NBA Playoff Reaction 🍿 Nuggets win in OT, Cavs dominate Pacers on the road | SC with SVP

NBA Playoff Reaction 🍿 Nuggets win in OT, Cavs dominate Pacers on the road | SC with SVP

Denver and OKC your full highlight of game three. Why so serious? Nicole Joic came to work looking ready to go then had a rough game. That’s the thin man Chad Holgrren and the Thunder up 14-8. Shay Gildis Alexander pulls from inside the free throw line. And it’s a 168 Thunder advantage in the second. Nuggets down three. Michael Porter Jr. It is a spectacular shooter. Buries the three. Game tied at 32. Good find here on the bounce pass from Isaiah Hartenstein to SGA. Knocks that down. Jay Gilis Alexander here. Good find. Lou Dort Dort and the Thunder led by five at the break. Given that Joic had played poorly, that perhaps might bode well for the home team. This man has been burying threes at a big time cliff. Aaron Gordon has the Nuggets within one. Then it’s Porter Jr. again. Joic down low turns and Denver has the lead. AC Fresh joins the Chad. Alex Caruso had a couple of threes in a row. Thunder up three. What a shot from Murray here. Flips it up. One-point game. Now it’s SGA on the attack. Step back baseline. That’s nasty. Three-point game heading into the fourth. Thunder leading by one. Jaylen Williams was spectacular. Had a playoff careerhigh challenge there as every shot seemed to be throughout this game. And he hits. Williams again with Gordon. What a great hesitation to create a little space. Once again, OKC back up two. We’re tied at 97. Murray working on Homegrren. Got to create space to get it over the length of that wingspan. Nuggets up two. SGA Williams three of these. He had 32. And the Thunder have the lead. Under 40 seconds to go. You see Gordon floating alone on the baseline. Homegrren tries to close it out. gets there too late to stop it. Gordon ties the game at 102. On the other end, Shay Christian Brown, great defense. The Nuggets get the rebound. Call a quick timeout. Joic 0 of 11 from three in the game. That one would have won it. It does not. Five more minutes on the clock. In overtime, the Thunder offense was stagnant. Joic. That little finger rolls in. Murray finds Porter Jr. Bottoms. Big time hit. The lead now five. On the other end, look at the quick hand here. Oh, Murray gets the rip in transition behind the back. Hangs, hits with the left hand. He had 27. And one last bucket from Gordon on the baseline. That’s a little closer than the three he hit. Gordon contributing a big way to this victory. He visited with George Sedano afterwards. Aaron, you guys come off a blowout loss. You come here, you get this victory. What was the message between games? Um, well, we went out to OKC and kind of did what we needed to do. You know, we got home court advantage back. Obviously, you never want to get thumped like that and blown out like that, but um we knew we had to come back here and protect the crib um up our level of physicality and play without fouling. And then you guys have championship medal on this roster. You guys have won a championship. You’ve you’re up now two to one in this series. What does your experience mean in a series like this? Uh it’s big. I mean, we don’t get rattled and we know what we’re trying to get to. Um Um We know Yeah. exactly what we’re trying to get to. Uh as as the time winds down, like the time and the score, we know uh what our intent is. And then lastly, another huge shot for you down the stretch, man. I I think we need to call you playoff Gordon here at this point. Like, what is it like in those moments when you’re getting those opportunities? Call me whatever you want. Just keep calling. Awesome, man. Congrats on the win. All right. All right, SVP, back to you, Perk. You went through some of these, right? the intensity and the the toughness that was on display on both sides, man. I just I want to just start with that as you’re watching that, having lived through it. What stands out about the kind of fight that both these teams put on display? Oh, Scott, it was a it was a beautiful thing to see. It was a brawl for it all on both ends of the floor. And I know, you know, we going to dive into the actual game and the players, but let me say this, the Denver Nuggets, they buckled and strapped down defensively. They grinded this one out tonight on the defensive side of things. We know OKC is known for their defense, but we got a tip I had to the Denver Nuggets. How scrappy they played, how engaged they were, tied on the string. Christian Brown was phenomenal