Shorthanded Nuggets fight hard; lose to Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns

Nuggets bench earns moral victory vs Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns: Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 119-115 loss to the Phoenix Suns in which none of the Nuggets starters played. Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Chris Paul each played heavy minutes to get the Suns past the Nuggets bench, led by a career high of 31 points from Bruce Brown. Christian Braun and Reggie Jackson also had strong performances, keeping the game close with their two-way contributions. Ryan goes over the exciting moral victory and what the Nuggets can take away, plus why it's so important the Nuggets clinched the 1 seed when they did. by Pickaxe and Roll

51 min listen

The Austin Rivers game: Ryan Blackburn recaps the Denver Nuggets 124-118 win over the Brooklyn Nets as Austin Rivers goes for a season high 25 points while hitting seven three-pointers. Sure, the Nets were without Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden, but a win is still a win. Ryan discusses Nikola Jokić's meh 26-10-8 performance, some questionable decision making from the starting unit, DeMarcus Cousins getting ejected, the bench rotation, and the middle of the West playoff picture. by Pickaxe and Roll

49 min listen

Time to Boogie: Ryan Blackburn recaps the Denver Nuggets 117-111 win over the Detroit Pistons as DeMarcus Cousins makes his Denver debut on the second unit, which played better today! Nikola Jokić was merely amazing tonight rather than unbelievable. Will Barton, Aaron Gordon, and Austin Rivers filled their roles well. Ryan discusses the starters, the bench unit, and discusses where the Nuggets are as a team 45 games into the season. by Pickaxe and Roll

53 min listen

Nikola Jokic's HISTORIC 53 point night not enough; Suns tie series 2-2: Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 129-124 loss to the Phoenix Suns despite Nikola Jokić's incredible 53-point night. The Suns only answer for Jokić was to outscore the Nuggets, and they did just that with incredible performances from Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and...Landry Shamet? Jamal Murray was good but not great, and the Nuggets struggled once again with Jokić off the floor. Ryan discusses the starters, the bench, and adjustments the Nuggets can and should make heading into Game 5 of a 2-2 series. by Pickaxe and Roll

52 min listen

Nuggets lose heartbreaker to Clippers, KCP or AG All-Defense?: Ryan goes over the Nuggets loss to the Clippers, Malone's ejection, AG and KCP making an All-Defense push, and the playoff rotation. by Pickaxe and Roll

45 min listen

Are the Suns a legitimate threat to the Nuggets?: Ryan discusses the Nuggets loss to the Phoenix Suns, whether the Suns are a threat to Denver, and predicts the West standings. by Pickaxe and Roll

50 min listen

Nikola Jokic DOMINATES; Nuggets take a 2-0 series lead over the Suns: Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets Game 2 win over the Phoenix Suns. A 97-87 rock fight didn't stop Nikola Jokić from dominating with 39 points and 16 rebounds, putting the Nuggets on his back in the second half. Jamal Murray struggled with his shot, but the rest of the Nuggets picked him up with elite defense on Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. Ryan discusses the starters, the bench, the Chris Paul injury, and if Denver can take their defense on the road in Game 3. by Pickaxe and Roll

51 min listen

Tired legs and poor shooting doom the Nuggets against Steph and the Warriors: Ryan Blackburn recaps the Denver Nuggets 113-102 loss to the Golden State Warriors as Stephen Curry goes off for 34 points in 38 minutes. Jordan Poole also hurt the Nuggets from the bench with 21 points and 7 assists of his own. Ryan discusses the fatigue the Nuggets were clearly struggling with in their fourth game in five nights, as well as the concerns of bad shooting and communication. Should the Nuggets be concerned? Plus, some thoughts on DeMarcus Cousins in a playoff setting. by Pickaxe and Roll

52 min listen

Suns end Nuggets 6-game win streak in OT: Ryan goes over Denver's loss to Phoenix on Tuesday night, shares why he's not concerned, and looks forward to Denver-Boston. by Pickaxe and Roll

