3-point game. Since Game 1, the Spurs have hit just 17-of-53 of their 3-pointers, good for 32 percent from outside. Only Bryn Forbes and Marco Belinelli have found any sustained success from 3-point range, and Belinelli’s makes have come in a reserve role. As a team, the Spurs are making just six 3-pointers per game, by far the fewest of any team in the playoffs. The Nuggets are nearly doubling them up with 11.5 3-pointers per game on 41.1 percent shooting. San Antonio doesn’t take many 3s by nature, but the Nuggets have five guys — , , , and — all shooting better than 36 percent from deep.
White and DeRozan. Nuggets coach Michael Malone’s tactical switch put Harris on Derrick White and defensive ace Craig on DeMar DeRozan. Both Nuggets harassed their respective matchups and limited the flow of the Spurs’ offense in Game 4. White managed just eight points, five assists and four turnovers as Harris pressured him relentlessly. Craig did the same to DeRozan, who had 19 points and drew a late ejection. Both the Nuggets and Spurs are averaging the lowest number of turnovers in the playoffs (9.3). The difference is the Nuggets are averaging 27.5 assists to the Spurs’ 21.8. Denver’s physical defense kept San Antonio uncomfortable in Game 4.
Joker tone: Denver’s struggled mightily in the first quarters of every game this series. Itap not because of Jokic, who came out noticeably more aggressive in Game 4 with nine shots and six rebounds in the first quarter. Rather than feel the game out, Jokic forced the issue in a game the Nuggets desperately wanted. Now that they have home-court advantage back in their favor, expect another impassioned start from Jokic. “When he’s aggressive, we’re all pretty much aggressive,” said Nuggets forward . “He sets the tone, because he has the ball a lot. When he’s aggressive making his moves, when he’s aggressive setting his screens, guys feed off that.”