tonight on SGA. I thought Joic moved those feet all night long in the pick and roll. It was beautiful to watch the Denver Nuggets play with that type of intensity defensively. You know what I noticed a lot of Perk as this game wore on and you know look they put 5280 on the floor for a reason. You’re playing at elevation and a lot of shots were short late and could have been a million things. Could have been the defense of Denver but particularly in overtime it looked like that needle on the gas tank for the Thunder was was damn near on E. Did you see the same thing? Oh absolutely. And that’s the advantage that the Nuggets have, right? like they feel like if they once they get you to the fourth quarter and the game is close that they have that homec court advantage of the altitude. But I’m going to tell you this Scott, they did an excellent job of loading up on SGA and saying somebody else got to beat us late in the fourth quarter. And we saw when the pressure when it got in those pressure moments, those same shots that Isel Hardenstein was hitting those floaters in the first half, he wasn’t hitting those in late in the game, right? And so again, you got to tip your hats off cuz those guys grinded it out defensively. And Christian Brown, he was phenomenal. Having to guard a guy like SGA, who I think is the best offensive perimeter player in the game without fouling him, making him take tough contested tools and and making him give up the rock is not an easy task at all. Sometimes you look at the box score and there’s just things that don’t make any damn sense. If you tell me Joic goes all of 11 from three, there’s just no chance you’re winning that basketball game. But it’s the the elevation of Gordon whose confidence in three. I believe Mark Jones said on the broadcast, this a 43% shooter from three in the regular season. We already saw him win a game with a three. He ties a game with a three. He and Porter and then obviously Murray. It’s more than ham and egg. That’s disrespectful because this team is more than just Jokic. But I just I I I’m impressed with all of the role, not the role, but what the the way the stars delivered in their roles tonight uh to win this game because you’re not winning it with Jokic playing like that unless everybody else elevates. Scott, you’re right, man. But guess what? Gordon, Porter, and Murray, they’re champions for sure, right? They didn’t been through this. They’re champions and they’re at home. And like you you think about what Aaron Gordon brought to the table tonight, hitting that big three, but he was a monster in the fourth quarter. Jamal Murray, right? Picking, being a true point guard, picking and choosing his spots, when to be aggressive, when to uh create for others. We saw that beautiful kick out that he had to Michael Porter Jr. And Michael Porter Jr. laid it all out there on the line tonight on both ends of the floor. But again, these are guys that are battle tested and champions. and it showed tonight. Yeah. And you know the the conversation and maybe this is just too easy. It’s just too one-sizefits-all when it relates to OKC. If they lose a game to a team who does have championship DN D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D in the manner in which they did, it becomes real easy, Perk just to say they’re young. I don’t know if this is youth that showed itself. I saw you start to shake your head. Is there is there something that would explain the inability of OKC in those incredibly tough moments late to find the bucket they needed to win the game? Well, Scott, the one thing we know no matter what is that when they get late in the game that the Denver Nuggets are going to go to their twoman game with Joic and Murray. We didn’t see that with the Oklahoma City Thunder. We just saw a whole lot of isolation plays whether it was Jaylen Williams or SGA. We saw Luke Dorsch trying to take somebody off the dribble. And look, this is the this is the growing pains that they’re gonna have to go through through this series. Just because it’s your number that’s being called doesn’t mean it’s your shot. So again, I need to see is it going to be a side pick and roll with Chad and SGA or or SGA and J Dub. Like they have to figure these things out. And I thought tonight you start, you know, they start the game in uh they start the overtime and I thought coach Dagnel made a mistake. He tried to go small with Alice Caruso and I love Alice Caruso, but you go small, you take Chad Homegr out the game and all of a sudden we see the big fella Big