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1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5New York Liberty dominate Las Vegas Aces, 99-66
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http://www.ebooksnet.com/new-york-liberty-dominate-las-vegas-aces/#respondMon, 07 Aug 2023 22:24:07 +0000http://www.ebooksnet.com/?p=269989On Sunday, August 6th, Sabrina Ionescu and the New York Liberty dominated the Las Vegas Aces, 99-66. Their 38-point win was the second largest in team history.
]]>On Sunday, August 6th, Sabrina Ionescu and the New York Liberty dominated the Las Vegas Aces, 99-66. Their 38-point win was the second largest in team history.
The New York Liberty defeated the Las Vegas Aces 99-61, and handed Vegas their biggest loss of the season. Coming into this highly anticipated matchup, the Aces were 24-2, and fresh off eight straight wins. The 1998 Houston Comets hold the best record in WNBA History (27-3), and the Las Vegas still have the chance to beat that record. The game was broadcasted on ABC and had a sellout crowd of 11,418 fans at the Barclays Center. As of three weeks ago, the WNBA's viewership was up 46 percent compared to last season. The crowd was electric, as the top two teams played the first of four matchups in August. WNBA Commisioner, Cathy Englebert was present, and discussed the growth of the WNBA, which will be touched upon in the next article.
"I think it's great that people are coming out to watch women's basketball and the WNBA. These are the best players in the world," said Brondello. "We've had great crowds, but really excited about the crowd tonight, because you know it's two really good teams going against each other. "
On Sunday, the New York Liberty hosted their annual women's health game, presented by Empire BlueCross BlueShield. Outside the Barclays, the health fair included mammogram screenings, and additional resources. The Multiple Myeloma Reaearch Foundation teamed up with the New York Liberty, and donated $500 per every Courtney Vandersloot assist, in order to raise awareness.
Before the game, Courtney Vandersloot expressed her gratitude for the awareness, and that her mother suffers from multiple myeloma.
"It's so big not only for me, but for the community—when I was going through all of this [free agency], when I was meeting with New York, it was really big on them to promise and support me in any way they wanted," said Vandersloot. "For something that's so important to me, and specifically my mom, and the whole community, I'm excited."
In their first matchup of the season, the Aces crushed the Liberty 98-81, in which New York created seventeen total turnovers. Las Vegas outscored New York in the paint, and had ten steals as a team. This second game, New York made a statement.
Prior to the win, New York had 31 rebounds in June against Vegas. On Sunday, the Liberty grabbed 48 boards, including 14 by Jonquel Jones. The Liberty starting five each seized at least four rebounds, and had key defensive boards by Betnijah Laney, Kayla Thornton, Breanna Stewart, Courtney Vandersloot, and Sabrina Ionescu. The fight for the boxouts, as well as boards, created twenty second chance points for New York, compared to the Aces zero.
The New York Liberty controlled the boards, with 26 by halftime, and limited the Aces to 12 in each of the halves. We saw several put backs by Liberty's Jonquel Jones, and rebounds that led to three-point shots, made by Ionescu, Laney, Vandersloot, and Stewart. Overall, it was a physical game, and team effort by the Liberty, who rank second in the WNBA in rebounds per game (38.5), and third in opponent rebounds per game (33.4). New York held Vegas star, A'ja Wilson, who ranks third in rebounds, to 7, and the Aces, to 24 rebounds (ten less than their game average).
New York forward Jonquel Jones talked in depth about the difference between this game, and the prior with Vegas.
"I think everybody was just locked in. I think that was the biggest thing—I felt like everyone was on the same page—when you play defense like that, it's really hard, said Jones."
Coach Brondello on second chance points and rebounding
Coach Sandy Brondello weighed in on the importance of rebounds, and how her team has improved post all-star break. "You want to be a great defense rebounding team, and I think since the all-star break, that's where we really got going—JJ's been a monster lately. Just really establishing herself down low and being relentless. Those extra possessions certainly did help us. It's just everyone doing their jobs and finishing, " said Brondello.
Liberty forward, Betnijah Laney, was a huge presence on the glass for New York. In 32 minutes, Laney grabbed 9 boards. She also played on key role on defense, as well as the offense.
