May 10, 2025 • 19 mins
The Nuggets showcase their championship pedigree against the Oklahoma City Thunder in an intense playoff series, demonstrating their clutch mentality and toughness despite challenges. Through three games, Denver displays remarkable resilience and veteran composure against the talented but inexperienced Thunder team.
• Coming off a seven-game series, Nuggets steal Game 1 on the road with Aaron Gordon's game-winning three
• Game 2 sees OKC respond with a dominant blowout performance reminiscent of their regular season form
• Physical Game 3 features inconsistent officiating that appears to frustrate Jokić, who struggles with his shot
• Despite Jokić's rare off night (0-11 from three), Denver's supporting cast steps up in crucial moments
• Aaron Gordon emerges as series MVP, hitting clutch shots and providing necessary defensive intensity
• Michael Porter Jr. plays through significant shoulder pain, hitting key shots and contributing defensively
• Russell Westbrook provides veteran leadership, defensive energy, and quality minutes on a minimum contract
• Denver's mental toughness and playoff experience give them an edge over the talented but young Thunder
• Game heading to Game 4 with Denver up 2-1, putting pressure on Oklahoma City to respond
Join us next time as we continue following this exciting series between the defending champions and the hungry upstart Thunder.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
all right, everyone, welcome back to fandom from afar
.
We are three games into thenuggets first thunder series and
it has been incredible so far.
Uh, it is never boring.
I will say that.
Uh, it's quite stressful, butso fun, uh, I I was kind of
joking around that.
(00:25):
I think doctors are going tohave to start adding being a
Nuggets fan onto your healthforms they have to fill out.
They'll say, okay, do you smoke?
No, do you drink Occasionally?
Are you a Nuggets fan?
Yes, oh, okay, we'll have todeal with that, but I'm loving
it, even though I'm getting aheart attack every single night.
(00:47):
It's so fun.
The Nuggets are clutch, theNuggets are tough.
We're going to go into it alltoday and let's just start with
game.
One reason why the Nuggetsshould have won that game we
(01:08):
were coming off a seven-gameseries.
Oklahoma City had been sittingaround for eight days after an
easy series against Memphis.
They were rested, they were athome.
They were the team that won 68games in the regular season.
There was no reason why theyshould have lost.
Yet the find a way they alwaysdo.
Uh, the nuggets just kepthanging around the.
(01:29):
The lead was often 10 to 15 inthe early part of the game and
then the nuggets kept chippingaway, chipping away and so then
then the lead started hangingout around five to ten and then
all of a sudden it was a 1-3point lead.
You could just see it happening.
It was almost like a slowmotion car crash for OKC.
(01:50):
They're a young team.
They have not been in a ton ofhigh pressure situations this
season Because they're so goodthey blow people out, as we'll
see in Game 2.
But in Game 1, everything wentright for the Nuggets.
At the end.
They were making their freethrows, they were making clutch
(02:12):
shots.
Okc was hitting shots as well,but some of their decisions as
far as fouling the Nuggets whenOKC was up three just some of
their— they made an unusualchallenge.
It all went the Nuggets way,obviously leading to a victory,
but it was just very interestingto see those decisions play out
(02:35):
in real time and everythingthat the Nuggets needed to do
they did.
This will be the theme of thepodcast.
The Nuggets are clutch and theydo not crack under the pressure
, and obviously it all endedwith that Aaron Gordon
game-winning three.
And just to be honest, this iswhy sports are so great.
(02:57):
I was up late watching thatgame by myself and the family
will often make fun of mebecause no matter how big the
situation or how cool the playis, I'll give kind of like a
silent little fist pump.
I'm not a big jump out of yourseat and celebrate type guy, but
when AG hit that three, I didjump off the couch and it was
(03:20):
late.
Everybody was in bed so I did asilent scream.
I was so pumped up and it'sjust so fun to get that rush of
energy when something unexpectedand wonderful happens, and
that's part of the reason whysports are great.
I've also noticed during theplayoffs it brings people
together.