37 min listen

Welcome to the Bones show: Ryan Blackburn shares his thoughts on the Denver Nuggets 93-91 comeback win in a gritty affair against the Minnesota Timberwolves. On a second night of a back-to-back, the Nuggets didn't have a lot of energy until Bones Hyland entered the game, offering the Nuggets some scoring, playmaking, and life off the bench. Ryan discusses the keys to Denver's defense, an expanded role for Bones, and then goes around the league in a snapshot of the Western Conference. by Pickaxe and Roll

35 min listen

Has the magic left Ball Arena?: Ryan Blackburn recaps the Denver Nuggets 116-97 loss to the San Antonio Spurs as the Nuggets miss an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot. Nikola Jokić was going hard offensively but struggled despite scoring 41 points. Not enough players showed up around him, and the Nuggets once again proved incapable of playing defense on their home court. Ryan discusses why, as well as whether the magic will return to Ball Arena before the year is up. by Pickaxe and Roll

45 min listen

Nuggets run out of gas in San Antonio: Ryan Blackburn recaps the Denver Nuggets 123-111 loss to the San Antonio Spurs as the Nuggets drop below .500 once again. It was a back to back at the end of a road trip, and the Nuggets played with a level of energy and attention to detail that represented that fact well.Ryan discusses Denver's perimeter defense, Nikola Jokić, and the bench unit tonight while putting into perspective Denver's long journey this season. by Pickaxe and Roll

38 min listen

Nuggets can’t stop Devin Booker, lose Game 3 at Phoenix: Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 121-114 loss to the Phoenix Suns in Game 3 as the Nuggets hold onto a 2-1 series lead. Devin Booker was unbelievable, scoring at will against everybody in this one but mostly Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Nikola Jokić was also unbelievable for the Nuggets and probably should have had more shot attempts down the stretch. Jamal Murray scored 32 points but took 29 shots to get there and missed most of his important shots in the fourth quarter. Michael Porter Jr. finally got going though, which is something the Nuggets can hold onto. Ryan discusses what happened in Game 3 and what it means for the rest of the series. by Pickaxe and Roll

52 min listen

Nuggets fall to the Suns death machine: Ryan Blackburn recaps the Denver Nuggets 140-130 loss to the Phoenix Suns as Devin Booker goes off for 49 points and 10 assists, leading the Suns across the finish line in Denver. Nikola Jokić shot the ball efficiently but had eight turnovers, and the Nuggets, while they played well, had several key mishaps that allowed the game to slip away. Ryan discusses the starters, the bench, and whether Denver can reach Phoenix's class even if they get healthy. by Pickaxe and Roll

46 min listen

Kevin Durant and Seth Curry dial it up in win over Blazers: The Brooklyn Nets were coming off a tough loss at home on Friday against the Indiana Pacers, but were able to bounce back and beat the Blazers on Sunday. Kevin Durant and Seth Curry led the way for Brooklyn with the two combining for 60 points. It was a particularly efficient game from Curry who was 7-10 from three in the game and led the charge in the second half for the Nets to pull away. Kevin Durant was effective in this matchup as well, finishing +21 for the game. The Locked on Nets guys discuss the game the performances, the struggles of Joe Harris, the ongoing perimeter defense issues and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Nets - Daily Podcast On The Brooklyn Nets

35 min listen

How badly do the Nuggets actually want a championship?: Ryan Blackburn recaps the Denver Nuggets 113-105 loss at home to the New Orleans Pelicans as Nikola Jokić scores 25 points on just 10 shots...but only attempts 10 shots. Will Barton pressed too hard. Jeff Green pressed too little. The bench was fine, but they didn't help the starters out. DeMarcus Cousins was a healthy scratch (or maybe not healthy enough). Ryan discusses the loss, the effect of Murray and Porter missing so much time, and how seriously the Nuggets should think about going for a title this year. by Pickaxe and Roll

