have a top-four pick in the draft. However, the Rockets’ record will determine whether they will advance to the Playoffs.
Jalen Brunson has been brilliant on the defensive end
Jordan Brunson has been fantastic on the defensive end in the NBA Playoff Series, but his shooting needs improvement. Brunson shot only 52.7 percent from the field, but his pick-and-roll efficiency is high. He shot one-of-seven threes and made 13 of 20 free throws. But his biggest problem was not being able to convert to his favorite looks. While Brunson has become increasingly adept at attacking the basket, he struggled in the post and on forced isolation shots. He looked more comfortable in a traditional pick-and-roll against bigs.
Credits: The Smoking Cuban
The Dallas Mavericks have not yet signed Brunson for next season. Brunson has been a great backup for star Luka Doncic, and he has done a great job of easing the ball-handling responsibilities off his fellow rookie. He can play both with and without the ball, which gives his team a much-needed balance. The Mavericks have a higher scoring output with Brunson on the floor, and he ranks in the top 85 percent of all NBA players when he’s available.
The Dallas Mavericks are struggling to win games in the playoffs. Their star player Luka Doncic is looking mortal, and Kristaps Porzingis has battled injuries. But a bright spot is Dallas’ Jalen Brunson, who has played brilliantly on the defensive end. Brunson has become the team’s second-best player and represents the best hope of an internal transformation.
Jordan Poole is a mainstay
Although Steph Curry is a more obvious starter, Jordan Poole has emerged as a mainstay for the Warriors during the postseason. The late first-round pick from Michigan has already scored 86 points in three games, which is more than his teammate Donovan Mitchell has. Along with Jalen Bronson and Donovan Mitchell, Poole has sunk 13 3-pointers and shot 66.6% from the field against the Suns. Now the Warriors are more than just Curry’s backup, and they need this extra man.
Despite his lack of size and athleticism, the 6-foot-10 swingman has been an integral part of the Warriors’ offense this postseason. Although his scoring average has dipped, he is still a key cog in the offense. The Warriors’ offense is a huge boost from a point guard, and Poole’s presence on the court should help keep the Warriors in the playoffs.
Credit: Yard Barker
The Warriors have been blessed with an excellent bench for the entire postseason. Poole has consistently led the team, and his leadership is vital both in the short and long term. For example, in Game 4, Poole led the team while Klay only made five out of 21 shots. He led during the fourth quarter when Andrew Wiggins was just 6 for 16 with four turnovers.
Klay Thompson’s absence
Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors are preparing for the NBA Playoffs despite the absence of Klay Thompson. The Warriors are trying to avoid another rematch after missing the playoffs in the last two years. Klay Thompson has eased Steph Curry’s scoring load this season. Despite not being at his best on defense, he exploded for 33 points against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. In the NBA Playoffs, the Warriors are hoping to extend their winning streak to four games. Whether Klay Thompson will play against the Spurs or the Warriors is another question for now.
Credit: Hoops Habit
Curry credited Klay Thompson with pushing him toward becoming the NBA’s all-time leader in three-point field goals. Steph Curry had reached this feat against the New York Knicks in December, while Klay Thompson was training with the Warriors-G League team in Santa Cruz. Without Thompson, Steph Curry was forced to make a lot more three-pointers than he had last season.
While Klay Thompson is one of the most popular players in the NBA, his injury didn’t seem to change the Warriors’ draft strategy. The Warriors selected James Wiseman in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. The Warriors had their eyes set on Steph Curry and Klay Thompson returning to their full form. If they didn’t have Klay, the Warriors would have needed a big man to fill the gap.
Curry’s late-game heroics
In a tense game against the Boston Celtics, Stephen Curry once again proved his ability to make clutch shots. The Warriors had already defeated the Celtics in the regular season, but their late-game heroics put the game in the Warriors’ favor. Curry’s heroics were all the more remarkable considering the fact that he had a terrible shooting performance against the Celtics two months prior. On this night, Curry was the star. After a stifling defensive effort in the first half, Curry made eight of his last nine free-throw attempts to seal the victory.
Even though the Warriors had to play without Klay Thompson in Game 5, their late-game dominance was still enough to lift them to victory. Thompson had played just 12 minutes in Game 3 because of a hamstring injury. Thompson’s absence means that the Warriors’ bench has been getting mauled by the Toronto backups. Curry’s late-game heroics in Game 5 have made the Warriors’ playoffs run a smoother sail.
The Warriors’ late-game heroics have given the team a 2-0 series lead. The Blazers had played a strong game for the first half, hitting 18 threes and shooting 46 percent from the field. But they were unable to finish the game because the Warriors went on their patented third-quarter run. And that was all thanks to Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.
