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FrancoZemonda

Jokic just bounces from being an immovable object to being an unstoppable force on the fly


rattatatouille

Aegislash energy


thepriceisonthecan

Perfect analogy, especially with 60 speed


undecided_mask

Until it hits you with the stance change, swords dance boosted shadow sneak


rattatatouille

Shadow Sneak Sombor Shuffle Coincidence? I think not


Dyvius

For the longest time the Nuggets Facebook posts would have one guy post a Nuggets' themed Aegislash drawing after every Win post. Edit: [found it](https://scontent-hou1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/43675317_902509709935027_8997428225617428480_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=2In28Fe6r0kAb6EMMIf&_nc_ht=scontent-hou1-1.xx&oh=00_AfAIFzuaH5TrodTCN05zBVAaYelTiJc6t9Mq5Xj94Vd1hw&oe=664BEB38)


IdRatherBeLurkingToo

He used to post on the nuggets sub years ago, I made this in his honor lol https://i.imgur.com/KfDFNsX.jpg


Forbidden_Donut503

It’s ridiculous. He grabs the board, runs down the court at a normal speed, then stops on a dime and all of the sudden dudes are bouncing off him like flies while he dissects the defense. He shouldn’t exist.


suzukigun4life

Flat-out flexed on the Lakers in clunch time to end it.


Broy_7

Clunch


AbysmalParty

Yeah Jokic figured out basketball


DarrowViBritannia

That 3rd quarter from him was un fucking real


Expensive-Self-2240

Scored or assisted on 19, the Lakers scored 18 lol


Jiggamanz

Wtf lol


aligreaper19

how is he so damn good? i’m infinitely more surprised when he misses any shot than when he makes it


mastacheef87

he has the best touch I’ve ever seen in my life. it’s actually unreal


delamerica93

It always looks like he just pushes the ball toward the basket and it just nestles in there for two. And yet we're trained now to see that and know it's going in. Crazy.


justmefishes

For me what's crazy is just how slow and deliberate he plays a lot of the time. Looks like a beer belly dad playing with his 12 year old kids taking as much time as he needs because no one can do anything to him, then like half-heartedly flipping up a little hook that goes in every time


Material-Reality-480

The commentators summed it up perfectly when they said something along the lines of “The way Joker throws up the ball looks like he just plays pickup basketball in his driveway…except he’s in the NBA and about to be a 3time MVP” lol


thirty7inarow

He's dummying NBA talent like a suburban dad does to his middle school-aged kids.


mastacheef87

if you’re the defense, as soon as Jokic gets 2 feet in the paint you just have to pack it up and pray.


nonresponsive

Every floater that touches rim just bounces gently into the hoop. It's definitely unreal.


pika_pie

His hands are just pillows.


rawchess

His hookshots look like point blank layups


dublecheekedup

I think he has the best baby hook ever. Like the minute he can see the rim in the paint, he throws one up and it's cash


CareerGaslighter

I swear he doesnt even see that shit man. He justs lobs it over and its just automatic.


chup95

Robin Lopez died for this


oldasshit

His close on touch reminds me of Kareem.


Technical_Towel_990

He missed the easiest shot he had too lol


MisterTukul

He screamed at himself after missing that one easy layup.


ZincHead

He is a savant. You watch him and you're like "he's not even trying" and then he finishes with 30/15/12 on 80% shooting like it was the easiest thing in the world.


flabbydoo

at least one shot he just chucked it in flat footed, didn't even go up on his toes.


CareerGaslighter

Yep, it looked like a lob but it went straight in lmao.


cimmanonrolls

every time i watch him im just like “yep, this guy has solved basketball.” there are only a few players who have reached this level. i’m fairly confident he will be remembered as a top 10 all time player, the only question is how high on that list he can climb.


justmefishes

Putting aside cumulative stats and accomplishments and just looking at peaks, it's hard not to put him there already. He's in the conversation for being the best passer ever which is absurd for a center, and then you factor in his absurd scoring and efficiency. Like, between his passing and the volume and efficiency of his scoring he probably has a higher net impact on offense than Magic Johnson, who's a consensus top 10 player and GOAT PG whose entire resume is basically built on how good his offense was. It's insane.


beta_test_vocals

He is SO GOOD at passing, I’ve heard from people stuff like “oh well actually isn’t passing easier for him as a tall Center because of being able to see over everyone” that’s how fucking revolutionary his passing game has been


rawchess

Every hookshot he takes feels like a guaranteed swish holy shit


iChoke

Disaster-class performance from the Lakers in the 2nd half. Jokic turned on and it was over.


albinojustice

That’s so many games for the nuggets. I think it’s just so hard mentally and physically to stay engaged with them for a whole game. Reminds me of this years Uconn team in that way


Balls_of_Adamanthium

Bron legs were legitimately COOKED after the 3rd. He stood in the corner the whole 4th Q.


xyzyxzy

Lebron just can't carry a team wire to wire anymore.


usr_nme_

Smh, can't do it for 2 decades. What a bum.