43 min listen

Nuggets get the vibes back on track vs Brooklyn: Ryan Blackburn recaps the Denver Nuggets 124-104 win over the Brooklyn Nets as Nikola Jokić collects yet another triple-double and the Nuggets hold the Nets to 29 points in the second half. Ryan discusses the starters locking in on both ends of the floor, the bench performance and living with mistakes from Bones Hyland, and much more. He also discusses DeMarcus Cousins' 10-day contract ending, the upcoming trade deadline and All-Star break, and much more. by Pickaxe and Roll

48 min listen

Jamal Murray steps up, Nuggets ANNIHILATE Phoenix Suns in Game 1: Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets Game 1 win over the Phoenix Suns as Jamal Murray lights it up for 34 points and nine assists. He dominated the Suns in his first playoff game against Devin Booker, matching every run the Suns had with a run of his own. Nikola Jokić found his footing in the second half and dominated rebounding the entire night. Aaron Gordon and Bruce Brown also had great moments on both ends of the floor matching up with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. by Pickaxe and Roll

51 min listen

Nuggets take care of business in the Capital city: Ryan Blackburn recaps the Denver Nuggets 127-109 win over the Washington Wizards as Nikola Jokić scores his 10,000th point while leading the Nuggets in every statistical category. He dominated Kristaps Porzingis tonight in just 26 minutes of play. The rest of the starters surrounded him with versatility and quality defense, while the bench was once again led by Bones Hyland. Ryan discusses the starters, the bench, and the injury updates to Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. in this one. by Pickaxe and Roll

46 min listen

Nuggets defeat Warriors for first win of the season: Ryan Blackburn recaps the Denver Nuggets 128-123 road win over the Golden State Warriors. Jamal Murray didn't play, but Bruce Brown, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Michael Porter Jr. helped pick up the slack. Nikola Jokić picked up his first triple-double of the year. Christian Braun had a major defensive impact off the bench. Ryan discusses the starters, an improved bench unit, and his biggest takeaways from Denver's encouraging performance. by Pickaxe and Roll

44 min listen

OT Win over Suns, Dunk of the Year caps off incredible Christmas Night: Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 128-125 overtime win over the Phoenix Suns on Christmas night as Nikola Jokić goes for another historic statline with 41 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 assists. Aaron Gordon had the dunk of the year over Landry Shamet. Jamal Murray came up clutch in the fourth quarter. The Nuggets locked in defensively when it counted. Ryan discusses the starters finding ways to win, the bench continuing to display major struggles, and the impending weight of great expectations facing the Nuggets in the West playoff picture. by Pickaxe and Roll

52 min listen

Key Battlegrounds in the Nuggets-Suns playoff matchup: Ryan Blackburn previews the Denver Nuggets second round playoff matchup with the Phoenix Suns from a numbers perspective, sharing his insights on key battlegrounds between the two teams. When the Suns have the ball, will the Nuggets taller rotation give them better chances to contest Devin Booker and Kevin Durant jumpers? When the Nuggets have the ball, will they be able to create efficient shots and not fall into a mid-range batte against an elite mid-range team? Ryan shares the numbers, breaking down why this series could be the defining moment of the Nikola Jokić-Michael Malone era. by Pickaxe and Roll

48 min listen

Nuggets lose without Nikola Jokić, get swept by Utah Jazz: Ryan Blackburn recaps the Denver Nuggets 108-104 hard-fought loss to the Utah Jazz as Denver gets swept in the season series with Utah. Nikola Jokić and Aaron Gordon sat out this matchup, and though the Nuggets bench delivered a strong performance, the starters couldn't close the deal down the stretch. Ryan discusses Bryn Forbes' big shooting night, his concern for Will Barton's role, Davon Reed being exceptional, and much more. by Pickaxe and Roll