Sabrina Ionescu dominates
Photo credit: Brandon Todd/New York Liberty
New York Liberty star, Sabrina Ionescu was locked in, from the time of warmups, until the end of the games. Whether in the corner or at the hash, Ionescu wasn't missing any buckets pre-game, and that translated throughout the entire matchup.
The Aces have the highest net rating in the league, and the overall best defense. Sabrina Ionescu, a lethal weapon beyond the arc, was deemed unguardable. Shooting 44 percent from the three-point this season, the Liberty guard finished with 31 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists. It marked her fifth 30-point game this season, which tied her 2022 record. Ionescu had 23 points by the first half, in which she finished the game on 6-10 three-point shooting, and 12-19 from the field.
The third-year guard also leads the league with 94 three-pointers made. New York's Betnijah Laney had a beautiful defensive save, which turned into Ionescu hitting a three-pointer from nearly the logo. The all-star impressed the home crowd, took advantage of open looks, the pick and roll, full court presses, along with off ball screens. Ionescu pounded the lay ins, made crisp, sharp passes, only comitting one turnover.
The New York Liberty had a monster second half
The second half of the game was entertaining, yet simply magnificent. The Liberty went on a 35-9 run with 8 minutes to go, and outscored the Aces 30-9 in the third quarter. On Sunday afternoon, New York shot 50 percent from the field, 44 percent from the three, and made all of their shots at the line. Their 38-point win over the Aces was the second largest in team history, and arguably New York's best game of the year.
Defensive Showdown
Defensively, New York held Las Vegas, the leading offensive team in the league, to just 17 points in the second half. By the end of the first quarter, Aces player, Jackie Young had 8 points, and couldn't be stopped inside. In the second quarter, New York collapsed inside the paint, allowing Aces guard, Kelsey Plum, to knock down threes. The Liberty mainly opted to play man defense, creating the stops in the interior, and switching on screens.
New York made adjustments, and Betnijah Laney played strong defense. Liberty star, Breanna Stewart had a tough matchup with Aces A'ja Wilson, who had 11 of her 23 points in the fourth quarter. Stewart, who had three blocks and steals, held Wilson to 9 points on 2-14 shooting. Overall, it was a solid team effort on both sides of the ball, with terrific ball movement. On offense, they looked for the mismatches, and capitalized on them.
In addition, Courtney Vandersloot finished with ten points, and six assists, which puts her second on the all-time assist list. Her six dimes raised $3000 for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.
Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart on the victory
Photo credit: Sara Jane Gamelli/Ballislife
If you were watching the game on ABC, the Liberty were having fun as a team. Poised to win a championship with Jonquel Jones, Sabrina Ionescu, and Breanna Stewart, the starting five had 25 assists, and won four straight games. With the amount of talent and options on this team, Sabrina Ionescu gave her thoughts post-game.
"A lot of fun, just being able to share the ball and understand that we have so many weapons and ways we can attack—the more we're able to figure out one another and continue to build chemistry, we're just a tough team to beat, and I think we were able to show that tonight," said Ionescu.
Breanna Stewart was asked about the victory over the best team in the league, and what message that win sent to the league.
"The statement that we made is, we're taking the plays hard, and especially, when we really lock in and are all on the same page, defensively, and offensively. It's hard to stop. We had a 50,40,100 game, which is kind of crazy."
The WNBA Commissioner Cup is an in-season tournament, where teams compete for funds with the addition charitable donations. The New York Liberty will play the Las Vegas Aces for this year's cup, on Tuesday, August 15th, at Michelob ULTRA Arena. Both Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart gave their thoughts on the upcoming cup matchup.
"It was a goal of ours, obviously, to play for a Commissioners Cup championship. Understanding that, we've set the level of how we need to play every single game, in order to be at our best," said Ionescu.
The New York Liberty are set to face the Aces three more times in August, including for the Cup.
Sabrina humbly talked about her team, what the win meant tonight, and future matchups with Vegas. "Throughout the next month, we're gonna se them a lot, so we have to continue to just make adjustments and play within ourselves and continue to get better." "We are not sitting here jumping for joy that we beat them. I think for us, it's just a wakeup call of how good we can actually be."
