FIRST TAKE | “Jokic is the REAL King of NBA” – Stephen A. believes Nuggets will end series in Game 6

FIRST TAKE | “Jokic is the REAL King of NBA” – Stephen A. believes Nuggets will end series in Game 6

have found some success early on in the series um I’m not going to take away the fact that I think they’re a great team which I I still think there are but on the flip side of things when it comes to Denver they show they’ve shown that they have another level that they can go to and um you know that’s what we’ve seen in the last two games from this series so uh with that being said um obviously coach Malone has made some adjustments like you said when it comes to Aaron Gordon moving them around floor um I don’t I don’t like to to be a dead horse but when it comes to um a three-time defensive player of the year going with that I’m gonna need a little more I’m gonna need a little more on the defensive end a whole lot more four times four times by the way oh four oh excuse me excuse me I yeah four time defensive player of the year um you look at the defensive numbers it’s you know it’s 1.3 blocks a game and then I looked at the other side and I look at Nicole yic just who’s a guy who isn’t even considered defensive a defensive player but he’s averaging about 1.8 blocks a game almost two steals a game so I’m just not really understanding The Narrative or the impact that everybody is seeing from this so-called you know generational Defender um so obviously I feel like it needs to be it it needs to to be more from that from that end on the on the Minnesota side but um at the end of the day this is you know the reigning Champs they’ve been here before they’ve seen they they’re a well seasoned team they’ve been through a lot of adversity they’ve been on the losing side of things they’ve been on the winning side of things so they’ve they’ve seen it all when it comes to being at this stage and um we’re now seeing a young team that’s figuring it out and they’re now starting to hit their adversity so uh or or you could say growing pain so um think that’s the difference in the series obviously Jamal Murray stepping up and and playing at the level that we’re accustomed to seeing at this time of year from him that helps Denver tremendously uh Aaron Gordon stepping up playing the way he played in the last game and um you know that’s the results of those guys stepping up and on the other side of things you’re going to need more than just Anthony Edward scoring 40 points in the game he’s going to need more production from the guys around him C didn’t have the greatest shooting night um we’re going to need more production from him we we in order for them to find success in this series cat’s going to have to average at least 18 to 22 a game per night so um it’s definitely going to need on the Min Minnesota side of things they’re definitely going to have to step up from a production standpoint obviously cat offensively the generational Defender definitely has to step up and um you know you got to jump in and go be come on mean w to see don’t I don’t see it I don’t see it I’m sorry like and this is no hate this is no knock like I’m a fan of this game I I’ve played against Ben Wallace I’ve played against like generational Defenders like I’ve played against uh Ron arz uh guys that that are known for defense and it’s just it don’t hit the same it just doesn’t um and and I and I don’t understand this narrative because it’s it’s got to be a narrative at this point it’s not a factual thing it’s it has to be a narrative I don’t see [Music] it give me your thoughts though you hit it on the head but I’m not gonna put all on Rudy um I think it’s a hell of a coaching adjustment from alone uh you know I love seeing coaches make these type of adjustments during these type of series uh down 02 but again defend the Champs you can never count out the Champs you know the heart of a champion uh what a champion has been through as far as adversity being down in series being able to stick together figure out find a solution to to these problems uh starts with Jamal Murray I think he’s kind of figured it out he’s a he’s a tough shot maker man I mean he had a hell of a couple shots yesterday D that shot that shot that he hit right before halftime oh my goodness not yeah not the buzz be I’m talking about the one Daniels play great defense he was like two seconds on the shot clock I mean this is he’s a fun player to watch you know he’s electrifying um I’m sure he puts Al was in hours in on his craft and again he struggled you know his first two games but then he figured it out I don’t know if it was help or not I just feel like it was an adjustment getting used to guys that really actually take pride in defense and wanted every possession so um not saying he has completely figured it out again because we have three games left but uh he’s he’s in a great Rhythm I’m sure and he’s going feeling good going back to Denver I want to see what coach Finn does um you know he’s a great coach I had him in New Orleans offensive mindset so I’m going to see what he’s going to do adjustment wise Carl towns can’t shoot five 18 from the field um Goldberg can’t just give you 11 points so I think you have to insert more Nas Reed you know he didn’t play a lot last uh last game last couple I believe and that’s been C guys from day one um so Kudos are C for seeing that long time ago but again he has to play cuz again who else is going to score the basketball you know Mike connley gave him a solid lift as far as the starting PG you know Edwards hit 40 but after that you know they’re running McDaniel off the line um you know waiting on young fell off the bench Alexander to get back to a good Rhythm you know they need to spark from him as well so uh it’s going to take a team effort you know Anthony Edward did apologize for game three but but you know like I said he came out game four did what he had to do but it wasn’t enough as far as the team impact uh and back to what coach what CZ is saying about Rudy um his he doesn’t have a defensive presence out there uh he’s not able to do what Nas re does as far as far as picking Joker up um causing you know turnovers like I said he hasn’t he’s he looks really comfortable uh Joker’s you know biing the out of him uh shooting floaters