Jokic. He get downhill get a easy layup and see one go in and all of a sudden it was all she wrote from there. Yep. And it’s we know how this goes Perk. If if if Shay hits the bucket, they’re late. They’re up 2-1. And the entire conversation you and I are having right now is entirely different. We’re raving about the way the length of the Thunder gets all those deflections on defense and how they’re able to respond and win home court back, but that’s not what happened. And so, as we now look ahead to a game four on Sunday, how do you view this series right now? This the the the scorebook says it’s 2-1 Denver. You feel like the Thunder are in trouble right now? I feel like it’s going seven games. That’s what I feel like. I feel like the Thunder blew a golden opportunity. You just talked about it, Scott. Jokic shot 8 for 25 from the field. He had so many damn turnovers. This was probably one of the worst games of his career in the postseason and they didn’t win and you couldn’t capital and you didn’t win it. So you got to find like you got to make sure if you’re the Oklahoma City Thunder, if you’re Alex Caruso who’s a champion in that locker room, you got to make sure that these guys stay positive and stay even kill. That even kill term is a real thing in the postseason, Scott. You never get too high and you never get too low. But I just can’t. It’s going to be hard for me to believe that the Oklahoma City Thunder could duplicate what they did to Jokic tonight defensively again in the game four. Thunder coach Mark Dagnold after just what Perk described an opportunity missed as Denver wins in overtime. Mark, what did you see from Denver’s defense down the stretch into the fourth quarter uh to kind of stall the offense into more isolation? Yeah, I mean at that point in the game it becomes uh more of a possession game, so it just naturally slows down. Uh and you got to execute. Uh I thought we did some good things uh on some possessions. They obviously made a couple more plays. Um but things we can take a look at as we go into game four. Overall, were you satisfied with the the offensive process through the the fourth and overtime? Um, well, first of all, on a night where we didn’t shoot the ball great, I thought we manufactured really well, you know, like we got uh offensive rebounds, we got stuff in transition, uh, we were able to attack the paint, attack the rim. Um, so that’s what you have to do when you’re not making a ton of jump shots. Uh, and we did that for much of the game in terms of uh, down the stretch in overtime. We’ll take a look at it, but um, it becomes an execution game at that point trying to generate the best shots you can. It’s hard for both teams obviously in that situation and credit Denver they made a couple more plays. No, it’s not so simple but before Shay checks in in the fourth, it feels like Dub is cooking and then when Shay checks in, obviously he’s still trying to get a feel for the game, but he’s shooting step back threes, it feels like a few possessions straight. Did you feel like you maybe could have went to to Dub a little more in that fourth quarter? I mean, we can look at it, but I mean, those guys have a great chemistry on the court together and find a nice blend. um we’re not going to like push the same button repeatedly. A lot of that stuff happens in the flow and that’s where as a team you got to have trust and you got to work together and you know we’ve made a habit of that all year. So um we’ll look at the possessions and the execution and all that stuff uh and learn from it as usual but I didn’t think there was anything to that. First Denver grabs a 2-1 series lead. It’s a spot that they are very familiar with. They have a 6-1 series record in franchise history. The only loss coming way back in the 88 conference semis against the Mavericks. The best it could be for Cleveland is a 2-1 series lead for Indiana. They dropped the first two at home and D Hallebertton. The Pacers on their home floor, but the Cavs got some reinforcements as Garland and Mobley and Hunter are back. And what an insane shot from Donovan Mitchell as good as anyone at hanging, drawing the contact, and hitting acrobatic layups. Cleveland big time first half. How about the Garland delivery here Kevin Durant on Twitter, you can read what KD had to say about it. On the other end, the Pacers battle back. Then Shepard stash. Love it. Robust Pacers ended the first quarter on a 22-7 run. And that building doesn’t need a whole lot to get the energy, but Cleveland did their best to tamper it down. Mitchell again, smooth move. Put this in your stash and chew on it. Mitchell game high 17 at the half. Mobley will miss the three. Jared Allen there to get the rebound and a beautiful find of Max Strus. A rear deuce for Strus. Hey now up 21. The Strus is loose. He misses. But there’s Allen. The put back. No. Moley. Good ball movement. Sam Merrill burries the three. 