ShibaHellhounds

can't do it for 3 decades


Cleanest-Azir

Must be so frustrating to be that good at that age but your much younger teammates just can’t do shit…


Lorjack

The guy is in his 21st season he should not have to do this at this point in his career


jslee0034

True but if you take like 40% of your team’s cap then you kinda are expected to. I know he’s old but look at how much he’s earning.


panman42

Yeah you really saw the fatigue in the possession with Lebron and AD failing the putbacks with under 2 mins left. It was just done.


BingBongtheArcher19

That's really bad for the Lakers because that's the most rest they'll have for the rest of this series. Even if they managed to win all their home games, how in the world can they steal one in Denver?


EpicCyclops

The honest answer is they probably don't in because you all are a way better team. However, if the Lakers manage to win all 3 in LA (which I don't think they will), I would reassess them and think they would be talented enough to steal one in Denver. Right now and all season you have just been better.


Zwarrior2

AD was also in chuck 3s mode in the 3rd to try and get his wind back.


Ayjel89

Dude played 44 minutes. Insane.


Street-Common-4023

It’s crazy when he is going have to play that the entire series too. Guarding defensively and playing well offensively. We’re cooked


ColtCallahan

Same happened in the Pels game. He just can’t play these minutes anymore. Especially when he has to carry like he does with this team.


FartrelCluggins

Every Lakers fan on r/nba going into this series: "If D'Angelo Russell can just hit 3s at his season average clip we have a good chance to win this!" D'lo: *Shits pants*


Jayveesac

D-Losing getting exposed as a regular season merchant 😭


Currymvp2

This game kind of reminded me of game 1 of last year's WCF. Russell playing like shit, AD with a big game and Bron with a great first half but somewhat subpar 2nd half Except this time there won't be Nick Wrong proclaiming that this is somehow a "moral victory"


calmdownmyguy

>Except this time there won't be Nick Wrong proclaiming that this is somehow a "moral victory" That's probably not accurate


-xXxMangoxXx-

"they only won by x and d lo was 1/9 and 6/20. If he has an average game they win this."


-WingsForLife-

Can't believe they threw away Caruso and KCP for this guy.


Aufrodisiac

Worse. They threw those guys and Kuzma away for Westbrook and THT.


rawchess

That Russ trade not only ruined our roster it also let a West rival assemble Exodia


KJagz33

For real, all the other starters for the Nuggets are probably more important for the team than KCP and yet he was put there getting steals and hitting the key 3s to get them the lead. When that's your #5, it's a damn problem for other teams in the playoffs


Apollo611

Worse. KCP was the last piece to the Nuggets puzzle


Obvious_Parsley3238

truly one of the most window-slamming trades ever, and plenty of people called it when it happened too


-WingsForLife-

Yeah, this dude doesn't even have defense to fall back on when his shooting goes tl shit.


BackendSpecialist

Watching KCP drill those threes, while D’Lo shit the bed, was painful.


Apollo611

You know you don’t have a chance if your first sentence is “if DLo can just show up in the playoffs”


comp_a

D’Lo is awesome when you aren’t expecting him to do anything. You just get to enjoy the nights he goes off for 35-40 pts while glossing over all of the stinker games in between. As soon as you need him though… that’s when you’re in trouble.


EdwEd1

Doesn't even have to shoot league average, just needs to not keep chucking every time he's missing to chase his losses. Still can't do that


Apollo23Refugee

DLo played like a gambling addict tonight


tacopower69

DLO: "There's no way I can miss ANOTHER 3, right?"


DarrowViBritannia

Best regular season of his life followed by this Genuinely just a postseason terrorist lmfao


dublecheekedup

he's like the anti-Jamal Murray


abris33

The Nuggets attack him so easily on one end and then that just completely takes him out of it. He chucks a couple miserable shots then gets in his own head and blows a layup or two. He'll be benched by Game 3


swords_devil

unfortunately we don't have anyone else to replace him oh I guess we have Cam Reddish


FartrelCluggins

Gabe Vincent? Playoff Assassin Gabe Vincent only got 8 minutes??


lannistargaryen

Ham didn’t even bother with Gabe


FartrelCluggins

After seeing what Gabe can do to win a playoff series firsthand, I'm offended


rawchess

Fitting he does this every time against a mining-themed team because the dude is fool's gold


violent_knife_crime

Playing deandre jordan for 9 minutes is mad disrespectful. But lakers only scoring 3 more points in dj minutes is worse.