50 min listen

Kevin Durant returns, and crushes in win over Suns: Kevin Durant returned against the Phoenix Suns and it didn't look like he'd missed any time at all over the last week. He was completely dominant basically from the time he stepped on the court early in the second quarter. He ended up with 33 points, six rebounds and four assists in the win. He and Kyrie Irving led the Nets to the victory in what could be a Finals preview. It was a statement victory for the Brooklyn Nets and Doug Norrie covers the game as well as Kevin Durant's return. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Nets - Daily Podcast On The Brooklyn Nets

32 min listen

Locked on Warriors: Feb 5, 2018: Warriors Falter at Mile High - Damian Jones Appears - Defensive Breakdown: The Warriors began the weekend with a solid win in Sacramento, though they committed 25 turnovers in the 15-point victory. Stephen Curry led the team in +/- and Kevin Durant had a team high 33 points. The Dubs followed it up by posting a defensive rating of 118 in a loss to the Nuggets in Denver. In both games, GSW allowed at least 5 players from the opposition to reach double figures. There are bright spots however. Damian Jones got his first extended runs of 2018 in the two games, igniting the Warriors with a monster block against the Nuggets on Saturday. Kevon Looney played some solid minutes as well. David West was away from the team attending the funeral of Rasual Butler, his close friend. The Warriors have two meetings against the Thunder coming up—OKC is another team that has beaten the Warriors this year. So the defensive intensity will have to pick up at some point. The by Locked On Warriors – Daily Podcast On The Golden State Warriors

21 min listen

Another Jokić triple-double! | Nuggets win vs Luka Dončić, Mavericks: Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 118-109 win over the Dallas Mavericks as Nikola Jokić records his 21st triple-double. Jeff Green led all Nuggets scorers with 24 points. Michael Porter Jr. played an excellent game. Luka Dončić was awesome, but it didn't matter. Ryan discusses the starters, the bench, and where the Nuggets stand entering the All-Star break. by Pickaxe and Roll

49 min listen

Nuggets decimate the Mavericks with defense and a new rotation: Ryan Blackburn recaps the Denver Nuggets 106-75 blowout win over the Dallas Mavericks as the Nuggets add to their total of sub 100 defensive games. Aaron Gordon, P.J. Dozier, and Will Barton were excellent against Luka Dončić, while Nikola Jokić led the Nuggets offense with help from Barton and others. Ryan discusses the excellent defense, along with a new bench rotation filled with staggering starters. by Pickaxe and Roll

34 min listen

Jokić dominates, Nuggets bounce back with win vs Detroit Pistons: Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 119-100 win over the Detroit Pistons, snapping a four-game losing streak. Nikola Jokić went off with 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists. Jamal Murray had a solid bounce back game. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope shot the ball well. It was a great recovery performance for a Nuggets team that needed it desperately. Ryan discusses it all on the latest episode. by Pickaxe and Roll

63 min listen

Nuggets get best win of the season over Memphis: Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 105-91 win over the Memphis Grizzlies as Nikola Jokić goes for a 13-13-13 triple-double. The Nuggets played their best defensive game of the season, and Christian Braun getting the start in place of Jamal Murray was a big reason why. The Nuggets were clearly ready for this matchup and took it seriously. Ryan goes over the starters, the bench, and why, despite Denver holding the top spot in the West, it's okay to nitpick the details for a championship contender. by Pickaxe and Roll

43 min listen

It's time to be honest about Facu Campazzo: Ryan Blackburn recaps the Denver Nuggets 122-118 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies as Denver's starters score 101 points and are almost universally positive, other than the minutes where they overlapped with the bench. Nikola Jokić had another triple-double, this time with zero turnovers, and Will Barton added 27 points and eight assists of him own. Unfortunately, the bench just didn't have it tonight. Ryan breaks down what went wrong, what to take away from Bryn Forbes' debut, and what to do with Facu Campazzo. by Pickaxe and Roll

47 min listen

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Shorthanded Nuggets fight hard; lose to Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns

Shorthanded Nuggets fight hard; lose to Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns

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