(03:40):
My buddies will text me atmidnight or 1230 in the morning
after something crazy happensfor the Nuggets, because they
know I'm awake and watching itand it's just fun to talk about
it.
Or they'll check the highlightsearly in the morning and get so
excited for me and I'll havetexts waiting for me when I wake
up and so it's fun to be a partof the sports community.
(04:03):
I've had so much fun duringthis playoff run but just little
moments like that AG shot arejust so fun and make all kind of
like the sluggishness of theregular season worth it when
you're that invested in a teamand you get that jolt of energy
to jump off the couch eventhough I'm an old man and I
normally do my silent fist pumps.
(04:25):
But AG has been so amazing thiswhole playoff run.
We'll talk about him more forgame three, but he has just been
unbelievable and I just lovehim so, so much.
Game two we will not spend toomuch time on it was, truthfully
it was a typical Thunder game.
(04:45):
They were fighting for theirlife and for the Nuggets game
one and once things got out ofhand the Nuggets just totally
let go of the rope and it gotugly quick.
Okc is fantastic when they kindof get that momentum going,
(05:16):
especially in front of theirhome crowd, and they will put it
on you.
They had a ton of blowoutvictories this year and game two
was just kind of a showcase ofwhat they could do.
They were on fire, they weremoving the ball so well.
They obviously are an extremelytalented team and they just
dominated the Nuggets in everyway.
(05:37):
It was ugly, but Nuggets wonGame 1 by 2 points.
The Thunder won Game 2 by amillion points, but they both
count as one victory and so wewere 1-1 going home to Denver
Game three.
You knew it was going to be abattle.
(05:58):
Both teams, they want thatadvantage because if you're up
2-1, then it is a huge advantageover the other team because the
other team now has to win threeout of four moving forward.
So the pressure's on forwhoever loses this game.
And it was a physical, physicalgame for both teams.
The physicality I don't mind.
(06:21):
I want playoff basketball to bephysical.
I've joked before it's almostlike a different sport when you
get into the playoffs.
But the physicality is solopsided to where they let the
big guys just the perimeter andeverything's a foul, and so it's
(06:46):
very frustrating to watch someguys just get so beat up and
then some guys get every calland so obviously if a game is
called like that, it favors theThunder because they have a lot
of perimeter guys and our staris Jokic, and so it would just
nice to be, it would be nice tobe a little bit more consistent
(07:09):
with the physicality.
I don't want the physicality togo away, because that would be
so boring to watch just a bunchof people get fouls and
everybody shoot free throws.
But I do think the physicalityand the lack of calls is getting
in Jokic's head, and I'm notblaming Jokic because it is kind
of ridiculous, but at the sametime it is what it is and it's
(07:33):
been this way the entire playoffseries, and so it must be a
focus for the referees to letthe big guys wrestle down there.
But I think what's frustratingJokic is the other NBA teams
have found that you can put asmall guy on Jokic and he's
allowed to be even more physicalbecause of the height and
weight disadvantage, and sowe've seen it in the past with
(07:55):
other teams putting small guyson Jokic, but in this series
it's Caruso, it's Dort, it'sanybody.
They're even lettingHartenstein and Chet be physical
as much as Chet can be physical.
He's pretty, pretty skinny.
But I think it is gettingJokic's head and he's so focused
on not getting these calls thathe's missing shots that he just
(08:18):
never misses.
Before In game three he missedjust a layup.
It was a wide open layup and Ithink he was almost surprised
about how wide open it was, buthe's missing floaters.
In game three he missed 11,three pointers.
He went over 11, which is notlike him.
He's become one of the bestthree-point shooters in the game
(08:40):
.
So I think it is in his headand I do think Jokic needs to
fight through that as much asyou can.
I can't imagine how annoying itwould be to get beat up like
that and try and play basketball, but he truthfully had a
terrible game.
Game three was a terrible Jokicgame and we don't say that very
often, but his stats end uplooking okay, like 20.16
(09:03):
rebounds, six assists.
Would be a career highlight formost guys if they did that in
the playoff, but it was a trulyterrible game for yokich.