Stewart quickly added, "I'm excited for the charter."
The New York Liberty will next face off against the Chicago Sky, at home on August 11th. The Las Vegas Aces will face the Dallas Wings on the road, Tuesday.
Sara Jane is a full-time Sportswriter at BallisLife, Journalist, and Sports Content Creator on Twitch. She has a focus on the NBA, WNBA, NCAA Basketball, and the NFL. Sara Jane currently resides in Connecticut with her Cat and Dog. She is a Boston Celtics, Boston Bruins, New York Yankees, and New York Giants fan. SJ has her undergraduate degree from the University of Connecticut in Economics.
]]>http://www.ebooksnet.com/new-york-liberty-dominate-las-vegas-aces/feed/0SxOWRE1ximage_6487327IMG-2507The New York Liberty make WNBA HISTORY
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http://www.ebooksnet.com/the-new-york-liberty-make-wnba-history/#respondMon, 24 Jul 2023 18:14:25 +0000http://www.ebooksnet.com/?p=26966844 points scored in the first Quarter makes history, and New York coved the spread, and the over hit.
Betnijah Laney had herself a career day, and helped the New York Liberty made NBA History Sunday at the Barclays Center. Laney finished with a career-high 22 points and shot 3-5 from the three-point. In 30 minutes on the court, Laney had some impressive looks beyond the arc, in addition to some easy lay ins at the basket.
Laney had some luck from her niece, JJ, who sat courtside for the game.
Image taken by Sara J. Gamelli. Left, Betnijah Laney; Middle, Head Coach Sandy Brondello, Right, Jonquel Jones.
Betnijah Laney gave fans some insight to why she performed so well against the Fever.
"Well, I did have a conversation with one of my coaches and some of my teammates just about today, and then I had JJ sitting court side, so that helped a lot."
(Photo by Michelle Farsi/Getty Images)
When asked about her consistency, Laney simple stated:
"Just being confident in my shot, taking it when it's there."
Betnijah Laney shot 69 percent from the field, 60 percent from the 3-point, had 1 steal and 1 block.
The Liberty made history Sunday, scoring 44 points in the first quarter, which is a new WNBA record. By the first quarter, the Liberty had six made three-pointers, and fourteen interior points. Their previous first quarter high was 36 points scored against the Indiana Fever back in May. During the post-game conference, former WNBA Coach of the Year, Sandy Brondello had some comments after her team made WNBA history.
"Look, we've been talking about just getting more ball movement and not forcing the early ones if it's not a great shot, and I think this team is just buying in to how we want to play and we have success when you go out there and have success doing it the right way. I think that's nice. 44, I mean, I was just a spectator after a while. I'm like, "Okay, this looks pretty good."
4-time All Star, Jonquel Jones, is coming off her second straight double-double, with 18 points, 11 rebounds, 57 percent three-point shooting. In New Yorks previous win against Washington, Jones had 27 points, and 11 rebounds. All-Star rookie, Aliyah Boston fought in the paint all afternoon against Jones, and ultimately ran into foul trouble. Boston acquired three fouls in the first quarter, which resulted in a flagrant foul against Breanna Stewart.
Overall, the Liberty had 20 second chance points, including 8 offensive rebounds for Jones. Second chance opportunities opened up three-point shots for Courtney Vandersloot, who has the most 10-assist games in WNBA single season. Sabrina Ionescu made 2 three pointers, including a 25 foot three-pointer jumper in the third quarter, assisted from Vandersloot.
Jones opened up about the game and their success as a team.
"I think we sometimes slow down a little bit too much and try to play a little bit too methodical--- Our passing and our strength work, we're a transition teams that moves the ball quickly, and makes teams kind of get back, whether they score or miss the shot ----- "Playing the way that we played to get the lead, and not just kind of slowing down----- " It's pretty hard to play a perfect game, but I think we handle it very well, and definitely had the right type of mindset and voice."
The Liberty rank first in the WNBA in three-point percentage (38.9), and three-pointers made (10.9). New York additionally made 17 threes as a team and shot over 50 percent from the floor. We often saw mismatches for Breanna Stewart, wide open threes, along with strong interior offense for the Liberty.
