🏀 And with that, the 2023 Season Comes to an End

PLUS: Is Paul Pierce Living His Best Life?

Author

Andy Elliott
June 13, 2023

The Playmaker Newsletter

PRESENTED BY

4 min read

And with that, the NBA season comes to an end as the Denver Nuggets seize their first-ever NBA championship in franchise history, forcing Jimmy Butler and the rest of the gang to head back to Miami, hoping to recruit one more superstar to strengthen their team.

If it were Ja Morant, he'd be hitting the nightclub after a loss to Denver, but hey, everyone has their own way of dealing with things. Speaking of Ja, on the other hand, Jamal Murray is the perfect example of overcoming Instagram Live setbacks and rising to the occasion by winning an NBA championship.

That said, we give our kudos to the dynamic duo of Jamal Murray & Nikola Jokic - who both began their careers as bench players - the 2023 NBA season is finally over. As the curtains close on the season, we bid farewell, knowing that winning a Finals MVP, even for Nikola Jokic, might not mean much to him tomorrow.

By the way, I wonder if Paul Pierce caught the game or if he was busy enjoying his day with his girlfriend for the day. ⬇️

In 2️⃣Day’s newsletter, we’re going to touch:

  • Nuggets Take Home the Larry 🏆

  • Is Paul Pierce Off His Rocker?! 😂

Calling all Florida-based and Miami Dolphins fans!

Calling all Florida-based and Miami Dolphins fans! Take advantage of the opportunity to attend the inaugural celebrity softball game of Xavien Howard, cornerback for the Miami Dolphins. The event will take place on June 17th at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Florida. Gates will open at noon, and you can expect special appearances by Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and other notable athletes. Enjoy a thrilling home run derby, exciting softball game, meet and greet, and various family activities packed with entertainment, rivalry, philanthropy, and more!

Nuggets Take Home the Larry 🏆

While the Heat made an incredible, record-breaking postseason run, proving to the world that they could be the team to win it all, the Denver Nuggets' journey to the Larry O'Brien trophy was equally, if not more, captivating. Why? Let's explore.

First Time For Everything 📚

  • The Nuggets emerged as champions for the first time in their 47-year franchise history. Despite having talented players like Carmelo Anthony, JR Smith, Allen Iverson, Chauncey Billups, Kenyon Martin, Chris Anderson, Nene, and Juwan Howard all on the same team in the past, they had never reached the NBA Finals.

  • The Nuggets had only made it to the Western Conference Finals four times before this season.

  • Witnessing a new team rise to claim the championship was truly remarkable and refreshing 👏

Jamal Murray’s Comeback🤕

  • On April 12, 2021, Jamal Murray suffered a devastating torn ACL injury, forcing him to sit out the entire 2021-22 season.

  • Murray endured excruciating pain, often experiencing sleepless nights with throbbing agony in his knee.

  • Critics even labeled him "damaged goods" and questioned whether the Nuggets would trade him.

  • Murray defied the odds and returned as a critical component of the championship-winning team, becoming the ninth Canadian player in NBA history to achieve this feat. His resilience is truly inspiring.

Ish Smith’s Path to an NBA Championship 💪

  • Despite limited playing time this year, Ish Smith secured his first NBA championship after a remarkable journey spanning 13 years and a record-breaking 13 different teams.

  • From entering the league as an undrafted rookie to enduring numerous trades, releases, and even stints in the G-League, Smith finally reached the pinnacle of success. Before Chris Paul, might I add?

  • Deandre Jordan has now also done the same…lol.

In 76 years, Nikola Jokic is only 1 of 10 players in NBA history with 2 regular season MVPs and an NBA Finals MVP?

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Is Paul Pierce Off His Rocker?! 😂

Paul Pierce is pure entertainment.

In case you missed it last week, Kevin Garnett hosted a live stream for Game 3 of the NBA Finals and invited no other than former teammate Paul Pierce and…another younger female which Pierce described to KG as his “girlfriend for the day” 🤣

Despite the blowout win by the Nuggets, the antics by Pierce were true comedy. The moment he got on the stream Pierce pulled off a couple of moves that had everyone, well, most of everyone, in tears. Out of the blue, he whips out this humongous cigar and demands a lighter like a boss, then someone hurls the lighter towards Pierce, but instead of catching it gracefully, it smacks him right in the chest.

He instantly lost his cool, looking in the opposite direction of where the lighter came from, and said, "Hey, my boy, don't make me smack you." Meanwhile, KG, bless his soul, tries to calm him down, telling him to relax and continue watching the game.

In another moment in the live stream, he doesn’t even realize or believe that he’s on stream and got handsy with his girlfriend for the day, to which KG tells him that they were on live stream and were working. Pierce replied, “No, we’re popping. Why don’t you understand the difference between popping and popping?”

Seconds later, the “Truth” didn’t believe they were streaming live and told the production assistant to give him his phone to see. Immediately seconds later, Pierce drops his jaw and removes his glasses in disbelief.

Nonetheless,shout out to Kevin Garnett for being a good friend and trying to de-escalate the situation throughout the stream by talking about Formula 1.

Never change Paul Pierce.

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