He just he wasn't making apositive impact like he normally
does, even though the numberslook pretty good.
But it's amazing that thenuggets got the w in the
(09:23):
terrible yokich game and it's itjust goes to show youuggets
have that championship pedigree.
They've been through battlesbefore as a team.
They are the veterans that arenot going to get tight in those
big moments.
They have that mindset and so,as much as the inconsistencies
(09:45):
during the regular season and inthe playoffs, for guys like
Michael Porter Jr or JamalMurray especially, it's almost
worth it when they come throughin these big moments like this,
because it means so much more inplayoff games.
And so the Nuggets just have it.
Whatever you want to define itas is.
(10:07):
Toughness is the rightmentality.
It is with the N in this, inthis series, and so, um, I have
to give mpj a shout out.
His shoulder is obviously justhurting him so bad and I've
heard it also creates pain inhis neck and his back, and so
he's had games where he lookslike he can't even move.
(10:28):
But then there's games likelast night, when he hit just
tough shot after tough shot andhe even dove on the floor for a
rebound at the end of the game,which was a huge play, and he
talked after the game that he'strying not to get these pain
shots in his shoulder for everysingle game, and so you can kind
of see the games where hedoesn't get them he can barely
(10:50):
move.
And then games like last night,to see the games where he
doesn't get them, he can barelymove.
And then games like last night,he got the shot and and looked
like mpj again, and so I'm surethat's not good for your
shoulder to get those shots andhe is fighting through it and
giving it all for his team, andso I just I appreciate him so
much for what he's doing.
Um, those three pointers thathe was hitting at the beginning
of the game, kept us in it whileOKC was kind of off to one of
(11:12):
their hot starts.
And he's been huge.
I love the core.
I love what they've brought tothis franchise and MPJ is a big
part of it.
Russ was awesome again lastnight.
Russ brings energy every singlenight, hits big shots.
He's one of our best defenders,which he's not been known for
(11:32):
throughout his career, but he'skind of he's seen the need and
he kind of settles in and heputs up a good fight against all
the OKC guards.
And so Russ was awesome lastnight.
He has been a mentor to PeytonWatson and Peyton's come in and
given us good minutes throughoutthe series, hitting big shots.
And I hope Peyton continues togrow as the playoffs go on and
(11:56):
that'll build momentum for nextyear so he can be an even bigger
part of the team next year.
But Russ, so great.
Like I said, minimum contractveteran guy could not be more
happy with what Russ hasprovided Christian Brown.
It was an up and down game forChristian.
He was missing shots early.
He was getting blown by when hewas trying to guard the OKC
(12:20):
guards, whether it was JalenWilliams or SGA, but once it
came to clutch time.
Christian really shut them downand whether it was that they
were tired or the moment was toobig for them, christian was a
part of that because his defensewas solid at the end and
Christian's just a.
He's a winning player.
You can't say more like that'swhat you want in a team for your
(12:43):
fourth or fifth option andyou're starting lineup as
winning players that make theright plays, that never give up.
And Christian is the definitionof a winning player.
Uh, like I said, jamal murrayfrustratingly inconsistent, but
comes up big when you need himto.
He was obviously exhausted,like I think everyone on the
(13:04):
court was exhausted by the endof the game.
It was one of those just whereeveryone could not stand.
When there was a dead ball,everyone had their hands on
their knees and was just gaspingfor air.
But Jamal Murray finds a way tomake an impact when it's times
like that.
He hit a couple big shots.
(13:26):
He was actually playing reallygood defense as well, and, again
, it's frustrating to watchMurray during the regular season
, but when stuff like thishappens and he comes up huge,
you just got to love Jamal.
He's a big time player, but theplayer that has been the MVP
(13:47):
for us this series and justincredible in every way is Aaron
Gordon so amazing.
His three-pointer is just sopure.
Right now I feel so confidentwhen he shoots a three-pointer
that I just know what's going in.
And the fact that you can do itat the beginning game or at the
end of the game when the gameis on the line, it's really
(14:09):
pretty amazing.