21 second chance points. The most in a postseason half in over 20 years. That’s very specific, but you get the idea that the effort on the glass was leading to buckets. Can the Pacers fight back? Well, Pascal Seakam hits a three and the building is trying to get back in it, but guess who answers? Mitchell fadeaway bucket. The second player in franchise history with three straight 30point games. In fact, he was going to go over 40 in this one. very next Cavs possession again it’s Donovan Mitchell and again he has the answer all business approach Mitchell again that’s what I’m talking about the ability to hang and hit 43 nine boards five assists Cleveland gets the victory joined now by Donovan Mitchell as the Cavaliers get on the board we sorted out the important detail Tales, Donovan, you’re team drums with me. Kendrick Perkins always says he’s he’s team flats. You had a 40 piece on a night you had to have it. You can’t fake desperation, right? Uh you have to win in a in a in a tough building against a really good team. What if anything Donovan has said prior to this game tonight? And we don’t want to go home, you know? I mean, credit to them. They came in and stole two games on the road. So, my biggest thing was, hey, we got to do the same. Um we accomplished one goal tonight, but the job’s not finished. We got to go out there and find a way to get one on Sunday or whenever we play. Um But the biggest thing is we it’s not that we we stuck together and that’s what it’s going to take. And obviously I mean you got Evan Moley, Darius Garland, DeAndre Hunter back. It always helps. But you know, as a group, as a collective, you know, we really did it together. And that’s what we’re going to need on Sunday. You know, I’m I was trying to figure out how to ask a question about what getting those three guys back means. And it’s just it’s a dumb question because obviously you’re talking about a a super an all-star point guard and superstars at what they do collectively. So just the confidence that you have despite being down 2 with them back, how do you quantify that, Donovan? 10,000%. I mean, that’s with those guys, that’s why we are who we are. You know what I mean? And I think, you know, the games against Miami were great, but when we when it comes down to it, man, we need those guys, man. And they they showed why tonight. Uh, but the biggest thing is we came together as a collective group. I think for us, we got to continue to stay at that pace, stay at that level. We didn’t let up. That’s that’s the biggest thing. But when when you got those guys back, man, especially on the defensive end, man, Evan Mo is a monster, man. He’s the defensive play of the year for a reason. DG being phenomenal getting into the paint, finding guys. Dre being able to play defense and different things on offensive end. So, um it’s huge. It gives us um a little bit of relief on the offensive end for sure, but you know, it’s huge to have those guys back. All right, they’re telling me you got to go. Just one l one last quick. When the the lead’s down to 11, you hit a bucket and a three. How significant did those five quick points feel like with that building trying to believe they could come back into it? Yeah, man. You got to control the game. Um, we let one slip in a similar situation at home. Um, couldn’t let it happen again. Exactly. Gotcha. Understood. Well, uh, I understand the job’s not done, but it was tonight. Brilliant game, Donovan. I appreciate you putting the headset on. Be well. All right. Appreciate it, Scott. Thank you. Yep. Happy Mother’s. I know I’m early, but happy Mother’s Day to everybody. Hey, I appreciate you. Be good.

SVP welcomes in Kendrick Perkins and Donovan Mitchell to recap the pair of NBA Game 3’s on Friday night. The Denver Nuggets took a 2-1 series lead after beating the Oklahoma City Thunder while the Cleveland Cavaliers got 43 PTS from Mitchell to get their first win over the Indiana Pacers.

0:00 Thunder vs. Nuggets
3:30 Aaron Gordon postgame
4:38 Perk reacts
11:20 Mark Daigneault news conference
13:38 Cavaliers vs. Pacers
16:01 Donovan Mitchell interview

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