Stephen A. Smith Calls out ‘Horrible Brand of Basketball’ on Display in Nuggets-Thunder Series

Nuggets-Thunder series was supposed to be a battle for the ages, and so far, the games have been as competitive as they can be.

Stephen A. Smith Calls out ‘Horrible Brand of Basketball’ on Display in Nuggets-Thunder Series

Stephen A. Smith was appalled by low scoring Nuggets-Thunder Game 4 (Image via Firstsportz)

Since the All-Star break, the quality of basketball on display in the NBA has excited fans and members of the media alike. Stephen A. Smith, for instance, was looking forward to how the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets would fare in the 2nd round of the playoffs, after the thrills they showcased in the 1st round.

On one hand, the Thunder stuck true to their league-leading form and obliterated the Memphis Grizzlies. This continued to reassure Smith that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his teammates are the best bet to win the NBA title.

On the other hand, the Los Angeles Clippers proved that they are one of the better teams in the league when they pushed the Nuggets to seven games. This meant fans would be watching a series where neither team wanted to leave their fate in the open for too long, which suggested the battle was going to be epic.

The first game confirmed earlier suspicions that the Thunder would be rusty. Then in Game 2, they reverted to their usual pace of play. Game 3 was a surprise as the Nuggets leaned on their experience to win, setting up a possible classic in Game 4. Halfway into that game, Stephen A. Smith was not impressed.

There are no highlights. It’s all lowlights. It’s been horrible. It’s a horrible brand of basketball that we’ve been witnessing in terms of shot-making. Both teams are shooting 13% from three-point range.. that’s combined 6-for-44. I mean, just awful.

Stephen A. Smith said

The longtime analyst understands the playoffs are much more physical. But that does not justify the poor shooting form displayed by both the Nuggets and the Thunder. especially when both teams scored a combined 25 points in the first quarter.

Fatigue played a hand in awful Nuggets-Thunder Game 4 1st quarter

That 25-point first quarter was the lowest ever in NBA playoff history. The Oklahoma City Thunder scored 17 points off 27% shooting. But the Denver Nuggets were worse at an abysmal 9% scoring to end with just eight points. Thunder big man Chet Holmgren summed up what went wrong in that 1st quarter.

Nuggets-Thunder playoff series has been physically demanding
Nuggets-Thunder playoff series has been physically demanding (Image via Open Source/X)

This is probably the closest thing you’ll see to a back-to-back in the playoffs. Late game OT, and then come out and play not even a day and a half later. It’s a little bit of being winded out there.

Tomer Azarly quoting Chet Holmgren

Holmgren was referring to the fatigue that the players were struggling with. Both sides have battled in the first round and engaged in three games’ worth of physical basketball. But the NBA scheduling Game 4 in the afternoon after scheduling that gruelling Game 3 for late-night basketball has taken a toll.

Considering they need rest and time to rejuvenate, this scheduling mistake might have made it more difficult to score. Their tired bodies need a bit more time than just a day and a half to continue playing this level of physical and competitive basketball.

Nuggets-Thunder back on late-night schedule for Game 5

The NBA might have caused some problems for both the Oklahoma City Thunder as well as the Denver Nuggets in Game 4. They probably already heard rumblings about the potential fatigue issues both before and during the game.

Game 5 was already scheduled for 9:30 PM ET on May 13th. That means they will have another half of a day to recover. That should help the two sides recuperate and get back to playing high-quality basketball, just as Stephen A. Smith and basketball fans would want.

Games 6 and 7 are not yet scheduled. The league will need to work with broadcasting networks to figure out the best time to place these two sides. Hopefully for the players, the league does not make another blunder and schedule Game 6, keeping their rest in mind.

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