Sunday's game was an overall collaborative effort from the Liberty. Laney, Stewart, Jones, Ionescu, Thorton, and Johannes all had points in double figures. Johannes had several open looks, and turnovers, which led to made threes. It was her best 3-point shooting day of the month, in which Marine shot 57 percent. After the game, Johannes gave her post game thoughts:
"I'm just trying to stop overthinking. like I said earlier, just I know everyone trusts me, I have to find a way [to like] have fun again."
On the betting side, the Liberty won the money line [-900 on Draft Kings] covered the -13.5-point spread, and the over hit at 184 total points. It was New York's fourth 100-point game of the season, and their Over/Under ratio is 13-7-0 this season. Both Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu hit the under for their prop bets. We saw Brenna Stewart make mostly low and high post shots.
Sara Jane is a full-time Sportswriter at BallisLife, Journalist, and Sports Content Creator on Twitch. She has a focus on the NBA, WNBA, NCAA Basketball, and the NFL. Sara Jane currently resides in Connecticut with her Cat and Dog. She is a Boston Celtics, Boston Bruins, New York Yankees, and New York Giants fan. SJ has her undergraduate degree from the University of Connecticut in Economics.
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]]>http://www.ebooksnet.com/the-new-york-liberty-make-wnba-history/feed/0unnamed-2Indiana Fever v New York LibertyNEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 23: Betnijah Laney #44 of the New York Liberty celebrates a season-high of 22pts and a team win over the Indiana Fever with her niece Yolanda at Barclays Center on July 23, 2023 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michelle Farsi/Getty Images)Is Victor Wembanyama the #1 Pick?
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http://www.ebooksnet.com/is-victor-wembanyama-the-1-pick/#respondWed, 21 Jun 2023 17:27:06 +0000http://www.ebooksnet.com/?p=268231NBA Draft: What will the Trail Blazers do?
?We are officially one day away from the 2023 NBA Draft, and it’s clearer than ever who are the favorites to go 1-2-3 Thursday. French Super Star Victor Wembanyama has been seen riding the subway in New York City, as the league awaits the #1 selection. In addition to throwing out the 1st ceremonial pitch at the New York Yankees Game Tuesday night, there’s still speculation and much confidence he will be the first overall pick in the draft.Although anything can happen, it’s looking very promising Alabama Forward Brandon Miller, and G-league sensation Scoot Henderson will follow 2-3 in the draft.
Additionally, we’ve seen some incredible, iconic drafts in the history of the NBA. This includes the 1984 draft class that included Michael Jordon, Charles Barkley, John Stockton, and Hakeem Olajuwon. In 1996, we saw some of the greatest basketball of all time drafted. That class included the late Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Steve Nash, Ray Allen, and Derek Fisher. The 2003 draft class was one of the most iconic, which included LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, David West, Chris Bosh, and Carmelo Anthony. Can this year’s draft top those iconic years? The odds have changed from our let’s article. Let’s break down the NBA odds and analysis.
1st Overall Pick Odds
San Antonio Spurs hold the #1 Pick.
Player Odds
*Odds Courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook*
The San Antonio Spurs still currently hold the #1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft,after finishing 22-60 last season. The Spurs, led by longtime coach Greg Popovich,haven’t won an NBA Championship since the 2013-2014 season. In fact, the last time San Antonio had the #1 pick was in 2007 when they drafted NBA Legend Tim Duncan. From 1997-2001, the Spurs additionally drafted NBA greats Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, who’s also from France. Will San Antonio follow in the footsteps of Tony Parker, and draft the biggest sensation from France?
Victor Wembanyama is the biggest prospect since the arrival of LeBron James, and the Spurs already have talent in Devin Vassell, Tre Jones, and Keldon Johnson. According to LP Ellis of Spurs Talk, "two different league sources I've spoken to say the Spurs are one of the most active teams in trade talks heading into the draft. I still stay Arkansas sensation Anthony Blacks projection is lower, and the Spurs could target him.