I have a bunch of Magic fans inmy life and a couple of them
don't like it, because aarongordon has grown into the player
that they were hoping he wouldbe for the magic and I try and
just show them what anincredible presence he is on the
team we call mr nugget becausehe does everything that's needed
.
If, if it's a game where heneeds to just be the muscle that
(14:33):
gets all the rebounds, he'll dothat.
If it's a game where he needsto hit these game-winning
three-pointers, he'll do that.
He has great passing.
He plays great defense, he doeseverything we need and it's
been incredible to watch hisgrowth.
He used to really struggle withhis outside shot, but also with
free throws, but now I don'teven question it.
(14:56):
It's almost guaranteed thathe's going to make free throws.
He's put so much work into hisgame to make his weaknesses
strengths and it's just, it'sjust so fun to watch him have
the series, the playoff run andthe career that he's having,
because this is what you hopefor guys.
(15:17):
Guys come in as high lotterypicks.
Maybe they think they're goingto be like the next LeBron James
and he finds a role and settlesinto a team that is the perfect
fit for him and people havebeen comparing him perfect fit
for him.
And people have been comparinghim.
He's maybe like the next RobertOri, who just does everything
that a team needs to win achampionship, and who knows how
(15:38):
many championships he's going toend when his career is all said
and done.
But I hope it's multiple and Ihope they all come with the
nuggets because he is just soperfect.
He's what you want a member ofyour favorite team to be and, as
you can tell, I just love himso, so perfect.
He's what you want a member ofyour favorite team to be and, as
you can tell, I just love himso, so much.
So, of course, I haven't reallytalked about the outcome.
(15:58):
The Nuggets did win in overtime, because of course, they go to
overtime, because they cannothelp but find the hardest path
possible, but they come out ontop.
They're tough, they're clutch,they are a playoff basketball
team and I think game four is onSunday.
(16:18):
So it's a quick turnaround andthe pressure is on OKC right now
and, with the mental toughnessthat the Nuggets have shown, if
OKC gets off to a slow start orthe Nuggets are on fire, I think
that pressure is just going tobuild and build on OKC, because
they were the ones that had thehistoric season.
They've been being told allseason how they are the team to
(16:39):
beat.
They are a dynasty in waitingand I think they are incredibly
talented.
But you have to get thisexperience talented, but you
have to get this experience.
It's very rare for a young teamjust to all of a sudden move to
the top of the hill and be thebest team in the NBA, and so, no
matter how this series turnsout, I think the Nuggets have
(17:02):
shown that the firing of CoachMalone and Calvin Booth was the
right move, even if it wasshocking at the time to come
three games before the seasonwas over.
I wish they would have done itearlier, just to see how this
team has grown in a short periodof time, just to have that
weight lifted off their shoulderbecause it was obviously a
toxic environment.
(17:22):
But they are growing.
They seem to be getting betterand figuring out how to become a
better team every game and I'mhoping they can keep it going.
But if OKC does kind of turnthis around and win the series,
I think this core has shown thatthey have value.
They have what it takes to wina championship.
(17:45):
We just need to add some depthpieces around them so that they
won't be so exhausted at the endof the regular season or they
can play a few more playersduring the playoffs so they can
have more energy towards the endof the game.
But man, what they have now isfun to watch and you never know,
we have a chance to pull offone of the biggest upsets that
(18:08):
we've seen recently.
One of the biggest upsets thatwe've seen recently.
So let's finish this off with afew predictions.
I finished the Clippers seriespretty much dead on with my
predictions, so might as welldouble down and see if I can do
it again.
So predictions for game fourLike I said, that's on Sunday.
It's a quick turnaround, butagain, okc is fighting for their
(18:29):
life.
So I think OKC is actuallygoing to win that game four in
Denver.
Go back to OKC for game five.
I think OKC is going to winthat one as well.
So it will be three to two.
Okc heading back to Denver forgame six.
Nuggets will take game six.
I think home court will be abig advantage.
(18:50):
Like I said, nuggets will befighting for their life at that
point and so of course it willgo to game seven.
The Nuggets have played moreseven game series than anyone
and we will continue that path.
