ESPN react to Nikola Jokic has 21st triple-double to rally Nuggets past depleted Raptors, 125-119

ESPN react to Nikola Jokic has 21st triple-double to rally Nuggets past depleted Raptors, 125-119

Brucey Bruce his second visit to town and his second defeat unfortunately to his former teammates the porter Brothers what a showdown that was how cool jerse yeah might as well and Nia waves bye-bye to another opponent here as Toronto goes home the losers 125 119 the final you got the locker

Room report Vic Hans and damson fellas I I I want to start with coach Malone’s comments before the game when he said I just hope our team after what happened in the second half against Utah our hope I hope our team takes this team seriously I’m not sure they got the memo

In the first half tonight you know maybe he should have said hey guys let’s go into this game and let’s not take them seriously maybe that would have worked well I mean it did and I guess in reverse a little bit that they didn’t take it seriously at the beginning of

This game but they sure did in that second half especially defensively and when we say they you know did well defensively what that looked like in the second half was just everything a lot more heightened starts and transition uh getting back in transition physical on the off ball and on ball screens

Physical at The Rim they just were so much more disruptive to this Toronto basketball team which in the first half was doing whatever they wanted and getting wherever they wanted in the court in the first half that was not happening in the second all right well let’s show you what Nicole yic did

Tonight because his statline is like ridiculous interplanetary it’s not of this world look at the numbers 35 points 17 rebounds 12 assists not listed there six steals two blocks fresh haircut am I missing anything yeah what a block couple blocks I had the two blocks I mean I

Didn’t miss anything look look you know what’s unbelievable about his game and and this is what the Nuggets kind of do the Nuggets going to get back to we all talk we get the Nuggets got to get at around 12 going into that fourth of they’re in trouble well they got it

Under that and why because of Nia he had 19 points four rebounds four assists four Steels in the third quarter he dominated that third quarter that got him within range and then Jamal went off in that in that fourth all right let’s take a look at our breaks plus stop of

The game and they had a lot of stops when they needed them most most late third early fourth I tell you nicoa got his hands on everything that happened early in the game when kcp got a hold of one Reggie Jackson got a hold of one there’s uh

Nola stealing for Bruce Brown those jazz hands he had six steals again a season High all the detractors dam Su NOA doesn’t play defense are they watching these games they’re definitely not watching this one because he played all the defense uh tonight and a lot of that

You know a lot of those steals were just on the pocket pass I mean he was playing near the level of the ball screen on that pick and roll action and he just got his hands down there and deflected the pass as they tried to like slip it

Through and so um he’s just so very smart you know I mean it is it’s one part um obviously making the play it’s another part putting yourself in positions the great positions to be able to make the play and that’s what nicoa does you know what I’ve marveled about

Him you always think of what there’s something else with Joker’s G you know he gets out in the Fast Break he leads it he dribbles up tonight he was the finisher on the fast break I think he had six or eight points where he ran the court which is just incredible by the

Way uh Scott Bay our director his mother sent a message saying the first half blame it on daylight savings hello Mrs B I I totally agree with you blame on I think the Nuggets forgot to set their clocks right or adjust their clocks Jamal Murray first half versus second

Half unbelievable the turnaround he only had five points point in the first half barely shot the ball in the second half he came to life and changed the game yeah and 20 21 is just unbelievable but even more so in that fourth quarter DSE he had 12 points and six assists he was

Involved on almost every score the Nuggets had in that fourth quarter yeah I think he had 10 of his 12 assists in the second half but it was um look he was great and just look at look this video I mean the scoop shots he had that left-handed scoop shot two or three

Times in this game and um you know it took him a minute to kind of get himself into the game a half as a matter of fact but then when he did he was Unstoppable like this what is that that’s crazy artistic poetic does he look like when

He’s going through that they look like he’s a gat and they’re just trying to squat at him you know he he much like Nicole yic sort of goes at his own pace right and everybody seems to be running around him he doesn’t need to bother him

One bit all right uh the nuggets as you well know came in huge favorites in this game 15 and a half Point favor what did you do tonight and Chris Dempsey ruined it I did I I got um demp you were one three I was one for three tonight and I

Even gave you the Joker one I said you got to take Joker over 12 and a half I was scared I was scared about M he took the under is bad night for Chris Dempsey great night for the Denver Nuggets when we come back we’ll hear from coach Malone appreciate your

Loyalty coach you guys go down 22 points in the middle of the third quarter I believe just what does it take to sort of sustain a comeback like that I know you guys were down by the same versus Phoenix um well let’s be honest that

First half we were awful and uh you know I asked our players you know at halftime there was no ra speech you know I didn’t break any backboard clipboards or anything and uh the only thing that changed was like we finally started playing hard I mean like there’s a

Hopefully you can notice it he a noticeable difference first half and second half with their energy and her effort and how much we cared and you know I thought Jamal Murray in the second half I thought Nicole yic second half as well as everybody else that contributed to the comeback win uh but

We just started playing harder than them and the first half we were on our heels Midway through the third quarter like I said fell is like we can’t trade baskets when you’re down by 20 you know something’s got to improve and then we finally got defense into the game held

