NBA

Olympics: SGA leading the way for Canada before France quarterfinal – of course he is

Spain's Sergio Llull defends against Canada's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the men's preliminary round group A basketball match between Canada and...

Canada seek their first men’s basketball Olympic medal since clinching silver back in 1936 and know they must sustain their excellent group stage play to do so. The bulk of the focus surrounds Team USA for obvious reasons but as RJ Barrett and Dillon Brooks have played important support roles, Canada’s star guard leads by example – Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Continue reading “Olympics: SGA leading the way for Canada before France quarterfinal – of course he is”

NBA

After collecting his third MVP, Jokic does it all as Denver skilfully erase series deficit

Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets drives against Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game Five of the Western Conference Second Round...

On the night he received his third MVP award from league commissioner Adam Silver, Nikola Jokic again showed why he’s the NBA’s best player – slicing through the Minnesota Timberwolves’ various defensive schemes to slow him down, producing an inspiring masterclass as the defending champion Denver Nuggets now stand on the brink of a return to the Western Conference Finals. Continue reading “After collecting his third MVP, Jokic does it all as Denver skilfully erase series deficit”

NBA

Edwards’ 43-point night sees Minnesota draw first blood in frantic Denver series

Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves dribbles against Aaron Gordon and Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets during the third quarter in Game...

Anthony Edwards picked up where he left off in Phoenix and posted a new playoff career-high 43 points, inspiring the Minnesota Timberwolves to snatch a gritty road win over the defending champion Denver Nuggets. Defensive length and a purposeful collective start helped as Chris Finch’s side begun what promises to be an intriguing playoff series with a morale-boosting victory.
Continue reading “Edwards’ 43-point night sees Minnesota draw first blood in frantic Denver series”

NBA

Denver reward title-winning head coach Michael Malone with contract extension

Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone hoists his NBA championship ring before the first quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Ball Arena in...

20 months after his most recent multiyear contract extension, the NBA champion Denver Nuggets have officially agreed a lucrative deal with title-winning head coach Mike Malone that will place him among the league’s highest-paid bosses per reports in ESPN and The Athletic which broke today. Continue reading “Denver reward title-winning head coach Michael Malone with contract extension”

NBA, Specials

Rewind: As the new NBA season tips off tonight, a look back – Denver ended last term on top in five-game Finals series

Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets is awarded the Bill Russell MVP trophy after winning Game Five of the 2023 NBA Finals on June 12, 2023 at Ball...

The defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets open play in the new 2023-24 regular season overnight against LeBron James and the Lakers, in one of two intriguing Western Conference matchups primed for television viewing. Before then, I rewind back and reflect upon some fond memories for Denver as they clinched their first NBA title on home soil four months ago beyond a Miami team who fell short after exceeding expectations en route to an unlikely Finals trip. Continue reading “Rewind: As the new NBA season tips off tonight, a look back – Denver ended last term on top in five-game Finals series”

NBA

Heat 111-108 Nuggets: Adebayo leads by example on both ends, Miami steal Game 2

After hitting six of their 13 total three-pointers in the final quarter to threaten a late Game 1 comeback, that sequence foreshadowed a fiery start three days later as the Heat tied the NBA Finals. Miami began hot from deep before finishing with staunch defence down the stretch as Bam Adebayo and Gabe Vincent were key en route to a road win, despite Nikola Jokic’s 41-point outing. Continue reading “Heat 111-108 Nuggets: Adebayo leads by example on both ends, Miami steal Game 2”

NBA

Nuggets 104-93 Heat: Jokic’s triple-double on Finals debut sees Denver win Game 1

How would the Denver Nuggets fare physically after a nine-day break between games? Refreshed and racing out of the blocks, as Aaron Gordon had 12 points in the first quarter and that infectious energy set the tone en route to a welcome series-opening win at home against a Miami Heat side struggling quite badly with their three-point shooting but defiantly still lingered dangerously late on.
Continue reading “Nuggets 104-93 Heat: Jokic’s triple-double on Finals debut sees Denver win Game 1”

NBA

Denver down Lakers to complete series sweep, reach the NBA Finals for first time

Two-time league MVP Nikola Jokic broke more records with a 30-point triple-double, as the Denver Nuggets erased a 15-point half-time deficit and crucially made some big defensive plays late to fend off a persistent Lakers display in Los Angeles, en route to securing their first NBA Finals berth in franchise history.
Continue reading “Denver down Lakers to complete series sweep, reach the NBA Finals for first time”

NBA

Nuggets 108-103 Lakers: Murray’s fourth quarter explosion gives Denver 2-0 lead

Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets drives to the basket against LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers during the third quarter in game two of the...

Despite struggling with his shot and some scrambled decision-making early on, Jamal Murray had 23 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter. It proved decisive as Denver executed better down the stretch to increase their West Finals series lead to 2-0 as they’re Los Angeles-bound for Game 3 on Saturday night.
Continue reading “Nuggets 108-103 Lakers: Murray’s fourth quarter explosion gives Denver 2-0 lead”

NBA

Deandre Ayton played through Game 5 pain, but now Suns must look within

Deandre Ayton of the Phoenix Suns during Game Four of the NBA Western Conference Semifinals at Footprint Center on May 07, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona....

Deandre Ayton has been a predictable scapegoat for the Suns’ shortcomings as they trail Denver 3-2 in their Western Conference semis matchup before Game 6 tips off tonight. Having played through a rib injury Wednesday sidelining him from contention for their first elimination game now, what happens next? Continue reading “Deandre Ayton played through Game 5 pain, but now Suns must look within”

NBA

Nuggets 118-113 Raptors: Jokic jolt, Murray momentum see Denver earn comeback win

Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets is defended by O.G. Anunoby of the Toronto Raptors in a game at Ball Arena on March 6, 2023 in Denver, Colorado....

They were down eight against an imposing Raptors side for large stretches of an exciting fourth quarter, but Denver refused to decelerate in their attempts to secure a morale-boosting comeback win and did just that. When you have a two-time MVP in full flow, games are rarely over until the final buzzer sounds. Continue reading “Nuggets 118-113 Raptors: Jokic jolt, Murray momentum see Denver earn comeback win”

NBA

Lopsided 135-110 road loss to Portland proves this season centres around patience for Jokic and co

Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets drives against Jusuf Nurkic of the Portland Trail Blazers during the fourth quarter at Moda Center on October 24,...

Fresh from their comeback win over the Los Angeles Lakers over the weekend, Damian Lillard and a masterful Anfernee Simons display helped Portland (4-0) maintain their unbeaten start to the new campaign. As for Denver, the manner of this latest defeat against a Western Conference rival reinforces the belief this term is all about patience as things settle into rhythm. Continue reading “Lopsided 135-110 road loss to Portland proves this season centres around patience for Jokic and co”