The DNVR guys joke that we'rejust going to go seven games
every single series and win thechampionship and have a first
ever 16 and 12 playoff record.
(19:10):
So if that happens I won't mindit a bit, but Nuggets will win
in game seven.
Nuggets advanced the WesternConference finals and who knows
what's going to happen afterthat, because if we can beat OKC
, we can beat anybody.
So I am so happy right now.
This team shows their heart.
They are fun to watch and youcan't ask for anything more as a
(19:32):
Nuggets fan.
All right, everybody, enjoy thenext couple games.
We will be back soon to updatehow the series has gone.
Thank you for listening.
all right, everyone, welcome back to fandom from afar
.
We are three games into thenuggets first thunder series and
it has been incredible so far.
Uh, it is never boring.
I will say that.
Uh, it's quite stressful, butso fun, uh, I I was kind of
joking around that.
(00:25):
I think doctors are going tohave to start adding being a
Nuggets fan onto your healthforms they have to fill out.
They'll say, okay, do you smoke?
No, do you drink Occasionally?
Are you a Nuggets fan?
Yes, oh, okay, we'll have todeal with that, but I'm loving
it, even though I'm getting aheart attack every single night.
(00:47):
It's so fun.
The Nuggets are clutch, theNuggets are tough.
We're going to go into it alltoday and let's just start with
game.
One reason why the Nuggetsshould have won that game we
(01:08):
were coming off a seven-gameseries.
Oklahoma City had been sittingaround for eight days after an
easy series against Memphis.
They were rested, they were athome.
They were the team that won 68games in the regular season.
There was no reason why theyshould have lost.
Yet the find a way they alwaysdo.
Uh, the nuggets just kepthanging around the.
(01:29):
The lead was often 10 to 15 inthe early part of the game and
then the nuggets kept chippingaway, chipping away and so then
then the lead started hangingout around five to ten and then
all of a sudden it was a 1-3point lead.
You could just see it happening.
It was almost like a slowmotion car crash for OKC.
(01:50):
They're a young team.
They have not been in a ton ofhigh pressure situations this
season Because they're so goodthey blow people out, as we'll
see in Game 2.
But in Game 1, everything wentright for the Nuggets.
At the end.
They were making their freethrows, they were making clutch
(02:12):
shots.
Okc was hitting shots as well,but some of their decisions as
far as fouling the Nuggets whenOKC was up three just some of
their— they made an unusualchallenge.
It all went the Nuggets way,obviously leading to a victory,
but it was just very interestingto see those decisions play out
(02:35):
in real time and everythingthat the Nuggets needed to do
they did.
This will be the theme of thepodcast.
The Nuggets are clutch and theydo not crack under the pressure
, and obviously it all endedwith that Aaron Gordon
game-winning three.
And just to be honest, this iswhy sports are so great.
(02:57):
I was up late watching thatgame by myself and the family
will often make fun of mebecause no matter how big the
situation or how cool the playis, I'll give kind of like a
silent little fist pump.
I'm not a big jump out of yourseat and celebrate type guy, but
when AG hit that three, I didjump off the couch and it was
(03:20):
late.
Everybody was in bed so I did asilent scream.
I was so pumped up and it'sjust so fun to get that rush of
energy when something unexpectedand wonderful happens, and
that's part of the reason whysports are great.
I've also noticed during theplayoffs it brings people
together.
(03:40):
My buddies will text me atmidnight or 1230 in the morning
after something crazy happensfor the Nuggets, because they
know I'm awake and watching itand it's just fun to talk about
it.
Or they'll check the highlightsearly in the morning and get so
excited for me and I'll havetexts waiting for me when I wake
up and so it's fun to be a partof the sports community.
(04:03):
I've had so much fun duringthis playoff run but just little
moments like that AG shot arejust so fun and make all kind of
like the sluggishness of theregular season worth it when
you're that invested in a teamand you get that jolt of energy
to jump off the couch eventhough I'm an old man and I
normally do my silent fist pumps.
(04:25):
But AG has been so amazing thiswhole playoff run.
