FIRST TAKE | Stephen A. bold-prediction to Nuggets vs. Thunder Game 1: “Jokic or SGA are REAL MVP?”

FIRST TAKE | Stephen A. bold-prediction to Nuggets vs. Thunder Game 1: “Jokic or SGA are REAL MVP?”

Go ahead, y’all. Shake Gilis Alexander is the overwhelming favorite to win MVP at a minus 4,000 at ESPN Sportsbook. And Nicole Yic has the second shortest odds at plus,200. This would be the eighth time the top two finishers would meet in the same postseason with the MVP winning five of the previous seven instances. Considering they split the season series, Swagu is OKC in danger versus the Denver Nuggets. Stephen A, I think they are. Look, OKC is the favorite, right? But we got to lean into some his history with the Nuggets. We’ve seen them do it. We know how big Nola Joic can be, not only as a scorer, but a facilitator. And Russell Westbrook, like I know we all kind of enamored. We don’t know if that’s going to continue, but Russ hit some three-pointers. Russ was active defensively. Those breakaway steals, it’s going to be a complete team effort to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder. And I know that Shay has been phenomenal, which I think he’s going to win the MVP. But let’s not forget about Nicole Joic and how he can control a tempo of a game. I know this is a young, starving team. OKC has been the favorite all season long, the best. I don’t want to just sumearily dismiss the Denver Nuggets coming into this series like they don’t have Jamal, like they don’t have Nola Joic, like they we didn’t see them light up the shot clock. I mean, light up the scoreboard as well. This team is very formidable. They’ve been here before and they arguably have the best player in the NBA over a span of a few years still coming into this building into this series with an opportunity to go win a championship. So, OKC the favorite, but I don’t want be I don’t want to be dismissive of what the Denver Nuggets is going to walk into this arena with. Go ahead, Perk. I will. I’ll be dismissive. OKC and six. OKC and six. OKC and six. Hey. Hey, Swagu Sa, hear me out on this, man. When you talk about what the what those young dogs would would do to you defensively, like I get it. Jamal Murray, he had his moments. Russell Westbrook, Christian Brown, Christian Brown even had his moments in that series against the Clippers, but they ain’t seen perimeter defense like we didn’t saw, like we going to witness with this Oklahoma City Thunder team. And it’s from top to bottom. is no drop off leading with SGA to Luke Dors to Jaylen Williams to Isaiah Joe to Alex Caruso. That’s how deep they are. Think about this for a second. Alex Caruso in one of those games in Memphis. I believe it was game three maybe in Memphis when they had that comeback. He was the player of the game solely on what he did and how he guarded Jiren Jackson Jr. deflections, loose balls. They have so many options. They’re so versatile. And then you talk about the the chemistry with Isa Hardenstein and Chad Homegrid. Look, I’m never going to disrespect Joic. Joic is going to get his numbers. But if I’m the Oklahoma City Thunder, which and I’ve been sitting back and I was watch if I’m watching that series, I’m watching the way Big Zubac played against uh Joic. I’ve never seen someone guard him individually on that level like I did. And I think Isel Hardenstein has the capability to do the same thing. You’re never going to stop Jokic, right? He’s still going to walk out the game with a 21 25 point triple double, but canceling out everybody else. OKC has the personnel to do that. I completely agree with you, Big Perk, on that. That’s where I’m at with this series, Swag Goo. I see OKC winning it in six. I think that Denver has gone through a lot of changes. Obviously, Mike Malone is no longer there as the coach. You’re looking at their absence of depth. We’ve been applauding Russell Westbrook who’s been absolutely great for them to energize a bunny. Never cheats you with effort and heart. Always there. He’s a Hall of Famer in that regard alone as far as I’m concerned. But then you got to look at what Oklahoma City brings to the table. the acquisition of Hartinstein and obviously Caruso in the off season pairing that front line Hartstein with Chad Hongren who can ball by the way and we need to give him a lot of love which Perk has never hesitated to do. Then I’ve talked about Jaylen Williams and how he needs to really really be that dude because SGA was balling last year in the postseason when they lost to Dallas. He just didn’t have the requisite help that he needed. This year he’s led the league led the NBA averaging what was it 32.7 points per game. Look at this stat right here in terms of his shooting split, his shooting splits this season. 52% from the field, 50% from mid-range, which was fourth in the NBA, 37 and a half% from three-point range, 90% from the free throw line. And this is the dude that has the ball in his hands most of the time for OKC. And then in every statistical category that matters defensively, they’ve been leading the league. I just think it’s a bit too much for Denver. And I think that Denver could definitely win a couple of games, but OKC should win this series in six games. Swagoo, I’ll give you the last word on this subject. I I understand what y’all saying, but the six games throw me for a loop because you don’t think the Nuggets can steal one and push this to a seven game series. Like I that’s the only I I understand what you’re saying, but that’s the validity that I I think I think Nola Joic is is that good where they can find a way in a close game late in one of these games where he can figure it out. And two, I don’t I don’t ever we we don’t talk about this enough and I understand that we named everybody on OKC team’s name. the the the the size in which Aaron Gordon plays with in these playoffs got to matter. He is going to be a factor in this series whether that’s on the glass, whether that’s being around the rim and I know we mentioned Hardenstein and we mentioned Chad and I know Chad is playing well a sevenfooter that can but the physicality of Eric Gordon I think is going to matter as well and he’s been playing some phenomenal minutes for the Denver Nuggets in these playoff series. I just think we we’re enamored with OKC and we know why. Perk, you mentioned it. Defensively, a team that is hell on wheels at running people off the three-point line and creating. I think the Denver Nuggets around that basket with Nola uh facilitating can give them some problems in some critical moments in games, which in turn we may see this thing go seven. And and see, look, Swag Swag, let me tell you this though. When you That’s a great point about Aaron Gordon, right? I think phys physically no one on the Clippers could really match him. Yeah. Wright could really match him, but they have a linebacker in OKC that could match his physicality, right? You’re talking about Luke Dors, right? Like you put him on there and even Chad at times like they just have so many options. I’m not saying it’s not like six games is still giving Denver some respect. We’re not saying they’re going to get swept. We’re not Yeah, we’re not saying it’s a gentleman sweep, but then let me remind you again, as a person that played in Oklahoma City, we know that’s one of the best home courts in the NBA. It gets loud. And this young squad, this young squad down the stretch when it’s a possession bypossession game, they thrive off the energy of that arena. And let’s not forget when they lost to Dallas last year. No, Dallas didn’t have Anthony Davis at that time, but they did have Gaffford and Lively. And so you had some bigs that they had to deal with. They might have learned lessons from that coming into this series. Now that ain’t Jokic. Make no mistake about it. I understand that. But you didn’t have Hartinstein either. And we see what the Knicks have looked like defensively without him. And we see what OKC has looked like with him. So we can’t forget that. Got to move on. Many believe Anthony Edwards is the next face of the NBA. What would taking down Stephen Warriors do to that narrative? Find out next. Also, how deep do we see the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics series going? New York fans may want to cover their eyes for their next segment as first take rolls on. Amen. Wow. So cool. Wow.

FIRST TAKE | Stephen A. Smith bold-prediction to Nuggets vs. Thunder Game 1: “Jokic or SGA are REAL MVP?”