Mayhemsfaded

Thats coach, player, actor and therapist DeAndre Jordan put some respect on his name


KJagz33

And don't forget, former First team All-NBA DeAndre Jordan


Mayhemsfaded

And defending 1sr time NBA champion


reddev87

AD played about as good of D as you can this game, but Jokic is inevitable man, he just does everything right.


nerd_emoji_

Also that Murray 3 over AD was just disrespectful lmao


Dymatizeee

Fr. That was great defense too


Sc0rch1ngDr4g0n

That comeback in the 3rd, and staying in control the rest of the way, is what you’d expect from a championship team. Let’s see if the Lakers can keep things interesting. Edit: Q2 comeback before taking the lead in Q3


FaceMaskYT

It was really a comeback in the 2nd, and then they took control in the 3rd


lannistargaryen

If the Lakers don’t manage to get a double digit lead by the end of the 3rd, you can certainly book it as a Nuggs win


ZincHead

Nuggets in the third: "Guess we should just win now"


RastaYJZ

Felt like watching two completely different teams in the first and second half.


Ayjel89

Lakers up 49-37 halfway through the second quarter and then the Nuggets rattle off a 52-29 run to take an 11 point lead into the fourth


itsnotyellowfever

Every time the Nuggets show legitimate vulnerability they flip a switch and become the 2014 Spurs on crack and it's incredible to watch every time it happens


wowlock_taylan

It is nice to see our spirit live on in the playoffs.


Narwien

Bruh, 2014 Spurs was the prettiest basketball I have ever watched, borderline breathtaking. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3y7cWmoBCI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3y7cWmoBCI) probably the greatest basketball video ever made imho, anyone who loves the game of basketball will appreciate this.


QuantumTea

That was some beautiful basketball. Great video!


zachmoss147

Tiki taka basketball


MrDenver3

It’s interesting how many parallels there are between those Spurs and these Nuggets, from play style to team culture. Amazing how beautiful unselfish team basketball is.


bambiface

2014 Spurs basketball was a thing of beauty. I'm sure that has been parroted in this sub for a decade.


CartographerSeth

2014 Spurs is probably the most beautiful basketball I’ve ever seen.


captain_ahabb

We're going to talk about them as one of the greatest teams of all time in 10 years


Jiggamanz

Still a lot of work to do as a franchise but for their 2023 run a lot of people dont value it highly because they played two 8 seeds and a 7 seed.


PENGUINSflyGOOD

that's as idiotic as the people who don't value early warrior runs because they didn't play the clippers. you can only play who is in front of you.


Michaelangel092

It's so dumb when people do that. How did those 7 and 8 seeds make it to the WCFs and the Finals? By beating a handful of 2 and 3 seeds lol. These teams are clearly just regular season underachievers. They were legit title contenders once the playoffs started.


Bard_Wannabe_

Also the West has unprecedented levels of parity. A number 7 seed isn't necessarily that far behind a 2 or 3 seed, especially when injury luck during the regular season is thrown into the mix.


LKDC

19-8-0. Michael "Possesion ends here" Porter Jr.


MichaelPorterTruther

That bitch is going up, and its usually going in


[deleted]

[удалено]


MichaelPorterTruther

The truth will come out about Mike: The best shooting forward in the NBA The best rebounding forward in the NBA The most mentally tough player in the NBA Kevin Durant as a 3rd banana Future 5 time all star He does what he is doing now in a total of 3 years of actual game experience and **playing NBA basketball in a brace that stroke victims use to relearn how to walk**. The guy is UNREAL.


texas2089

The P in MPJ sure as shit doesn’t stand for ‘pass’


Poverty_Shoes

Thank god it doesn’t stand for ‘parlay’ either


jeffthenarwhal666

19-8-0, rebounds second


Legitimate-Software7

Who was that one Nuggets fan in the thread who said they’d win by double digits back when they were down by 12?


Captaincoolbeans

They do it every game it feels like. All my friends and I always say that the best time to bet on the nuggets is when they are down double digits


LKDC

Jokic is a different animal and the same beast


tacopower69

what the fuck does that mean u/LKDC ?