shots I mean he’s getting everything he wants and still being a great facilitator and a quarterback on the court so uh he’s not causing any disruptive on either side of the ball um and then also they may and like I said milone did a hell of a job by Corral and Anthony Edward at the top making him throw the pocket pass making Rudy gobert turn into Draymond Green which we saw yesterday he had five turnovers so um that’s going to be tough now you give now Reed that ball right there he’s a hell of he’s a way better playmaker than gobert so for me it’s not just offensively not being able to block shots or change things it’s also offensively as well cuz because again if he’s having to be the playmaker when they when they set picks with him they’re living with that you know what I mean like he he’s not aggressive enough he can’t get to the rim and if you you know he’s not shooting over 80 I think or 85 from the free Thro line so it’s kind of a lose lose for them to put the ball in his hands at the middle of the court and that’s again you know kudos to coach Malone I mean this is the problem with Defensive Player of the Year being a regular season award because if you look at the regular season numbers I agree with you because they’re not there in the playoffs because the level of competition Rises and different things get exposed but it is a regular season award and when you have to play every team in the league well go go tell me no I’m saying they’re not better than wimy I mean his his numbers aren’t you know better than the Rookie of the Year so it’s like say regular seon numbers but it’s like he has a better team defensive mindset like you know you got them dogs on the wings you got a leader in the pack like Anthony Edwards like yeah your team is going to be a better defensive team but it’s an individual award so I don’t get no you’re right I mean for me it was a little bit of like go ahead well I was say for me with weni it was a little bit of it took him a couple months to get his feet under him defensively in the league and I just sort of felt like great I think from here on out frankly I mean I can almost fill it out now that I’ll be voting for Wy for the next however many years for defensive player of the year but let like the beginning of the Season counts to so that’s kind of where I was on on that but I do feel a little bit as a voter it’s always hard because you can only vote on what they put in front of you and you’re voting on the regular season and that’s what you have to do and yet I know what happens in the playoffs it’s not like I’m not watching every season right so it’s it’s just it’s a hard thing and I get it I get the frustration from other players because when a guy is tested you’re not seeing it from Rudy goar in the postseason I get it ever ever ever not once and that’s where it’s just like I don’t and it’s crazy yeah it would be more understandable if it was you know maybe he got one you know defensive player we’re talking four get it y four so that puts him in a category of the elite of the elite and when I andake and by the way he not he is not and we all know it even the people voting not even close so me like it’s now becoming a narrative and it’s not really factual like yeah we keep awarding this guy for regular season and and though me and you can speak on this when it comes to regular season most of the time the good teams are going through the motions you just go through the motions you do the same thing every night which produces the wins cool playoff come you have to become a player everybody knows and I have yet to see it I haven’t seen it so why do we keep awarding this guy for a ass regular season I don’t I don’t understand it I just feel it has to for me it’s a team award because I say this Kevin won defensive player of the year but Kevin it was me perk Tony Allen posie on the floors like I mean Kevin was our anchor no doubt about it he deserved the what I’m not saying that but again having a team around you that that prized their on defense your numbers better like I get it that’s going to happen but if you’re on the team they were the number one defense this season that matters too jayen McDaniel doesn’t get consider he’s one of the best Wing defenders in the league he didn’t even get considered Anthony Edwards like he’s a dog on a defensive Mike has always been great defensive so McDaniel great defense I don’t understand why this kid well not even a kid this is a grown ass man why Rudy Gober keeps getting the credit for being this great Defender and I’ve never I’ve never seen his defense change an entire series I’ve never seen it one time I’ve never seen it I want to flip this back to Aaron Gordon because you mentioned cat right his defense on Cat last night I thought made a big difference yes so yes there are people who the xor and he always has been since they winning like if he play if he goes they go he can’t shoot I think he last two game he shot 16 for 19 from the field like just you can’t allow do that damy fishing like last night right and he was three for four last game you know I mean he’s he’s he’s put the work in but again he can’t have that type of impact on the game and expect to win especially when yoko’s doing with his thing Murray’s getting hot like I mean you just you have to shut one of those guys down and for me I think he might be the not gonna say the easiest but he will be the easiest out of those three guys I mean it is what it is well I don’t see something that happens before halftime have an impact on a playoff game that often but there was an eight-point swing in just the last few seconds of the of of the second quarter that I felt the Timberwolves did not recover from and it will be interesting to see if that even carries over in terms of their mental state and and how they feel going into this game of just like every time they think they feel they’ve got Denver where they want them you know in these last couple games jic has led them to some sort of Houdini act and then Murray chips in and then Gordon chips in and and [Music] [Music] [Music] for [Music] forign spee e e for [Music] Tower is under attack ATT for for to for under ATT you

FIRST TAKE | “Jokic is the REAL King of NBA!” – Stephen A. believes Nuggets will end series in Game 6