We'll talk about him more forgame three, but he has just been
unbelievable and I just lovehim so, so much.
Game two we will not spend toomuch time on it was, truthfully
it was a typical Thunder game.
(04:45):
They were fighting for theirlife and for the Nuggets game
one and once things got out ofhand the Nuggets just totally
let go of the rope and it gotugly quick.
Okc is fantastic when they kindof get that momentum going,
(05:16):
especially in front of theirhome crowd, and they will put it
on you.
They had a ton of blowoutvictories this year and game two
was just kind of a showcase ofwhat they could do.
They were on fire, they weremoving the ball so well.
They obviously are an extremelytalented team and they just
dominated the Nuggets in everyway.
(05:37):
It was ugly, but Nuggets wonGame 1 by 2 points.
The Thunder won Game 2 by amillion points, but they both
count as one victory and so wewere 1-1 going home to Denver
Game three.
You knew it was going to be abattle.
(05:58):
Both teams, they want thatadvantage because if you're up
2-1, then it is a huge advantageover the other team because the
other team now has to win threeout of four moving forward.
So the pressure's on forwhoever loses this game.
And it was a physical, physicalgame for both teams.
The physicality I don't mind.
(06:21):
I want playoff basketball to bephysical.
I've joked before it's almostlike a different sport when you
get into the playoffs.
But the physicality is solopsided to where they let the
big guys just the perimeter andeverything's a foul, and so it's
(06:46):
very frustrating to watch someguys just get so beat up and
then some guys get every calland so obviously if a game is
called like that, it favors theThunder because they have a lot
of perimeter guys and our staris Jokic, and so it would just
nice to be, it would be nice tobe a little bit more consistent
(07:09):
with the physicality.
I don't want the physicality togo away, because that would be
so boring to watch just a bunchof people get fouls and
everybody shoot free throws.
But I do think the physicalityand the lack of calls is getting
in Jokic's head, and I'm notblaming Jokic because it is kind
of ridiculous, but at the sametime it is what it is and it's
(07:33):
been this way the entire playoffseries, and so it must be a
focus for the referees to letthe big guys wrestle down there.
But I think what's frustratingJokic is the other NBA teams
have found that you can put asmall guy on Jokic and he's
allowed to be even more physicalbecause of the height and
weight disadvantage, and sowe've seen it in the past with
(07:55):
other teams putting small guyson Jokic, but in this series
it's Caruso, it's Dort, it'sanybody.
They're even lettingHartenstein and Chet be physical
as much as Chet can be physical.
He's pretty, pretty skinny.
But I think it is gettingJokic's head and he's so focused
on not getting these calls thathe's missing shots that he just
(08:18):
never misses.
Before In game three he missedjust a layup.
It was a wide open layup and Ithink he was almost surprised
about how wide open it was, buthe's missing floaters.
In game three he missed 11,three pointers.
He went over 11, which is notlike him.
He's become one of the bestthree-point shooters in the game
(08:40):
.
So I think it is in his headand I do think Jokic needs to
fight through that as much asyou can.
I can't imagine how annoying itwould be to get beat up like
that and try and play basketball, but he truthfully had a
terrible game.
Game three was a terrible Jokicgame and we don't say that very
often, but his stats end uplooking okay, like 20.16
(09:03):
rebounds, six assists.
Would be a career highlight formost guys if they did that in
the playoff, but it was a trulyterrible game for yokich.
He just he wasn't making apositive impact like he normally
does, even though the numberslook pretty good.
But it's amazing that thenuggets got the w in the
(09:23):
terrible yokich game and it's itjust goes to show youuggets
have that championship pedigree.
They've been through battlesbefore as a team.
They are the veterans that arenot going to get tight in those
big moments.
They have that mindset and so,as much as the inconsistencies
(09:45):
during the regular season and inthe playoffs, for guys like
Michael Porter Jr or JamalMurray especially, it's almost
worth it when they come throughin these big moments like this,
because it means so much more inplayoff games.
And so the Nuggets just have it.
Whatever you want to define itas is.
