The “Nuggets” held the main tournament with dignity, as they took the third line in the Western Conference. The team demonstrated stable and, most importantly, reliable basketball, so they made it to the playoffs without any problems. Denver got Portland, which has already managed to surprise the favorite of this series. Rivals had their first match and the Nuggets could not resist. Nikola Jokic and the company did not cope with the attack of the “blazers”, therefore, now they will have to put in more effort. Michael Malone’s charges are well aware that the defeat in the second meeting will not only make life difficult, but also reduce the chances of reaching the next round. In short, hosts need to play their best game to level the score.
The first match of the series was difficult enough for the Oks. It was not easy for the Miami players to overcome the defensive redoubts of the opponent, so they began to use more and more 3-point shots. In this component of the game, Eric Spoelstra’s charges have succeeded, as they have implemented 20 such shots. This allowed the Heat to fight on equal terms with Milwaukee, but in overtime they still missed the victory. The best in the Miami lineup were Dragic and Robinson. This tandem together scored 49 points and converted 12 three-point shots.
