How a Rookie Changed the NBA Finals

In just 19 minutes of play off the bench, rookie Christian Braun had a big time impact on both ends of the floor in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
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[@swannytd]

3 HS state champ, one NCAA champ, one NBA champ. 22 years old.

[@KLUJICS]

Pretty damn impressive!

[@igorpetkovic9987]

He'll give you insane defense with minimal mistakes and no hesitation, great effort. He's gonna become as good as KCP in a year or two.

[@ye.ha.8378]

He's more consistent than KCP

[@VinceLyle2161]

@@ye.ha.8378 It's a small sample size, but I think you're right. KCP is very inconsistent. When he's on, he's a great third option, but that's so rare. I think given the opportunity Braun would leave everything out on the court on both ends. He has a fire KCP lacks after ten years. You can tell Braun has been watching Jokic, too. He cuts to make himself available for the pass and when he drives, he's willing to give up the good shot for a great shot. I hope he gets more playing time in Game 4.

[@dxfifa]

@@ye.ha.8378 He's also a much worse shooter and scorer, and clearly worse on defense. Braun is consistently mediocre with rare games like this

[@klay8760]

@@dxfifa he's not a worse defender, i'd sey they're about equal right now but braun is a rook. he'll pass him in that aspect

[@barrygaler3701]

@@dxfifa wrong

[@LionMentality1982]

Been watchin Braun for a while. He gave Booker of the Suns some problems and even guarded Lebron. He's a good player that can only get better

[@dimelo58]

Dude is fearless, when he bumped jimmy I was like 👀👀👀

[@rumhave9632]

Nikola is a wonderful mentor for a high energy rookie like Braun.

[@VinceLyle2161]

You can see from his play that Braun has been paying attention.

[@jonathanikeda8727]

To me, Denver Nuggets revealed a secret weapon to Miami Heat. Christian Braun is one of the most dangerous rookies because he is a versatile player in offense and defense with high IQ. He is capable to understand the game when he is playing.

[@ektran4205]

braun is scottie pippen

[@carlpatrickragas2159]

​@@ektran4205No. More of Michael Finley. shooter and great guard and wing defender. Pippen is a playmaking defender.

[@matthewrobertson7255]

I love Braun. Love him. I worry sometimes what happens if he’s a high volume scorer out of necessity and his awkward layup package isn’t falling. I’m glad his shot is looking much better than when in Lawrence.

[@pewpew9193]

​@@matthewrobertson7255 He has the bounce to play above the rim, so I can imagine he would be dunking a lot more if he was in a volume scoring role.

[@tropickman]

He has good potential, but he needs to improve his 3pt shot. Any way you slice it, Nuggets are weaker without Bruce Brown

[@andrejpetrovic8240]

As a Serbian and a Jokic fan, I can say that Christian Braun leveled up the most in that game 3 and he was the guy that kept me woke the whole time, btw, in Serbia the match starts at 2:30 am, so it was a struggle to stay woke ,hahah

[@loodakris5928]

Haha good luck tonight!

[@asdfqwerty]

Love your commitment to watching int he middle of the night!

[@NeneVZ]

Don’t let DeSantis catch you

[@user-dj4wf8so8t]

He actually is a good shooter. See KU highlights. This will become more apparent as he goes along and his actual value and potential is tapped into.

[@arithmetech]

Facts

[@jr_ayala_RCJH]

Rock Chalk!

[@mangucki]

This was one of the nicest games of basketball to watch. Big dubs for Braun.

[@Kingfisher1215]

He’s being used mostly as a defender, but he wasn’t really considered a top defender in college. Malone told him to play tough defense and that’s what he has done.

[@BellanGracie]

Another product of the Bill Self Kansas University basketball program. Braun was very teachable and took full advantage of the opportunity. Love watching him play!

[@zappbrannigan2415]

He is the main reason why they traded Bones away so quick

[@richardeliefernandez1610]

This is a great analysis on the rookie! You are right on seeing his skill set now and what kind of warrior he will develop into! Way to go Christian!!! Tear it up rookie no more!!! GO NUGGETS!!!! WOO-HOOO!!!!! 2022-2023 NBA CHAMPIONS!!!!

[@Kentarius]

Lmao

[@tyriordan]

heat in 7

[@johnbalnis1972]

Great analysis but saying he’s not a shooter isn’t really accurate. 35% from 3 as a rookie is pretty good and at KU he was a bomber. He’ll be a top tier shooter in the next couple of years.

[@twoquickii1330]

@@johnbalnis1972 Agreed, I think what the analysis meant is that you can afford to give him that shot occassionally, especially with being a rookie. But if he was 40% (just a bit better) they would not be able to leave him wide open in those scenarios. The kid has gone under the radar at every level. Started almost immediately at Kansas, and then to come off the bench as a true rookie in a pivotal finals game and go 8/9 and be exactly where he should be defensively at almost all times, it's a testament to how truly good he really is.

[@calkelpdiver]

Christian Braun played fundamental and hustle basketball. I hope he keeps playing this style and doesn't get lazy like a lot of the NBA players. If his teammates on the floor keep him involved in the game/play then he will have impact for them and the team overall. He has really good court vision and sense of where things are going, so he can sneak in the back door for an easy 2, or cut across and steal the ball. Yeah, he impressed me. A rookie and 22 years old he played like a seasoned sixth man coming onto the court. I hope the Nuggets keep him for a long time.