(10:07):
Toughness is the rightmentality.
It is with the N in this, inthis series, and so, um, I have
to give mpj a shout out.
His shoulder is obviously justhurting him so bad and I've
heard it also creates pain inhis neck and his back, and so
he's had games where he lookslike he can't even move.
(10:28):
But then there's games likelast night, when he hit just
tough shot after tough shot andhe even dove on the floor for a
rebound at the end of the game,which was a huge play, and he
talked after the game that he'strying not to get these pain
shots in his shoulder for everysingle game, and so you can kind
of see the games where hedoesn't get them he can barely
(10:50):
move.
And then games like last night,to see the games where he
doesn't get them, he can barelymove.
And then games like last night,he got the shot and and looked
like mpj again, and so I'm surethat's not good for your
shoulder to get those shots andhe is fighting through it and
giving it all for his team, andso I just I appreciate him so
much for what he's doing.
Um, those three pointers thathe was hitting at the beginning
of the game, kept us in it whileOKC was kind of off to one of
(11:12):
their hot starts.
And he's been huge.
I love the core.
I love what they've brought tothis franchise and MPJ is a big
part of it.
Russ was awesome again lastnight.
Russ brings energy every singlenight, hits big shots.
He's one of our best defenders,which he's not been known for
(11:32):
throughout his career, but he'skind of he's seen the need and
he kind of settles in and heputs up a good fight against all
the OKC guards.
And so Russ was awesome lastnight.
He has been a mentor to PeytonWatson and Peyton's come in and
given us good minutes throughoutthe series, hitting big shots.
And I hope Peyton continues togrow as the playoffs go on and
(11:56):
that'll build momentum for nextyear so he can be an even bigger
part of the team next year.
But Russ, so great.
Like I said, minimum contractveteran guy could not be more
happy with what Russ hasprovided Christian Brown.
It was an up and down game forChristian.
He was missing shots early.
He was getting blown by when hewas trying to guard the OKC
(12:20):
guards, whether it was JalenWilliams or SGA, but once it
came to clutch time.
Christian really shut them downand whether it was that they
were tired or the moment was toobig for them, christian was a
part of that because his defensewas solid at the end and
Christian's just a.
He's a winning player.
You can't say more like that'swhat you want in a team for your
(12:43):
fourth or fifth option andyou're starting lineup as
winning players that make theright plays, that never give up.
And Christian is the definitionof a winning player.
Uh, like I said, jamal murrayfrustratingly inconsistent, but
comes up big when you need himto.
He was obviously exhausted,like I think everyone on the
(13:04):
court was exhausted by the endof the game.
It was one of those just whereeveryone could not stand.
When there was a dead ball,everyone had their hands on
their knees and was just gaspingfor air.
But Jamal Murray finds a way tomake an impact when it's times
like that.
He hit a couple big shots.
(13:26):
He was actually playing reallygood defense as well, and, again
, it's frustrating to watchMurray during the regular season
, but when stuff like thishappens and he comes up huge,
you just got to love Jamal.
He's a big time player, but theplayer that has been the MVP
(13:47):
for us this series and justincredible in every way is Aaron
Gordon so amazing.
His three-pointer is just sopure.
Right now I feel so confidentwhen he shoots a three-pointer
that I just know what's going in.
And the fact that you can do itat the beginning game or at the
end of the game when the gameis on the line, it's really
(14:09):
pretty amazing.
I have a bunch of Magic fans inmy life and a couple of them
don't like it, because aarongordon has grown into the player
that they were hoping he wouldbe for the magic and I try and
just show them what anincredible presence he is on the
team we call mr nugget becausehe does everything that's needed
.
If, if it's a game where heneeds to just be the muscle that
(14:33):
gets all the rebounds, he'll dothat.
If it's a game where he needsto hit these game-winning
three-pointers, he'll do that.
He has great passing.
He plays great defense, he doeseverything we need and it's
been incredible to watch hisgrowth.
He used to really struggle withhis outside shot, but also with
free throws, but now I don'teven question it.
(14:56):
It's almost guaranteed thathe's going to make free throws.