Reported by Bleacher report, the Spurs are telling teams their preference is to trade for another first-round pick." It seems as if San Antonio is committed to the #1 pick, although we cannot specifically say Wembanyama at this time. The good news is that Victor Wembanyama would certainly embrace his role with the San Antonio Spurs.According to Bleacher Report, Wembanyama told reporters, “To me, San Antonio is synonymous with winning.” The 19-year-old prospect also quoted, he felt “l(fā)ucky” considering the general structure the Spurs have put in place over the years that helped their players thrive.
It's important to note, the San Antonio Spurs have won 5 NBA Championships under Head Coach Greg Popovich, from 1998-2013.The odds of drafting Victor are very high at -20000. For betting purposes, I would stay away from that line, as you would gain very little return on investment. Unless you have thousands of dollars for your bank roll.
2nd Overall Pick Odds
The Charlotte Hornets hold the #2 Pick.
Player Odds
*Odds Courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook*
The Charlotte Hornets currently hold the #2 pick in the NBA Draft, after going 27-55 last season. The Hornets most recently drafted LaMelo Ball #3 in the 2020 draft, and their last #2 pick was Center Alonzo Mourning in the 1992 draft. Also, the decision for Michael Jordon to sell his ownership in the Hornets leaves the organization with many questions surrounding ownership. ?According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Jonathan Givony, even though Jordan sold his stake in the franchise, Michael Jordon is expected to be in attendance when the Hornets plan to “conduct a second round of workouts and interviews” with Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller.
Last week the odds were completely different, and guard Scoot Henderson was projected to go #2 to the Hornets. Woj also stated that both Miller and Henderson prefer Charlotte due to their southern roots, and the “Hornets are reportedly planning to select Brandon Miller at #2 in the NBA Draft.
The Hornets have their franchise guard LaMelo Ball, and it seems that Miller would be a better selection to play alongside Ball.However, this may not always be the case. Last year, the Magic selected Paolo Banchero out Duke, while Jabari Smith was the projected #1 pick. With Miles Bridges and P.J. Washington left as restricted free agents, there’s a possibility the Hornets will be very thin at the forward position. If this is the case, Brandon Miller would make the most sense. The odds for Brandon Miller are -400, however the Hornets can still trade the pick, or perhaps select Scoot after all. The odds at -400 is a risky bet, considering there is still a chance Henderson could be drafted here.?
Odds: Top 3 Exact Order.
Since the legalization of sports betting came about in 2018, the opportunities have expanded. For example, not only can some states bet on the draft, but you can also bet on different scenarios. In the 2023 NBA Draft, certain states can bet on the top 3 exact order of the NBA Draft.As of right now, the projected top three include Victor Wembanyama, Brandon Miller, and Scoot Henderson. Let’s break down the odds and discuss the Portland Trailblazers #3 pick.
Top 3 Exact Order Odds
*Odds Courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook*
All these odds are contingent on Victor Wembanyama going first overall in the Draft. If for some reason, Wembanyama is NOT selected #1 overall, none of these scenarios would work. I would like to point out Villanova's Cam Whitmore, Arkansas Guard Anthony Black, and Houston Forward Jarace Walker are three players that COULD end up in the top three, and many teams are looking to trade up for. As mentioned previously, the odds have significantly changed since there have been reports the Charlotte could take Brandon Miller at #2.
Pick #3: Portland Trail Blazers
There has been news swirling about the #3 pick held by the Portland Trailblazersand whether they will keep or trade away the pick. According to Bleacher Report, the Pelicans have expressed interest in G-League Ignite Guard Scoot Henderson. However, the Pelicans have not made a formal offer to our knowledge, and the draft is just one day away. The reports come days after it was reported Zion Williamson does not have a relationship with the Pelicans organization.
It’s no secret All-Star Damian Lillard has remained faithful with the Trailblazers and expressed his desire to win an NBA Championship. Lillard recently signed a 2-year $122 million extension, which would keep him in Portland until the 2026-2027 season. In fact, Lillard liked a tweetinvolving a potential move for the Trail Blazers to acquire Zion Williamson this week, along with the desire to not get involved in the draft process.
What will Portland do with the pick?
Portland hasn’t won a championship since the 1976-1977 season, and Lillard has been to the playoffs 8 times. However, the Portland Trailblazers have never been able to get over the hump and make it to the NBA Finals.
