The first-half strategy of the Nuggets was so simple, pull Anthony Davis out by putting Jokic at a high post and it was successful. In the next half, Coach Ham made a big risk by deciding to put AD against Gordon and it worked like a charm. Coach Malone didn't adjust well and Gordon was so used to staying below the rim that he don't know what to do.
As Jeff Van Gundy said about Gordon being their key factor to winning the next game, I think I agree. There's so much room for improvement in the Nuggets team as long as they know what is happening in their environment.
Gordon could pull AD outside too and if he doesn't, punish him by shooting threes. He ain't bad at shooting those distance shots, he can make it.

Nikola Jokic 6th triple-double in the post-season. He is a monster and that prayer 3-pointer just made AD smile.  Nuggets claiming the first win. It's damn entertaining when the Lakers got back and cut the lead by three.

Wonder how Wemby holds up tho. Players with his size have a spotty health track record. He might not get career ending injuries, more such diminishing his effectiveness a la Porizingis. That said the Spurs are the original "DNP - OLD" champions, so there is hope.

Thought earlier that its one sided game but lakers slowly eating the lead until they make the lead of Nuggets to single digit. But they caught off guarded as the time nearly ends since if they could just sustain that energy on early part of the gane well maybe they will not get dominated by Nuggets on game 1. But for sure they learn a lot from thus so they need to be more aggressive and exert more effort on defense since provably they can take the win on game 2.
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When the Lakers were attempting to reduce the lead, the game became incredibly entertaining to watch. I admired how the Lakers managed to stage a comeback from a significant deficit, displaying their relentless effort. However, they fell just short in the end. The Nuggets have already taken the lead in the series, but from my perspective, it seems like it will be a closely contested series. As long as the Nuggets can secure victories in all their home games, they have the advantage.

Everything about that game was yet another historic performance from THE JOKER!

It's really hard to sustain that kind of comeback though, yeah, they cut the lead into single digits, and as low as 5 points if I'm not mistaken. But it just took one mistake on the Lakers side and then the Nuggets capitalizing on it.

Yes, it was a game between Jokic and Davis, but Murray has a good game and that fast hands to tap the ball and steal the ball from James, that was one hell of a defensive play for him and I think that its the crucial play of the game for the Nuggets.

The Heat has been in this situation before and surely they know what they were lacking in their past games against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals last season they will more likely gonna change their rotations and will gonna do the right thing this time. they are the real torn for the Celtics to get back to the NBA finals once again this year and they really need to work harder to beat this healthy Miami Heat. Since the Lakers have already beaten the GSW my attention is on this one because these teams will not gonna give an easy win to each other, especially in this first game of this series.

Yeah, home-court advantage is a pride for all the teams that will go to play this series.

I also agree that both teams will go to adjust and will look for a better plays to execute knowing that they are playing against
the best team to move forward to this conference finals.

It's tough to say if who's going to win from both sides of the conference, even you are already up by 2 games in your home-court
the chance of getting even when you start playing on a road game will give the opponents a chance to win and tie the series.

I'm excited about next season. Maybe we can see a rivalry between these top picks, Chet Holmgren and Wembanyama. Hopefully, no injuries especially on these 2 players. I'm also not sure if Wembanyama will be happy at San Antonio but the team is known to have legendary David Robinson and Tim Duncan and Wembanyama is the 3rd coming. And with coach Pop who's been developing players into stars, he will learn a lot which will be very important in his early days in the NBA. I expect him to gain some weight as the team will assess him. And with his playing style and skills, he is capable of avoiding injuries if he keeps away from being too physical while his body is still developing.

Yeah but just because the Heat have been in this situation, doesn’t guarantee any sort of advantage. Celtics have been in this situation before as well, so it works both ways in this regard.

The Boston Celtics are simply a better team overall than the Heat are. Jimmy Butler is an absolute beast, especially during the playoffs, but the team just isn’t deep enough. They have no chance in my opinion.

Boston Celtics - Miami Heat

The Celtics that come into this game having managed to eliminate the Sixers in a game in which they will manage to win by a large difference of points, there were 24 points of difference, in a game in which the Celtics in the first period lost by a difference of 6 points, but the Celtics did not let themselves be psychologically affected, in the second period they managed to win by a difference of 9 points, something quite incredible, in the third period it was simply an overwhelming Celtics when they won by a difference of 22 points and in the 4th period the Celtics just defended the result and won the game, but it wasn't all easy games against the Sixers, the Sixers won in 3 games and the Celtics won 4 games, which means they were very disputed games.

on the other side we have the Miami Heat that also in their last game had a victory against the Knicks in a game in which it was very difficult for them to beat the Knicks, they were only 2 points apart, although the Miami Heat in the first period had managed to win by a difference of 7 points, the Knicks in the second period managed to stop the Heat and won by a difference of 8 points and in the third and fourth period the difference in points was not greater than 2 points, so it was a very disputed game, although the Heat had won 4 games and the Knicks, in my opinion the Heat faced a lot of difficulties. well looking at the Heat and the Celtics, I see the Celtics clearly as much more superior to the Heat and that's why I believe that the Heat will win this game