NFL
By Keith Richards
The NBA Playoffs are moving forward! On Saturday, the Denver Nuggets start their 2nd round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns. The matchup will pit the first-seed against the fourth-seed after both teams won their series 4-1. Like the last round, I will discuss the key players and wild card players for each team in this 2nd round matchup. Then, I’ll give my prediction. So, let’s bring it in!
Key Players
The fact that the success of the Nuggets relies heavily on the success of Jokic in the 2nd round is a given. So, Nikola is not my key player for the 2nd round. Instead, I believe Jamal Murray will be the key player for the Nuggets against the Suns in the 2nd round. Against the Timberwolves, Murray averaged 27.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG, and 6.4 APG. That included games of 35 and 40 points. When Jamal plays at that level, it takes a lot of the pressure off Jokic. If that level of play continues, it will be difficult for the Suns to beat the Nuggets.
For Phoenix, their key player in the 2nd round is Kevin Durant. While Devin Booker’s 1st round outburst is a huge bonus, Durant’s 1st round performance is a must. Against the Clippers, Kevin averaged 28.4 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and 6.2 APG. He’s a walking bucket and tough to stop. Aaron Gordon likely draws the assignment of Durant for the Denver defense in the 2nd round.
While Gordon is a more than capable defender, the best defense against Durant is Durant himself. If Kevin is healthy and mentally there, there is nothing anyone can do to stop him. Aaron will have to do his absolute best to contain Durant, but it’s all on Kevin in the end. If he has the same caliber series in the 2nd round as he did in the first, it will be a long series for Denver.
Wild Cards
The wild card for the Nuggets in the 2nd round is Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. KCP almost certainly draws the assignment of Devin Booker on the defensive end. Statistically, Caldwell-Pope has appeared to hold Booker in check over 16 career games. Against KCP, Devin has averaged 19.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG, and 4.3 APG. The kicker is that Booker is plus 23 over those 16 games. So, if Kentavious can keep Devin to those same averages but lower his plus/minus, Denver has a great chance in this series.
In the 2nd round, the wild card for the Suns will be Deandre Ayton. Much like with Gobert in the 1st round, what Ayton can do with Jokic will play a big role in the success of Phoenix. If Nikola performs at the level he does historically against Deandre, the Suns are in trouble in the 2nd round. In 10 career games against Ayton, Jokic has averaged 27.1 PPG, 11.3 RPG, and 7.8 APG.
That’s good for a combined plus 73 over that stretch. If the Suns look to win this 2nd round matchup, that just will not do. Much like Rudy had to, Deandre has to find a way to limit Nikola Jokic. While Jokic will always hurt you with his passing, Ayton has to limit Nikola’s rebounding and scoring, especially rebounding on the offensive end. If Deandre can do that, it will go a long way for Phoenix.
The Prediction
The two teams split the regular season series 2-2. The home team won each game. In the two games Durant played (the last two), neither Jokic nor Murray played. The Suns won those games by seven and four points respectively. So, it’s hard to truly gauge who has the upper hand in this 2nd round matchup. Additionally, both squads played injured teams in the 1st round.
So far, neither team has injury concerns in the 2nd round, which means both teams will face each other fully healthy for the first time. When all is said and done, I’m taking the Nuggets in 7 in the 2nd round. Phoenix probably has a better starting five, but Denver is better 6-10 than anyone in the league. If the Suns play a limited rotation again, the bench for the Nuggets will take advantage of that.
Be sure to follow Team NBS on Twitter for our weekly Twitter Spaces about the NBA Playoffs. Also, show out for the Mile High City with new gear for the squad!
