NBA: Facundo Campazzo had a good debut in the playoffs, but Denver fell home and the series was complicated

Mauricio Codocea

05/22/2021 11:35 PM

• Clarín.com

• sports

Updated 05/23/2021 2:52 AM

Facundo Campazzo began his path in the NBA playoffs, the direct elimination instance in which 16 teams will decide the champion of the best basketball league in the world.

The first round series faces the Denver Nuggets of Cordoba against the Portland Trail Blazers and will be the best of 7 games, but the start was far from ideal: it was a defeat for the Argentine 123 to 109.

The Cordovan, as has been the norm since the starting point guard and star of the team, Jamal Murray, suffered a ligament injury that left him out for the entire season, was a starter in Michael Malone's team.

And although he played an interesting game, he could not avoid defeat.

Facu

completed a roster of

8 points (2 triples), 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 cover

, but succumbed to a huge

Damian Lillard

, who broke it with

34 points, 13 assists and 5 triples.

Ready for his first NBA playoff game. @ Facucampazzo |

#MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/KmeFtGbGZR

- Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) May 23, 2021

The Argentine, as expected, in addition to being in charge of "raising" the ball for his team with possession in favor, had the difficult task of marking Damian Lillard, the rival star.

And from the start he began to make his contribution, with a back assist for Aaron Gordon after seeping down the baseline and then with a triple to make it 13-7.

💣 FACU BOMBA 💣 Undeletable

moment: Facu's first points in the NBA Playoffs!

pic.twitter.com/bB4qaWgX3g

- TeamFacu (@ TeamFacu7) May 23, 2021

Campazzo showed that aggressiveness even to charge an offensive rebound and Denver, starting, had scoring contributions from four of its five starters in the first half of the first quarter. 

But at the same time he played against him, because in less than 7 minutes he accumulated two personal fouls and DT Malone had no choice but to replace him to protect him.

That usual electricity is something to take into account in these instances and more against a star like Lillard: the arbitrations are ready to protect them and collect any infraction in their favor.

And it is not a complaint: it is a reality that is established and that there is no other to accept.

The non-sanction of LeBron James for having violated the sanitary protocols of the league in an outing, which will allow him to play the first game against the Phoenix Suns, is a complete test of the disciplinary behavior.

And arbitration is no exception.

Hand in hand with the triple from the men of the second unit (the stainless Carmelo Anthony made 3 of 3; Anfernee Simons, 2 of 2 and Norman Powell, 1-1), Portland took advantage over the end of the first quarter to go at the first mini break 35-30 up.

Campazzo returned 7m30 from the end of the second quarter, alongside Lillard.

At that time Nikola Jokic also reappeared, who was strongly taken over by the Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic.

At that moment there was a good connection with Campazzo, who saw the gap because of the attention they pay to his Serbian partner, leaked and tricked the defense into assisting him.

He tricked everyone and fed Jokic.

Excellent assistance from Cordoba 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/xTJeTiIeCC

- TeamFacu (@ TeamFacu7) May 23, 2021

In this period, Paul Millsap was important with 9 points generated between those who scored himself and those who attended.

Much more successful in the face of the rim and before a decrease in the triple of the Trail Blazers, the Nuggets were 49-47 up at 5m35.

In the absence of 1m49, Malone returned to seat Facundo and Denver closed the first half winning 61-58.

Only in that period Jokic added 22 points, although he paid in defense, where the Portland perimeter tried to use the pick-and-roll and force the pivot to be paired with the little ones, who with their speed could score more easily.

At the start of the third period, the Cordovan was vital to get the maximum advantage of the premises so far: triple and two assists that took the game to a 9 difference (71-62 and 73-64).

⭐️⭐️⭐️ SHOWTIME FACU !!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ pic.twitter.com/fIKhiJHkjS

- TeamFacu (@ TeamFacu7) May 23, 2021

You say he sees everything, Jamal?

Facundo is MAGIC 💫💫 pic.twitter.com/LSEEZn1tGl

- TeamFacu (@ TeamFacu7) May 23, 2021

However, as the minutes went by, Portland would find the triple again and in a span of five minutes it would score a partial from 24 to 11 to go on to win 84-80.

And Lillard, who in that third quarter scored 15 points, led his team to reach the last period 10 points up (96-86).

He was eloquent: if one of the hottest perimeters in the NBA found the ways to score almost 50% of triples (16-33) and the hand was frozen in front (9-27), everything was uphill.

Especially since not even Denver was uneven in penetration: Portland took many more fouls and solved them much better than the Nuggets (14-15 for the visit against 3-6 for the local at the beginning of the last period) 

From the outside, Campazzo saw how at the beginning of the final 12 minutes Portland reached the maximum of 12 (102-90), but also how, thanks to Michael Porter Jr., Denver cut to 4 (102-98).

The Cordovan and Jokic returned 6m20 from the end and the team down 107-101.

And it took him seconds to steal a ball from Lillard with his trademark hand speed. 

THE BANDIT DID IT AGAIN!

pic.twitter.com/JpnOCvUsUa

- TeamFacu (@ TeamFacu7) May 23, 2021

But by way of the triple and with a couple of more doubles, Portland escaped again, this time at 15 (118 to 103) at 3m20, an almost decisive difference.

Campazzo continued to show his fighting style, but Denver's very weak defense led to an inevitable defeat.

Surrender?

Never!

The game is uphill but Facundo continues to scratch Dame 😤 pic.twitter.com/tu7JrswcSt

- TeamFacu (@ TeamFacu7) May 23, 2021

The Trail Blazers scored 19 triples with 47.5% effectiveness, 18-19 free practice that showed aggression to attack the rim and the Nuggets were the other side: 50% from the court, but only 30% from distance and 50% in only eight free games. .

The series was 1-0, Portland stole home advantage and showed that it will be a tough opponent.