Kirk Goldsberry

Again, with one exception, which is interior defense. The way to beat the Nuggets is to attack him in the paint, something the Thunder haven't been able to do yet. But they're the worst paint protection team left in the playoffs. I wrote an article about it a few years ago and former Nuggets coach Michael Malone took exception with my analysis. But that's exactly the one weakness this guy has.

Again, with one exception, which is interior defense. The way to beat the Nuggets is to attack him in the paint, something the Thunder haven't been able to do yet. But they're the worst paint protection team left in the playoffs. I wrote an article about it a few years ago and former Nuggets coach Michael Malone took exception with my analysis. But that's exactly the one weakness this guy has.

It's his Achilles heel, if you will. The dude can't protect the basket like some of the other great centers of all time.

It's his Achilles heel, if you will. The dude can't protect the basket like some of the other great centers of all time.

It's his Achilles heel, if you will. The dude can't protect the basket like some of the other great centers of all time.

Post Malone, shout out Posty. The face tattoos, I would say. But no, I think the biggest thing, PFT, is the leadership of Jokic in those huddles. We've seen him being very animated, like you're saying, almost drawing up plays. But the players seem to be getting along. The morale seems really good. There's just a cohesiveness. It simply wasn't there.

Post Malone, shout out Posty. The face tattoos, I would say. But no, I think the biggest thing, PFT, is the leadership of Jokic in those huddles. We've seen him being very animated, like you're saying, almost drawing up plays. But the players seem to be getting along. The morale seems really good. There's just a cohesiveness. It simply wasn't there.

Post Malone, shout out Posty. The face tattoos, I would say. But no, I think the biggest thing, PFT, is the leadership of Jokic in those huddles. We've seen him being very animated, like you're saying, almost drawing up plays. But the players seem to be getting along. The morale seems really good. There's just a cohesiveness. It simply wasn't there.

One of the reasons they moved on from Michael Malone and Calvin Booth is the vibes were toxic in that organization. near the end. We don't have enough numbers to really say, oh, they're doing this, that, or something else different at this point. It's been such a short amount of time when the playoffs started. But dude, they're just getting along well.

One of the reasons they moved on from Michael Malone and Calvin Booth is the vibes were toxic in that organization. near the end. We don't have enough numbers to really say, oh, they're doing this, that, or something else different at this point. It's been such a short amount of time when the playoffs started. But dude, they're just getting along well.

One of the reasons they moved on from Michael Malone and Calvin Booth is the vibes were toxic in that organization. near the end. We don't have enough numbers to really say, oh, they're doing this, that, or something else different at this point. It's been such a short amount of time when the playoffs started. But dude, they're just getting along well.

And I think that image I have of Jokic at the sideline, like yelling at his teammates, like a fiery Greg Popovich moment as a coach, that's new. That's what I've noticed that's different.

And I think that image I have of Jokic at the sideline, like yelling at his teammates, like a fiery Greg Popovich moment as a coach, that's new. That's what I've noticed that's different.

And I think that image I have of Jokic at the sideline, like yelling at his teammates, like a fiery Greg Popovich moment as a coach, that's new. That's what I've noticed that's different.

I love that. Dude, their second scorer is a great point, Big Cat. It can't be Alex Caruso like it was in game one. Right. They need either Chet or J-Dub to show up. And again, attack the teeth of this Nuggets defense. Make them protect the rim. They don't want to do it. They're not good at it. So I think that's the key I'm watching for. They should be worried.

I love that. Dude, their second scorer is a great point, Big Cat. It can't be Alex Caruso like it was in game one. Right. They need either Chet or J-Dub to show up. And again, attack the teeth of this Nuggets defense. Make them protect the rim. They don't want to do it. They're not good at it. So I think that's the key I'm watching for. They should be worried.

I love that. Dude, their second scorer is a great point, Big Cat. It can't be Alex Caruso like it was in game one. Right. They need either Chet or J-Dub to show up. And again, attack the teeth of this Nuggets defense. Make them protect the rim. They don't want to do it. They're not good at it. So I think that's the key I'm watching for. They should be worried.

I mean, this is a team that swept a weakened first-round opponent last year in New Orleans and then played Dallas in the second round as the No. 1 seed. Dallas was, I think, the 5 seed, and they lost 4-2. It's a really similar trajectory here with another sort of Balkan dude, like leading the opponent and showing them how to win games late like Luka did last year.

I mean, this is a team that swept a weakened first-round opponent last year in New Orleans and then played Dallas in the second round as the No. 1 seed. Dallas was, I think, the 5 seed, and they lost 4-2. It's a really similar trajectory here with another sort of Balkan dude, like leading the opponent and showing them how to win games late like Luka did last year.

I mean, this is a team that swept a weakened first-round opponent last year in New Orleans and then played Dallas in the second round as the No. 1 seed. Dallas was, I think, the 5 seed, and they lost 4-2. It's a really similar trajectory here with another sort of Balkan dude, like leading the opponent and showing them how to win games late like Luka did last year.