
Who is going to step up though? Can Okogie, Warren, Shamet, and Ross hit their threes? Can Payne have a sliver of off the dribble efficiency? If Phoenix doesn’t get other contributions, then they are in dire straits.Davis injured, but LeBron leads Lakers past Denver 126-108 That’s absurd and a completely unsustainable offensive formula. Suns Supporting Castīooker and Durant have scored 63.8% of Phoenix’s points this series, and Ayton is the only other player who has scored 20+ total points. Although Murray has the skill to hit these shots, restraining himself and maintaining his off-ball usage would behoove the Nuggets. Denver is at their best when they emphasize ball movement and keep shots distributed. He had 29 FGA in Game 3, which was ten more than the next highest. It leads to poor shot selection late in games and him playing on-ball more. When Murray heats up in the 1st quarter, he expects his shooting to hold for the entire game. Which teams will win the game-determining matchups? Jamal Murray Restraint

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Lakers vs nuggets how to#
The Nuggets are a well-oiled machine, while the Suns are still figuring out how to play off one another. Phoenix badly needs Chris Paul in the lineup as a tablesetter, so his absence is huge for Denver.įinally, the chemistry difference is creating a huge shot quality gap. Only Booker, Durant, and Payne can create their own shot off the dribble, and Payne’s questionable shooting means he’s not reliable. Meanwhile, the Suns simply don’t have the firepower to compete with the Nuggets outside of nuclear explosions like Booker’s Game 3. Therefore, Denver owns a massive offensive advantage here because they can rack up second chance points. The problem for Ayton is a puzzling passive approach to the game and a tendency to give up on plays where he’s out of position. He’s a hyper-athletic 7’0” physical freak, so the tools are there. It’s understandable that he’s struggling to limit Jokic’s scoring, but Ayton’s complete inability to slow Jokic’s rebounding and put-backs is inexcusable.

They needed Devin Booker to score 47 points on 20/25 shooting, Kevin Durant to rack up 16 FTA, Jamal Murray to take 29 FGA, and the Nuggets to shoot 4/22 on open and wide open 3PA just for a close seven-point win.ĭeandre Ayton appeared unplayable as he scored 4 points and was effectively benched late for Jock Landale. Prediction: Nuggets Moneyline & Nuggets -4.5 Alternate Spread (+176 FD)Īlthough the Suns won Game 3, it wasn’t that encouraging for future success. Suns predictions, odds, trends, and starting lineups. Can Phoenix tie the series?Ĭheck out below for Nuggets vs. Chris Paul missed Game 3 with a groin injury, and he’s also out for Game 4 as well.
Lakers vs nuggets series#
The Denver Nuggets (2-1) look to take a commanding series lead against the Phoenix Suns (1-2) on Sunday night.
