Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets Game 2 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves to improve to 2-0 in the first round series. Jamal Murray scored 40 points and hit some clutch baskets to lift the Nuggets after they let a big lead slip in the second half. Nikola Jokić was good, not great. Michael Porter Jr. was uninvolved until he made some big fourth quarter plays. The Nuggets found a way to win, showcasing how their identity has changed in tangible ways this season.
Apr 20, 2023•48 min•Ep. 460
Ryan Blackburn shares insights from Denver Nuggets practice on Tuesday afternoon as the Nuggets prepare for the Minnesota Timberwolves in a Game 2 matchup. The Nuggets know the T'Wolves will be better, more physical, and more aggressive in how they approach the game. Michael Malone, Nikola Jokić, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope all shared their thoughts on the matchup at practice, including some insights on anticipating T'Wolves adjustments. Ryan shares what he saw and heard, predicts some adjustme...
Apr 18, 2023•51 min•Ep. 459
Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets dominant 109-80 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves to take Game 1 of the first round playoff series. The Nuggets were ready to play and imposed their will on the T'Wolves early and often. Nikola Jokić was dominant early and set the tone, while Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray found their shooting rhythm later in the contest. Denver's defense was stellar throughout, and Ryan discusses all of the contributors to what was a great victory for the Nugge...
Apr 17, 2023•50 min•Ep. 458
In a crossover podcast episode, SwipaCam hosts a Denver Nuggets preview show featuring Adam Mares, Matt Moore, and Ryan Blackburn to discuss the Nuggets first round matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves. They initially share thoughts on the Play-In tournament and Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth before transitioning into playoff talk. Just how good are the Timberwolves? Which Nuggets players are under the most pressure? Will Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray answer the call? What are some o...
Apr 16, 2023•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 457
Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Minnesota Timberwolves clinching the 8th seed over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night, setting themselves up for a matchup with the Denver Nuggets in the first round. Ryan breaks down some of the strengths and weaknesses of the Timberwolves rotation, looks back at previous matchups between the two teams, and shares his keys for a Nuggets series victory.
Apr 15, 2023•43 min•Ep. 456
Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Play-In game between the New Orleans Pelicans and Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. He then reacts to Nuggets practice and shares his insights into Denver's approach this week. Finally, Ryan asks three simple questions that will answer if the Nuggets can win a championship or not.
Apr 13, 2023•53 min•Ep. 455
Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Play-In Tournament matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Lakers will be the 7 seed, and the T'Wolves could face the Denver Nuggets in the first round. Ryan discusses the game before going in-depth on the Nuggets playoff rotation, sharing his favorite Nuggets lineups ahead of their first round series.
Apr 12, 2023•44 min•Ep. 454
Ryan Blackburn and SwipaCam react to the end of the NBA's regular season, from the relatively weak Denver Nuggets finish to an incredible lead-up to the Western Conference Play-In tournament. They discuss the Play-In participants in each conference, making predictions for who will face who. Then, Ryan and Swipa discuss the Playoff Picture at large, making predictions for each first round series. Finally, they discuss the Nuggets, finally ready to do what they hoped to do before Jamal Murray tore...
Apr 10, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 453
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...
Apr 07, 2023•51 min•Ep. 452
Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 124-103 loss to the Houston Rockets that saw Nikola Jokić return to the floor and Jamal Murray exit with a nagging thumb injury. Jokić played mostly poorly with several bad turnovers, and the Nuggets struggled to get stops against one of the worst teams in the NBA. Ryan also focuses in on the issues plaguing the Nuggets post All-Star break, notably their perimeter shooting and defensive rebounding.Finally, Ryan posits that the Nuggets are still contend...
Apr 05, 2023•57 min•Ep. 451
Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 112-110 victory over the Golden State Warriors as Jamal Murray collects a game-saving block of Klay Thompson to survive a late Warriors run. Murray and Michael Porter Jr. were each fantastic, and there were some other interesting contributions. The big story was Peyton Watson though, who blocked Steph Curry three times and changed the game with his athleticism and defense. Ryan breaks down the game and where the Nuggets stand heading into the final wee...
Apr 03, 2023•54 min•Ep. 450
Ryan and Swipa break down the past week of Denver Nuggets basketball, from Joel Embiid ducking Nikola Jokić to Jokić's own injury issues and how the Nuggets have handled those. They then preview Sunday night's game against the Golden State Warriors before looking forward to the rest of the week. What will Denver's record be in the final five games of the regular season? Will they clinch the top seed in the West?
Apr 02, 2023•54 min•Ep. 449
Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 100-93 loss to the Phoenix Suns as Kevin Durant proved practically unstoppable. The Nuggets fought hard to get back into this game after trailing by as many as 27 points, but the lack of firepower without four starters proved insurmountable. Ryan breaks down the Nuggets' game plan without Nikola Jokić, bright spots from Christian Braun and Peyton Watson, and more from Denver's Friday night feel-good loss.
Apr 01, 2023•46 min•Ep. 448
Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 107-88 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. The Nuggets couldn't shoot a lick without Nikola Jokić on the floor. and the Pelicans scored whenever they needed to on the Nuggets starters. Ryan discusses the real concerns, the fake concerns, and shares some positive takeaways. Then, he breaks down the Nuggets offense without Jokić on the floor from a playoff perspective. Finally, Ryan checks in on the MVP Straw Poll conducted by ESPN that has Jokić and Embii...
Mar 31, 2023•47 min•Ep. 447
In an exclusive sit-down interview with Mile High Sports, Braun opens up about his life in the NBA. From his draft night experience, to Nuggets training camp in San Diego, to becoming a member of the Nuggets rotation, Braun shares various insights from his first year in the league. The Nuggets rookie also offers his first perspectives of Nikola Jokić and why the Nuggets have a chance to win a championship this year. He also discusses life outside of basketball, from his go-to recovery methods to...