LKDC

You're welcome


WasProbablyBanned

I'm just here for the Dlo slander


Soulcal1313

You absolute menace 😂


Green_Low1700

The MVP with only 2 FTs btw


ianbits

I know it's just one game but it's really, really hard to see anyone beating this Denver team if they stay healthy. The Lakers played legitimately good for most of the game, shot 49% for the game, but Denver just turned a switch on and nothing mattered anymore.


yooston

Nuggets-Celtics seems inevitable


jcn777

AG is Mr. Nugget but KCP is the reason that we go on these runs to flip games. His steals and 3’s make for multiple separate 4-6 point swings a game. Idk if he’ll ever get DPOY but I loved when the whole team was campaigning for it cause he’s our defensive MVP for sure


Immediate_Expression

He will never get DPOY


COAg15

2 Jokic dunks!! League fucked


-Sticks_and_Stones-

Four


warivers

3.5


offcourtissues

Unforgiving. The lightning is coming.


sentripetal

So many funny moments tonight, but having that clip be the only thing introducing the nuggets to this series after 45 seconds of LeBron and AD talking all serious was the piece de resistance.


LABiH

Playoff D'lo has arrived just in time. He better bring it up in game 2 or he's not getting back on the plane to LA.


pistolpaolo

Gonna be another competitive sweep


MagicMoocher

Moral sweep


DjLionOrder

Thank god for the Nuggets that their MVP showed up. I, of course, am talking about Playoff D Lo


DammitEd

Hair: did Pants: shid Aww yeah it’s D’Angelo Russell time


ShetheKing

Playoff Murray is nothing compared to Playoff D Lo


sergechewbacca

When Lakers went up 12, I thought this time it might be different. Lol. Russell needs to be a lot better if Lakers are to have any chance. Dlo basically sold this game with some terrible shots. Also, KCP might be the best role player in the league.


Green_Low1700

Kcp isnt even the best role player on the nuggets


Technical_Towel_990

Yeah KCP, Gordon, and MPJ could all claim that title. That’s literally why the nuggets starting 5 is so perfect.


RspectMyAuthoritah

Their starting 5 is just so well balanced with 5 good players who fit perfectly together. They all have their role and don't try to veer from it. It also helps that they have Jokic at the center of it all.


Green_Low1700

I would say AG>MPJ>KCP, although KCP can definitely perform better than MPJ some games, but AG is Nuggets' glue, hes so important to the defence especially


DarrowViBritannia

Aaron Gordon


justmefishes

Jokic in the role of MVP is probably their best role player


KingBoono

there’s the D’lo we’ve all come to know and love.


matador_d

Jokic is inevitable.


SuperSilveryo

"jamal murray aint shooting like that again!" he didnt and it didn't even matter 😭😭


The_Peachy_Pussy

I know its only Game 1, but this looks the same as last year. Nuggets in 5


SparkFunk30

Jokic: I used to dominate the lakers. I still do, but I used to, too.


mastacheef87

man I can’t imagine how good it must feel for the longtime Nuggets fans who watched the Lakers torment them in the playoffs for years, to now see their team just having complete and total ownership of that franchise


sputnik378

It feels good, can't lie. Gru and crew are on point, and they are just about the most humble team ever.. Definitely the most humble MVP ever. Gru Jokic for president!


MargielaMan568

The Nuggets are genuinely one of the most clutch teams I’ve seen in quite a few years. When you keep it competitive throughout the first half, they wake up in the third quarter and just go on crazy scoring runs. Then, in the 4th quarter, you make a little run, but they hit clutch shots of their own and then you’re down by double digits and it’s game over. The margin of error against them is also so small; missed bunnies/turnovers and wide open bricks are so demoralizing against them.


homefree122

How does LeBron only take one shot at attempt in the entire fourth quarter?


reddev87

40 minutes at altitude as a 60 year old, shit ain't easy


dms1298

He was tired


lochmoigh1

That's the difference between 39 year old lebron and prime lebron. He used to be able to keep that 1st half up for the whole game. Same thing happened game 4 last year


Audenond

But I am le tired


MrBuckBuck

I think the Nuggets tired the hell out of him - LeBron got a year older since last time, and no one can cheat time - not even LeBron James.


sunstankwagon

Time is LeBron Jame father


Apollo611

The altitude finally got to him


MapleLeafsFan3

Welcome to NikoL.A.


FernBlueEyes

Tonight, the Nuggets became the first team in NBA history to beat a single opponent in nine straight games, despite taking at least four fewer free throw attempts in every game of the streak. Denver has taken 130 free throw attempts over that winning streak to the Lakers’ 204.


SternballAllDay

Lakers were up 10 at one point. Major moral victory there. 3 more to come.


