When Denver beat Utah in Game 1 in overtime everybody and their Uncle LeRoy and cousin Man-Man thought that it was going be an outstanding series. No one could have imagined just how outstanding it would be.
The Jazz caught fire winning the next three games sending the Nuggets to what most experts and casual fans thought was an easy series win for Utah. Denver’s Jamal Murray was just getting started though. Ole boy went NUTS scoring 142 points in a three game swing 50, 42 and 50 giving them life and confidence.
Game 7 however, was a defensive battle where only the strong would survive and when the smoke finally cleared Denver was walking out of the joint with an 80-78 win to advance to the semifinals. OUTSTANDING series only because Denver showed the intestinal fortitude to get it done.
They didn’t give up after being down 3-1. They became only the 12th team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the playoffs and win the series. For a minute it looked as if they were about to completely wet the bed blowing a 19-point lead in the third quarter.
Utah showed some fire power storming back in the third quarter taking a 68-65 lead putting boyz on notice that they weren’t about to just lay down and die. No sir!!!
Nuggets coach Michael Malone had this to say afterwards, “A lot of teams would have just given in, especially when you consider we’ve been here 57 days away from our families.” They held on to the knot at the end the rope and continued to battle.
Neither Utah nor Denver was going to allow Jamal Murray or Donovan Mitchell to beat them in Game 7. The defensive games for each team was ridiculous keeping the two hottest players in the series in check. So someone else had to drive the hoopties on Tuesday night.
In the end it was Nikola Jokic for the Nuggets dropping 30 points and 14 rebounds on a boy to lead the way in a low scoring battle to advance to meet the Clippers. Murray was held to a mere 17 points as he went 1 of 6 from downtown.
Rudy Gobert did work for the Jazz finishing with 19 points and 18 rebounds but it wasn’t enough. Mitchell only managed 22 points.
Denver’s confidence should be through the roof right now coming back from a 3-1 deficit. Now it’s time to holler at the big boyz from LA in the Western Conference Semifinals. It should be interesting. Stop me when I start lyin’!