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The Denver Nuggets vs the Utah Jazz series has been an interesting one since game one of the NBA Playoffs. Game four of this series concluded hours earlier, and it was a nail biter, to say the least.
Game 4 ended with a final score of 129-127 in favor of the Utah Jazz. With neither team having a lead of higher than 6 points for more than two minutes, this game was as close as it can get.
What kept this game exciting was the offensive explosions by the point guards of the both teams. Utah Jazz's Donovan Mitchell had an incredible 51 points in 38 minutes. Not to be outdone, Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray was dominant as well, recording 50 points and 7 assists.
This was the first-ever playoff game to have two opposing players go for 45 points or higher. The game was practically even until the last five minutes of the 4th quarter. Both teams had declining shot efficiency. Unfortunately for the Denver Nuggets, their efficiency faced a steeper decline in the final minutes, causing them to hand over the win to the Utah Jazz.
And yet, there is a lot more to focus on than the final result of this emphatic game.
Jamal Murray comes alive for the Denver Nuggets
After a stellar performance in game one, fans were expecting Jamal Murray to compete at the same level for the Denver Nuggets throughout this series. But what followed were disappointing performances, of just 14 points and 12 points in game two and game three respectively.
Fortunately for the Denver Nuggets, Murray rose and went a level above his already impressive performance from game one.
Duking it out with Donovan Mitchell, Murray recorded 50 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists. A career-high for points in the playoffs and a double-double, threatening a triple-double. After being locked up in games two and three, it is clear Murray and the Denver Nuggets have studied the Utah Jazz's defensive system and have adapted to it wonderfully. That's a bad sign for the Jazz.
But it wasn't just the Nuggets' point guard doing everything, with many other players coming up big.
Nikola Jokic had an impressive 29 points during the game and played his role as a point-forward to perfection. The only problem with his performance was Jokic's efficiency. While the Denver Nuggets player was hot from the field, shooting 50%, he was cold from deep, shooting just 30% from three-point range. If the Denver Nuggets wish to win this series, they will need Nikola Jokic to step up.
Another positive for the Denver Nuggets was the performance of their bench and role players.
Paul Millsap, Michael Porteer Jr, and Jerami Grant were alert and effective when needed. The three players weren't often gone to during offensive plays, but consistently hit important shots when they were needed.
On the defensive end, Michael Porter Jr. was especially impressive. Donovan Mitchell was an offensive juggernaut and picked on him on many possessions. While the Denver Nuggets player didn't shut him down, Porter Jr. did well enough to slow the Utah Jazz player down at times.
Despite the loss, these are good signs for the Denver Nuggets and the team could turn things in their favor as the series goes on.
Are the Utah Jazz in trouble?
Yes, the Utah Jazz did take game four and now lead the series 3-1, but that doesn't mean they can't afford to relax even for a second in this series.
Donovan Mitchell was incredible in this game, recording 51 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists. The Utah Jazz player was blazing hot for almost the whole game, shooting 55% from the field and 57% from three. A dominant performance.
Mitchell was so impressive, former NBA player, Eddie A Johnson tweeted,
The problem here isn't Mitchell though, it is the lack of offensive output from the other players in the Utah Jazz.
While being one of the best in the world on the defensive end, Rudy Gobert is close to being a liability on the offensive end.
While role players such as Jordan Clarkson and Mike Conley Jr, and Joe Ingles did well until the first few minutes of the third quarter, they weren't able to support the Utah Jazz's star well enough for the majority of the second half. Though it must be mentioned that Mike Conley did come up big for the Utah Jazz in the final two minutes of the game.
There can be no bigger proof of this point, than what happened in the final few minutes of the fourth quarter.
Donovan Mitchell had been taking more than just the majority of the shots for the Utah Jazz and was efficient throughout. Yet, in the final few minutes, not only did his efficiency drop quite a bit, due to exhaustion, he even seemed to be suffering from cramps as he appeared to go down at one point.
The Utah Jazz must thank their lucky stars Conley sank the shots he did. If he hadn't come up big for the Utah Jazz, the Denver Nuggets would have almost certainly taken game four.
What does the future hold for this series?
The defeats suffered by Denver Nuggets' might not have been in vain, as they have learnt a high amount from them and looked to have adapted themselves to a frightening degree. But, with the series standing 3-1 in the Utah Jazz's favor, every game from here on will be a must win.
The Utah Jazz isn't in too much better of a situation. There is a very real chance of their star getting exhausted more and more quickly with the games in such close proximity to each other. And with their opposition adapting at a high pace, they will look to end the series with a win in game five. If they can't do so, there is a very high possibility of Denver Nuggets coming from behind to win it all.
With so much at stake, game five is pivotal for both teams.
ALSO READ: Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets Prediction & Match Preview - August 25th, 2020 | Game 5