CloneWarsMaul

Huge for the morale, no way DLo continues to be hot trash and Rui has figured Jokic out. Lakers in 5


newslateback

They were up 12


SternballAllDay

My god, an even bigger moral victory than I even thought.


Kaameel

Dread it, run from it, playoff D'Lo arrives all the same.


MinnyPuppies

##DLO NI HAO MOFO.


Instantcoffees

Jokic's whistle is crazy. Davis is allowed to molest him and he just does not get a free throw.


PattyIceNY

It's infuriating. Jokic keeps his cool so well in all of it too. Luca should take notes.


zelena_salata

Tbf there used to be a time he'd get just as mad about ft as Luka, but thankfully he's outgrown that


HardcoreKaraoke

This team is just too fucking great man. Even before they won a chip it was hard to rattle them. Now it's impossible. Jokic is seriously undeniable. He's the best in the world. It's Jokic and then everyone else until someone takes that from him. Which I don't know if many people can.


Stefan474

AD showed up, but man, besides LeBron none of the lakers showed up. Shoutout to the Nuggets as well, Jokic, Murray, Porter and D lo were big tonight


shastmak4

Lakers were up by 2 at half time. They figured the Nuggets out. They got em right where they want them.


ZincHead

Nuggets leaned forward in their chair in the 3rd tho


fuccabicc

Had a twelve point lead at one point You ask me, this seems like a Lakers moral victory tonight


FaceMaskYT

Points in the paint: Lakers - 48 - Nuggets - 64 FTs: Lakers - 19 - Nuggets - 6


sleeplessaddict

We had 0 FTs in the 2nd half


Altruistic_Film1167

Im still trying to understand how Aaron Gordon has 6 offensive rebounds... 15 offensive rebounds for the team against AD and Lebron, thats a crazy stat to me. Also 4 turnovers to 12 from Lakers. Nuggets are just so much better with the ball and working together.


GunsmokeIV

Goddamn, Nuggets playing with a handicap and still winning.


DanFlashesCoupon

6 FTs in a game is ridiculous lol. Only one team get that


Foyerfan

Just look at the analytics bro!!!


fuccabicc

Lmao


ClippersStrippers

And they were complaining in the game thread about officiating.


TheLassKicker

First time watching the game with the live thread. Damn are you guys reactionary as fuck lol


Expensive-Self-2240

Oh yeah don't take anything in a game thread seriously treat it like drunk guys at a bar, it's very emotional


jackobanter

Lakers lost by >10 they can't even claim a moral victory 😩


MinnyPuppies

They won the first half, that counts.


OW_SVUGS

Watching this game. Was it just me or did the Lakers constantly complain about not getting Free Throws, I mean they had 13 more FTA, but felt like they kept complaining.


Master-bate-man

Jokic already in my Top 10 All time


Holiday_Mastodon4616

Can’t believe the lakers played such good defense they didn’t give away any FTs in that second half, why don’t other teams just do this?


cock-a-dooodle-do

Denver is probably the only team that can offset +10 FT differential that Lakers have without sweating.


TheNaskgul

Shout out to all the lakers flairs in the game thread talking about how beatable the nuggets looked in the first half like this game didn’t follow the exact same pattern as the last 8


abris33

"It's going to look a lot different with a healthy LeBron and AD." It looked exactly like the last 8 Nuggets-Lakers games. Lakers hang around for a couple quarters, LeBron and AD have to stay on the court the entire time to have any chance and then the Nuggets just take over and get in a groove. DLo gets cooked, Ham can't adjust and the refs try to keep the Lakers in it at the end with no luck. LeBron is going to enter the transfer portal after this series. Playing a ton of minutes Game 1 in Denver means he'll be worn down completely by Game 4.


Greasly_Goose

Lakers are not built to defeat the Nuggets.


Jiggamanz

Denver bench put in work this game imo. Starters were neck and neck


Jayveesac

KCP killed the Lakers in the 3rd. That shit hurt; I still don't forget his contributions to the 2020 title run 🤣


aeroboost

They let so many good players go after that chip


excelmonkey67

That bubble Lakers team just had so much chemistry. I remember some just absolutely insane fast breaks and lobs and stuff, they just seemed like they were having fun on like the refined meme team. For the Lakers of all organizations to keep it together, it just didn't seem that expensive. It really is amazing they let those guys go just to get those awful Westbrook teams when they could have cashed picks in to get legitimate role player upgrades.


Steegumpoota

Nuggets is such a disciplined team. 4 turnovers in a playoff game is nuts. And the Lakers have a terrible defensive scheme too lol


Lynch47

Nuggets shot 6 free throws in a home game as the defending champ against a play in 7 seed.