Him to 21 points in the fourth quarter uh um got out and ran took care of the ball and I think second half they only had two fast break points which is an issue at halftime so uh yeah I thought Nicole and Jamal kind of led the charge

And guys off the bench you know I thought CB Payton Reggie Zeke their defense and energy as well in that end of third going into the fourth quarter was was terrific how would you describe Jamal’s ability to sort of turn it on after a quiet stretch he’ll have some of

These games I don’t think he scored until about a minute left in the first half this time seems like he has kind of a knack for turning it home when he needs to whatever whenever that may be yeah I mean he has a knack and he’s a

Guy that like literally just needs to see one go in and then all of a sudden he’s shooting into a big basket um but I felt like not just the you mentioned the shot man he had 12 assists tonight one turnover I mean the pass to kcp for a

Three the pass to Michael Porter for a three like yes he’s having a game but that’s that’s that’s really important where you can have a game scoring next thing you know you got two guys on you and have the courage to give the ball up and trust your teammates you know that

That that’s such an important part of his game and 26 and 12 five boards two blocks and Nia the 3517 12 six Steals and two blocks uh those guys just uh were were incredible in the second half do I like the fact that we didn’t play

At all in the first half no but I’m really proud with you know our guys Having the courage to not let go and just go let’s get ready for Miami we stayed with it we stayed with it and uh there was never any Panic which is what

I loved about it as well do you think the first half was a little bit of a hangover maybe even to that second half against Utah could have been I mean I I I think maybe carryover from that game where obviously we did not play anywhere

Close to our standards and then find out a few hours before the game that Emanuel quickley is out Gary Trent is out Chris Bush is out and then all of a sudden and Scotty Barnes is already out AA purle is out and I think sometimes this human

Nature and and part of coaching is trying to fight human nature is okay we should we’re pretty good at home we’ll get this one but you got to earn it like showing up is never going to win you a game you have to earn each and every win and fortunately in that

Second half we had enough fight in us to go out there and earn it and take that uh take that game the unwavering belief and confidence that your your team has that the guys have like where do you think that comes from from to be down 22

And to to very very much believe that you guys could come back or that you’re still in the game yeah I mean I think it comes down to been there done that you I mean it’s um you know it’s the one thing if you’ve never been down 20 and come

Back in one you’d be like I can we really do this there’s a little bit of Doubt there for our guys I don’t think there’s any doubt at all I think we know that we’re always within Striking Distance when we defend as well as I know we can and then offensively we’re

Capable of putting up big big numbers in a hurry especially when you’re getting stops I mean that’s the defense is kind of what starts all that so again we had 21 more fast break points tonight which is right what we’re averaging now in the 10 games since the allstar break which

Is just an incredible number for us but I think that the confidence comes from the experience and knowing that you know whether it’s at Golden State or what any game you can go back and look at Katie uh we we’ve come back in won games before so there’s never any doubt

There’s never any quit in the first half when you said that obviously wasn’t much going to still have that interior connection that high love between y what does that say about their connection that like that find is kind of always there no matter how much everything else is kind of struggling

Well yeah there there’s Comfort I mean that Comfort comes from you know repetitions you know over you know years you know you just don’t build that you know in one season that connectivity and chemistry that you mentioned is just built over many many uh moments on the court together and whether you’re down

22 you’re up six up 30 uh I think that doesn’t affect that chemistry and the confidence that each of those two has in each other and everybody else in the court I mean I I think those two passes that Jamal made I mean the kcp 3 was

Huge the Michael Porter 3 was huge and um you know that that that I’m really proud of that because that shows that our guys no matter what’s going on they continue to trust in each other and that’s the an important and tangible trait to have do you feel that trust is

Different than what it’s been maybe last coach Malone talked about the Joker AG connection AG didn’t he only missed one shot tonight he was 8 for n 19 points again I’m not sure how his wrist survive with all the dumps well he he laid a few more up

Tonight to take care of that R but AG is just he just likes to play Beast Mode inside D he’s just so sweet yeah always cutting Super Active you know if you’re if you’re if if he’s fing the lane that you can throw it up and he’ll um catch

The alley UK dunk and he knocks in a three-pointer as well I mean he’s just uh he’s just so steady uh for for the nuggets and um you know when he’s going he overwhelms a lot of people especially in that paint um if he’s going to be

Able to just get seven or eight easy layups or dunks he’ll knock in a three-pointer and he’s going to then all of a sudden you got a 19-point night I know so man someone needs a good founding surge St experience true pain I’ll take this first Blood Fist of Fury an ally has been defeated Go you defe out of the way an ally has been defeated an ally has been defeated your tower has been Destroyed I’m getting fa away I’ll take This an enemy has been defeated you have been defeated an En enemy has been defeated enemy ultimate I return to for an ally has been Defeated someone needs a good founding away enemy onl our base is under attack Not For some Stronger opponents bring them on you don’t give it your all First Blood dang M an enemy has been defeated double kill don’t go set kill humans are fun to H your team has destroyed a tower fly I’ll take this violence always good down an ally has been defeated hold the L I’ll take

This you can try harder an enemy has been defeated an enemy has been defeated keep me ene kill I feel an ally has been defeated Victory M

ESPN react to Nikola Jokic has 21st triple-double to rally Nuggets past depleted Raptors, 125-119