He's put so much work into hisgame to make his weaknesses
strengths and it's just, it'sjust so fun to watch him have
the series, the playoff run andthe career that he's having,
because this is what you hopefor guys.
(15:17):
Guys come in as high lotterypicks.
Maybe they think they're goingto be like the next LeBron James
and he finds a role and settlesinto a team that is the perfect
fit for him and people havebeen comparing him perfect fit
for him.
And people have been comparinghim.
He's maybe like the next RobertOri, who just does everything
that a team needs to win achampionship, and who knows how
(15:38):
many championships he's going toend when his career is all said
and done.
But I hope it's multiple and Ihope they all come with the
nuggets because he is just soperfect.
He's what you want a member ofyour favorite team to be and, as
you can tell, I just love himso, so perfect.
He's what you want a member ofyour favorite team to be and, as
you can tell, I just love himso, so much.
So, of course, I haven't reallytalked about the outcome.
(15:58):
The Nuggets did win in overtime, because of course, they go to
overtime, because they cannothelp but find the hardest path
possible, but they come out ontop.
They're tough, they're clutch,they are a playoff basketball
team and I think game four is onSunday.
(16:18):
So it's a quick turnaround andthe pressure is on OKC right now
and, with the mental toughnessthat the Nuggets have shown, if
OKC gets off to a slow start orthe Nuggets are on fire, I think
that pressure is just going tobuild and build on OKC, because
they were the ones that had thehistoric season.
They've been being told allseason how they are the team to
(16:39):
beat.
They are a dynasty in waitingand I think they are incredibly
talented.
But you have to get thisexperience talented, but you
have to get this experience.
It's very rare for a young teamjust to all of a sudden move to
the top of the hill and be thebest team in the NBA, and so, no
matter how this series turnsout, I think the Nuggets have
(17:02):
shown that the firing of CoachMalone and Calvin Booth was the
right move, even if it wasshocking at the time to come
three games before the seasonwas over.
I wish they would have done itearlier, just to see how this
team has grown in a short periodof time, just to have that
weight lifted off their shoulderbecause it was obviously a
toxic environment.
(17:22):
But they are growing.
They seem to be getting betterand figuring out how to become a
better team every game and I'mhoping they can keep it going.
But if OKC does kind of turnthis around and win the series,
I think this core has shown thatthey have value.
They have what it takes to wina championship.
(17:45):
We just need to add some depthpieces around them so that they
won't be so exhausted at the endof the regular season or they
can play a few more playersduring the playoffs so they can
have more energy towards the endof the game.
But man, what they have now isfun to watch and you never know,
we have a chance to pull offone of the biggest upsets that
(18:08):
we've seen recently.
One of the biggest upsets thatwe've seen recently.
So let's finish this off with afew predictions.
I finished the Clippers seriespretty much dead on with my
predictions, so might as welldouble down and see if I can do
it again.
So predictions for game fourLike I said, that's on Sunday.
It's a quick turnaround, butagain, okc is fighting for their
(18:29):
life.
So I think OKC is actuallygoing to win that game four in
Denver.
Go back to OKC for game five.
I think OKC is going to winthat one as well.
So it will be three to two.
Okc heading back to Denver forgame six.
Nuggets will take game six.
I think home court will be abig advantage.
(18:50):
Like I said, nuggets will befighting for their life at that
point and so of course it willgo to game seven.
The Nuggets have played moreseven game series than anyone
and we will continue that path.
The DNVR guys joke that we'rejust going to go seven games
every single series and win thechampionship and have a first
ever 16 and 12 playoff record.
(19:10):
So if that happens I won't mindit a bit, but Nuggets will win
in game seven.
Nuggets advanced the WesternConference finals and who knows
what's going to happen afterthat, because if we can beat OKC
, we can beat anybody.
So I am so happy right now.
This team shows their heart.
They are fun to watch and youcan't ask for anything more as a
(19:32):
Nuggets fan.
All right, everybody, enjoy thenext couple games.
We will be back soon to updatehow the series has gone.
Thank you for listening.
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