With the #3 Pick, the Trail Blazers have an incentive to trade the pick for a start to pair with Lillard. Additionally, there have been several reports that the Blazers expressed interest in trading for Miami Heat’s big Man Bam Adebayo.
According to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, the Portland Trail Blazers are “planning on keeping” the #3 overall pick. If Brandon Miller is selected #2 overall to the Hornets, Scoot Henderson might be a nice fit with Lillard. If this is the case, I would imagine Anfernee Simons would be put on the trade block. Players such as Ja Morant, Luka Doncic, and even Keegan Murray have been huge contributors to their teams. There could be a possibility the #3 pick could be that guy next to Lillard.
For More NBA Betting Info & Game Predictions,?Follow us at @BallislifeBets.
Sara Jane is a full-time content creator,?focusing on both college basketball, the NBA, NFL, and writer of www.ebooksnet.com.?Don’t forget to follow her on Twitter/YouTube/Kick/Twitch/Instagram: @GGirlSports.
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]]>http://www.ebooksnet.com/is-victor-wembanyama-the-1-pick/feed/0image_6487327 (3)image_6487327 (5)image_6487327 (4)2023 NBA Finals: Heats vs. Nuggets: Can the Heat win it all?
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http://www.ebooksnet.com/2023-nba-finals-heats-vs-nuggets-can-the-heat-win-it-all/#respondThu, 01 Jun 2023 16:58:44 +0000https://bilcomprd.wpengine.com/?p=267527NBA Finals: Heat vs. Nuggets.
?It’s June 1, and the NBA Finals are here. The 8th Seed Miami Heat (44-28, 17-24 Away) will face off against the 1 Seed Denver Nuggets (53-29,34-7 Home) in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Miami is coming off an incredible Game 7 win against the Boston Celtics, despite blowing a 3-0 lead. The Denver Nuggets are well rested, after defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 4-0.? Miami is the 2nd 8th Seed to make the Finals in NBA History behind head coach Erik Spoelstra.? These two teams will play tonight at 8:30 PM EST, at Ball Arena, located in Denver, Colorado. In addition, the matchup will air on ABC/ESPN+.If you are looking for the best betting odds and stats, here is information to know:
NBA Championship Odds
Miami Heat:+320.
Denver Nuggets: -425.
Regular Season Matchup
Nuggets 2-0 vs. the Heat this season.
?The Denver Nuggets and The Miami Heat only faced off two times in the NBA regular season.In fact, these teams haven’t matched up since February, which was before the NBA All-Star Game. Although the Nuggets won the regular season matchup 2-0, it’s worth noting both of those games were decided by five points or less.Let’s break down the regular season series, the betting odds and results.
?There wasn’t much separation between these two teams until the 4th Quarter, and it was a dog fight until the end. Although Jamal Murray only attempted 9 shots, he found his stride in the last 5 minutes of this game. For most of this game, the Nuggets didn’t rely on one superstar to carry this team. Star Center Nikola Joki? finished with a double-double, and +/- +14 for the game, and all five of their starters had points in double-digits. Although Jamal Murray finished +/- -9 on the court, he scored half his points in the last quarter, and shot 4-9, and 1-3 from the three.
Given Miami outscored Denver 33-25 in the third quarter, Jamal Murray took over once the Nuggets were down. Murray showed why he is a fantastic ball player in clutch situations.In the last few minutes of the game, he was able to get to the line, hit his threes, and drive to the rim. Overall, the Nuggets bench added 50 Points. It’s important to note Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led the Nuggets in points and shot 100 percent.
Denver shot an incredible 60 Percent from the Three, and nearly 60 Percent from the field. Although they struggled with their free throws compared to the Heat, both teams equally rebounded the basketball, and were almost even in every category.
Despite Miami’s slow start, and their inability to rebound, the Heat came alive in the 2nd quarter. Although most of their players struggled shooting, Tyler Herro led the way with 26 Points, 10 Rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 block. In addition, Miami had 13 steals as a team, and forced Denver to turn the ball over. Both Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo had 4 steals a piece, however, the Heat failed to get major defensive stops down the stretch.As a team, Miami shot 40 Percent from the three, and 45 percent from the field. In addition, their bench added 44 Points. If Tyler Herro can come back from his hand injury, he will be a vital part of this Heat Offense.
