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Derrick White had just added to a career night with a three pointer pointer to the other end of the floor. He had already played a game as complete as anyone could have asked a young player on such a scene, concealing a counterpart who had eclipsed two days earlier, with his Spurs en route to a decisive victory in the third match when the guard lost track of Jamal Murray for a while and conceded an open three.
Immediately, instinctively, White went back to his coach, who made sure to take note of what had just happened: "I made a foolish game in defense," said White about the exchange with Gregg Popovich at the mark of 5:44 of the 4th quarter his team up to 108-94. "Then he let me know about it."
White reacted to the next possession by taking a baseline of LaMarcus Aldridge's screen and doing what he had done for most of the match, ready to get to the basket for a bet. The next time, he scored 36 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 interceptions and one block – an emphatic response in itself to a defeat of the second game he personally defeated.
"I felt like a lot of [Jamal Murray’s 4th quarter points in Game 2] were on me, "said White afterwards. "So I had to step in and have him work today. It was an excellent team defense, and we will have to improve it throughout the series. "
The valiant hero of Game 2 totaled 6 points on Thursday, which earned him four assists for just two assists. More damaging for his team: he did well to stop White from turning the Nuggets defense into a personal queue. After the defeat, there was no celebration of Blue Arrow on the high band, but only the words of his coach, Mike Malone, who praised White and hoped for a similar rebound for his player on Saturday:
"There is no doubt in my mind that Derrick White recalls in recent days the performance of Jamal Murray in the fourth quarter. Derrick White came out as he had not eaten for 2 days. He went out hungry. He came out angry and sent a loud and clear message. Now, I'm looking forward to seeing our guys – how do they react to that? Where is your pride? Where is your hardness? Where is your courage? The fourth game will be an excellent overview of our team, especially our young players, especially Jamal Murray … He will learn as a child. It can not be that a quarter – it must be every night if you want to be a very good basketball player, especially in the playoffs. "
The Spurs also defended themselves against one of the best offensives in the league and one of the most unique weapons in the league at Nikola Jokic. The star center was still 22, 8 and 7, but San Antonio was able to defend it without doubling for much of the match, relying on Jakob Poeltl who overcame the trouble of the foul to make an impact at home. his 10 points and 7 rebounds. line of statistics.
"It's hard to keep," Poeltl said. "I'm learning stuff about how he plays every game. I'm just trying to pick up as much as possible, try to make his life as hard as possible, try to take away his favorite moves, and then force him to do something that's right. he does not want to do. I think it will pay off in the long run. "
The offensive display of Spurs started with the 26 points (!) De White for the first half and continued in 3rd place. His teammate DeMar DeRozan got his turn. After accumulating only 4 points in the first half, DeRozan was 19 in the 3rd quarter only, which corresponds to White's goal of putting the entire basket in the basket rather than just riders.
"I continued to be aggressive," he said about his hot spot. "As long as time is running out, I know I can make it work."
In the post-match match with Malone, attention inevitably returned to White, and the mental advantage that he and the Spurs demonstrated through their aggressive play.
"Derrick White dominated the game tonight," said the Nuggets coach. "36 points, 15 out of 21 in the peloton and a large majority of those who come in the painting … Derrick White did not feel tonight. That's the thing I take off without watching the movie. He did not feel, they did not feel and we felt them for 48 years. Big difference. "
On one of his many dominating scores on Murray, White drove right, absorbed his defender's touch and finished the glass with ease, not forgetting the fault, punctuating the moment with a bending of his right bicep .
"From time to time, I'm like that," White said of the rare celebration. "It's not really my thing, but just the emotion of the game."
White averages in this series are now 23 points (69% of shots), 4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.3 volley per game. This is not bad for the first three starts in a playoff series, even if he will remind you that he has a few playoff reps to his credit:
"Everyone said that I did not experience the playoffs, but I did it through the G League," said White, before adding: "I'm kidding . "
A flex and a joke in one night? White may not have "felt" the Nuggets on Thursday, as Malone said, but it may be that he feels himself now. At least a little bit.
Some notes and additional quotes …
Disadvantage of the bench
The San Antonio bench was outperformed in match 3, 50 to 19. Unsurprisingly, they were also net negatives while they were out in the field, with Patty Mills at a worst of -13. More disturbing perhaps is the game of Rudy Gay, who has accumulated some more mental errors after being the worst Spur on the ground in the second game. lacked brilliance, especially when he was opposed to Paul Millsap.
"Our bench was excellent, our beginners struggled," Malone said.
Bouncing advantage
Malone also noted that the Spurs have overtaken the Nuggets in the 3 games in this series. On Thursday, they had a 45-37 advantage, including 15 offensive boards.
More malone on white
"We could not stop it. They had 62 points in the painting. We gave up 16 defeats, just one-on-one. No game plan, not nothing. It was just the lack of ability to protect himself face to face … From the jump street, he attacked, he got where he wanted, he finished. He was in us defensively. It was a sacred performance of a young player. "
Pop on white
"He was fine," replied the coach to a nervous laugh when asked about White's performance. "I have to answer that question? You were at the right game. He was obviously spectacular. I do not know what to say anymore.
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