Nuggets playoff games have turned into “Groundhog Day”

If last night’s Nuggets playoff game felt all too familiar, that’s because it was eerily similar to what has transpired the last six times the team has taken the floor in the postseason. In that stretch, Denver is 0-6, with each game feeling like a carbon copy of the last.

Last year, they were swept by the Suns. This time around, they’re halfway to having the same thing happen at the hands of the Warriors. But that only tells part of the story.

In every game, the Nuggets have been embarrassed. The opposing team has seemingly been able to do whatever they want, whenever they want.

The scoreboard tells the story. In five of the six losses, Denver has trailed by 20 or more points at some point in the game. In other words, they haven’t been competitive.

That’s led to frustration on the part of their head coach. Michael Malone can’t help himself in postgame press conferences.

After they lost Game 2 to the Suns last year, a 123-98 drubbing, the Nuggets coach said his team “quit.” Last night, he said he needs to find five guys who want to compete for 48 minutes, not 24.

Same message. Different choice of words.

And the players have been frustrated as well. Monday night was the boiling point.

In Game 4 of last year’s sweep, Nikola Jokic was ejected in the third quarter after an overly aggressive swipe at the ball (in the minds of the officials) resulted in Phoenix’s Cameron Payne getting raked across the face.

On Monday night, Jokic was again tossed from the game, this time for getting two technical fouls arguing with the officials. It was the second time in three games that he’s been booted.

Jokic gets ejected and Draymond is loving it

(via @NBCSWarriors)pic.twitter.com/SYxL09P2JX

— Pickswise (@Pickswise) April 19, 2022

Monte Morris also got a technical foul. He threw the ball at the basket support in frustration, missed his target and was T’d up.

Then, there was the ultimate example of a team unraveling. Will Barton and Demarcus Cousins got into a shouting match on the sidelines during a timeout, followed by Jeff Green slapping Barton while he sat on the bench.

Barton and cousins fight on sidelines #nuggets #Warriors #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/vZ85u8VNk0

— Breakingtrendsnews (@Breakingtrends1) April 19, 2022

Different game. Different venue. Different opponent.

Same old Nuggets in the playoffs. It’s “Groundhog Day,” just not the funny parts.

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