Denver Nuggets 112 @ Miami Heat 108 (Game 2).
Betting Odds:Even ML, Over/Under 217. Betting Results:Denver Money Line, Push on the spread -4, OVER: 220.
Game Summary
?Nikola Joki? ability to score in the paint was a huge reason why the Denver Nuggets took Game 2. Although Miami has excellent defense, Joki? finished +5 on the court, with 27 Points, 12 Rebounds, and 8 assists. In addition, Nikola Joki? shot 12-14 from the field and hit 100 percent of his shots at the line. Although the Nuggets were without stars Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon, Bruce Brown, Vlatko Cancar, and Michael Porter Jr. all had points in double-digits.
In addition, Denver had 34 points off the bench, and erupted for 38 points in the 2nd quarter. Denver shot an incredible 57.9 Percent from the field. And 39 Percent from the three. They outrebounded Miami, especially defensively, and beat them in the paint. Nikola Joki? is a player that makes everyone around him better. If he’s double-teamed and can’t score, he always finds the open man.
Miami was without guard Tyler Herro, who put up 27 points in Game 1. To put it lightly, the Heat struggled to shoot this game. Jimmy Butler led the way with 27 Points, 1 Steal, 9 assists, and 10 rebounds. Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, and Bam Adebayo put up points in double figures, however, they all struggled shooting to some degree. Miami finished the game shooting 34 Percent from the Three, and 43 Percent from the Field. It’s important to note that Max Strus and Jimmy Butler both attempted 18-20 field goals.
Post Season Statistics:
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat average the following throughout the playoffs: Points per Game:111.7 PPG Opponent Points Per Game: 107.4 PPG Assists Per Game:23.7 APG. Rebounds Per Game:41 RPG Steals Per Game:7.4 SPG Blocks per Game:3.4 BPG Free throw Percentage:80.4 % Three-Point Percentage:39 % Field Goal Percentage: 47.2 % Point Differential:+4.2
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets average the following throughout the playoffs: Points per Game:116.4 PPG Opponent Points Per Game:108.1 PPG Assists Per Game:25.8 APG Rebounds Per Game:44.2 RPG Steals Per Game:7.1 SPG Blocks per Game:3.9 BPG Free throw Percentage:81.5 % Three-Point Percentage:38.6 % Field Goal Percentage: 49 % Point Differential:+8.3
Miami Heat
?The Miami Heat are a great basketball team, loaded with talent around All-Star Jimmy Butler. Players such as Caleb Martin, Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, and Bam Adebayo have had big games. Led by Head Coach Erik Spoelstra, the Heat are the 2nd 8th Seed to make it to the Finals in NBA History.? Their journey to the 2023 NBA Finals has been anything but easy. The Miami Heat defeated the 1 Seed Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, and went on to beat the New York Knicks, and the 2nd Seed Boston Celtics. With Jimmy Butler nursing an ankle injury, and Tyler Herro out with a hand fracture, do the Heat have the pieces to beat the Nuggets?
Denver Nuggets
?The Denver Nuggets are a 1 seed for a reason. Led by MVP Candidate Nikola Joki? and Jamal Murray, Denver has some serious talent around them. The Nuggets defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round, followed by series wins against the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers. Can Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon continue to step up? Can Denver improve their defense, especially against the pick and roll? If Nikola Joki? struggles, can he trust his teammates to make the plays? As of right now, the Denver Nuggets’ odds of beating the Miami Heat are -425. It’s important to note, the Boston Celtics had -500 odds to win the Eastern Conference Finals series against Miami. This is going to be a closer series than some think. Stay tuned for more articles pertaining to the NBA Finals
Prediction: Nuggets in 6.
Stay tuned for more odds, stats, and predictions for the NBA Finals.
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Sara Jane is a full-time content creator, focusing on both college basketball, the NBA, NFL, and writer of www.ebooksnet.com.Don’t forget to follow her on Twitter/YouTube/Twitch/Instagram: @GGirlSports.
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FINAL SCORES & TOP PERFORMERS THREAD 
August 15th 
Las Vegas
We had Liberty OVER and ML today!