Mar 29, 2023•33 min•Ep. 446
Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 116-111 win over the Philadelphia 76ers as Nikola Jokić outscores Joel Embiid by 25 points, out-rebounds him by 17, and out-assists him by 12. Embiid missed tonight's game with a sore calf, and the Nuggets took advantage by jumping out to an insurmountable lead in the second half. Jamal Murray also played well, scoring and facilitating with both the starters and second unit. Ryan discusses the game, the narratives, and the fallout for the rest of the r...
Mar 28, 2023•52 min•Ep. 445
Ryan and Swipa react to an epic Denver Nuggets win over the Milwaukee Bucks that saw Nikola Jokić outperform Giannis Antetokounmpo in the important moments. They share their takes on Denver rising to the challenge before discussing parity across the NBA. How many teams can win a championship this year? Finally, they preview Nuggets-Sixers and Jokić vs Joel Embiid on Monday night before sharing their Takes from the Future.
Mar 27, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 444
Ryan Blackburn shares his thoughts on the MVP race between Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Joel Embiid as the regular season winds down. Then, Ryan previews the upcoming Denver Nuggets matchups against the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday and Philadelphia 76ers on Monday, emphasizing Denver's need for a statement win or two.
Mar 24, 2023•42 min•Ep. 443
Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 118-104 win over the Washington Wizards. The Nuggets wrapped up their 5-game road trip with a 3-2 record and began to look like themselves again after a 4-game losing streak. Nikola Jokić was dominant. Jamal Murray was aggressive. Michael Porter Jr. was a literal laser beam. The Nuggets found their groove on Wednesday, and Ryan discussed it all, along with several hot takes from Nuggets fans.
Mar 23, 2023•55 min•Ep. 442
Ryan Blackburn and Dan Favale of Bleacher Report and the Hardwood Knocks podcast discuss a variety of Denver Nuggets topics. They begin with the MVP race between Nikola Jokić, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Then, they delve into Denver's defense, focusing on their playoff viability. Finally, Ryan shares his championship tiers in the Western Conference and Dan responds.
Mar 22, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 441
Ryan Blackburn breaks down the Final 10 Games of the Denver Nuggets regular season schedule, sharing insights on scheduling and rest. He predicts how the Nuggets will wrap up the season, as well as their playoff seeding in the Western Conference. Finally, Ryan shares his expectations for individual players and how Denver can prepare for the playoffs in that way.
Mar 21, 2023•48 min•Ep. 440
Ryan and Swipa share their thoughts on the Denver Nuggets up-and-down week, including wins versus Detroit/Brooklyn and losses versus Toronto/New York. Then, they discuss the rise of Michael Porter Jr. and what his season of growth means for the Nuggets in the playoffs. Finally, they preview next week's matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo before sharing their Takes From The Future.
Mar 20, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 439
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.
Mar 17, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 438
Ryan Blackburn discusses the playoff picture and how both conferences are shaping up to have interesting playoff runs. Then, he shares his thoughts on the bench unit, including different ideas to solve it before the playoffs begin. Finally, Ryan previews the remainder of the Nuggets road trip, beginning with Thursday's game against the Detroit Pistons.
Mar 16, 2023•49 min•Ep. 437
Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets fourth loss in a row, a disheartening 125-110 performance against the Toronto Raptors. Jamal Murray played poorly in his homecoming, the Nuggets defense didn't show up until the second quarter, and the Nuggets couldn't make up the difference at the end. Ryan discusses the most important factors in Denver's losing streak while trying to bring some positivity.
Mar 15, 2023•56 min•Ep. 436
Ryan and Swipa discuss the last week of Denver Nuggets basketball, including a three-game losing streak that has Nuggets fans worried. They then focus in on the Western Conference playoff picture and discuss which teams are most likely to upset the Nuggets. Finally, Ryan and Swipa preview the upcoming road trip before sharing their "Takes from the Future."
Mar 13, 2023•56 min•Ep. 435
Ryan Blackburn reacts to the ugly 128-120 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, highlighting the defensive issues, bench struggles, and another apathetic performance against a bad team. Then, Ryan laments the turns the MVP race has taken in putting a target the size of a house on Nikola Jokić's back. Finally, Ryan looks at the last 15 regular season games on the Nuggets schedule, focusing on how safe the top spot in the West actually is, and predicting Denver's record.
Mar 11, 2023•59 min•Ep. 434
Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 117-96 loss to the Chicago Bulls. The Nuggets dropped to 30-5 at home, playing with an uncustomary lack of urgency. Nikola Jokić's defense was bad. Jamal Murray couldn't find his three-point shot on the verge of the franchise record, and the Nuggets bench continues to struggle mightily. Is any of this cause for actual concern? Or was it just "one of those nights" in a long season?
Mar 09, 2023•47 min•Ep. 433
Ryan Blackburn and podcast producer Michael Ferrero discuss the facts and narratives surrounding Nikola Jokić's defense. Can Jokić be the anchor of a championship caliber defense in the playoffs? They share their thoughts before opening up the mailbag to Pickaxe and Roll listeners, answering questions about rotations, injuries, playoffs, and much more.
Mar 08, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 432
Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 118-113 win over the Toronto Raptors as Nikola Jokić records a near triple-double and Jamal Murray clutches up late with some big shots. Referee Scott Foster ejected Raptors forward Scottie Barnes during the closing seconds, and the Nuggets survived a strong Raptors performance to improve to 30-4 at home. Ryan discusses the starters, the bench, and Reggie Jackson's comments after the game about Denver's belief in each other.
Mar 07, 2023•51 min•Ep. 431