[@mikemorgan5015]

Loved him at KU. Always a gamer with swagger. He far exceeded my expectations for his first NBA season. Great intensity, discipline, effort and basketball IQ along with coachability. So happy for him. If he develops a 3pt game, watch out! Maybe, with an NBA Championship, the Nuggets can afford some uniforms next season. Haha!

[@nhardman]

I thought he was better than Ochai at KU. He was a better team player and he should have been the #1 wing at KU.

[@Lost_souls_lose_freedom]

Agree with everything you said. As a KU fan we know he has a 3pt game. My opinion is that as a rookie he didn't exactly have a "green light" to shoot. I think he knew his role and what the coach was asking of him and that's exactly what Braun was going to do. I believe we'll see his 3 ball come out as his 2nd season progresses. Either way I'm sooo excited for him!

[@Lost_souls_lose_freedom]

​@@nhardmanI think a lot of us thought that. I think he and everyone naturally thought it was going to be Ochai's team but throughout the season Braun realized more and more that it was his and he became way more aggressive. He actually kind of spoke on that on Mitch Lightfoot's podcast. Ochai was always to soft.

[@mikemorgan5015]

@@nhardman He wasn't "better" talent or skill wise. He has a killer instinct that Ochai lacks. Ochai is a very gifted and talented nice kid. Hopefully, he'll develop an alpha court presence, but he'd better do it quickly, or he'll find himself out of the league or relegated to lots of bench minutes.

[@mikekelly607]

It's pretty impressive watching Braun's non-stop activity and the way he flies down the court with the ball. A very impressive rookie and an important piece of a very talented Nugget squad. Denver has a bright future if they don't lose too many guys. A couple guys will chase the money, but if they can keep most of this team together, they will compete at a championship level for the next several years.

[@elmehdinafia1237]

This franchise never misses on their draft picks smh..

[@Kingfisher1215]

Well, as much as I love Denver, they do miss on some. They grab a few that don’t fit their culture, Bones Hyland is a great example.

[@musclecarenjoyer]

@@Kingfisher1215 bones wasn’t terrible but he wasn’t amazing still decent for a low to mid 20s pick just needs to get his efficiency up and he’ll be a solid 20pt scorer off the bench maybe even a potential yearly 6th man of the year contender

[@ye.ha.8378]

Donovan Michael was a huge Denver miss

[@kailencitron6839]

⁠@@musclecarenjoyer bones was a steal. The kid is like 22 or something. He will be An amazing offensive player in his prime. It wasn’t just a “decent” pick it was a great one. It’s unfortunate he had attitude problems but I still hope he gets a ring if/when the nugs win this. He showed a lot of love to the city of Denver

[@elmehdinafia1237]

@@Kingfisher1215 even if his personality didn't fit with Denver locker room he was still a great player and they got 2picks when they traded him to LAC and that's a W. Yep missed on Donovan Mitchell but it's still ok tho cuz if they had Donovan we don't know if Murray would have the opportunity to flourish and become the player that he is today.

[@pewpew9193]

This is a guy that can start as a Wing & give you All-NBA Defense, then step up his scoring with the 2nd unit on the court. Incredibly valuable player to have on the Roster.

[@noobster101]

Braun really did a good job. So many movements that helps a lot for the team.

[@that_dudemr1286]

Gabe Vincent had the nerve to do that look he did to him in Game 2 when he shot that 3 hahahahaha revenge is so sweet lol

[@Satanclaus34]

Player that you need when you remember basketball is a team sport

[@enzorocha2977]

Love Braun's surprise turn in Game 3; it's always a joy seeing a second unit rise to the occasion the way he did. That said, at 0:40 he didn't "crash the defensive glass for a rebound" (at least not how that phrase is traditionally used); he got the ball off a Jokic (Zeller?) soft tap lol.

[@aymee7136]

Playoffs was my first time seeing him. Solid talent.

[@jimtruscott5670]

Imagine the Nuggets with Jokic,Murray, Gordon,Braun and ? on the floor simultaneously ! I can’t wait for next season !

[@johnadams3175]

The kid was very impressive! They better hand on to him. He works hard.

[@pfwag]

Bright future. Going to be interesting to see his skill and BB IQ development over the next year or two.

[@Tedholla79]

6:44 we enjoy all your breakdowns

[@devong2525]

Us Kansas fans knew he could compete

[@KLUJICS]

Rock Chalk

[@lalelale9767]

Kid is the Champ.. We'll watch his replays next ten years..❤️💪💪💪💪

[@BiggidyB]

Love it. I see Amari as the Braun in this 2023 draft. Both can do everything with motors that never stop, won’t stop, can’t 🛑

[@jeffg6900]

His outside shot and body strength will continue to improve

[@wjatube]

What's interesting is Braun shot 37% from three while at Kansas. So he certainly can be utilized to stretch the defense. We've seen the defense, the dribble drive and off-ball movement but if he can add another percentage point or two onto his three-ball he will definitely be worth the 1st round draft pick the Nuggets used to draft him for years to come.

[@redlion6031]

Wow , good take. Very nice.

[@annalynpolangco6634]

Looking forward this guy..

[@joebartos4285]

Enjoyed watching Braun at KU, amazed to see him play well in the NBA. He really learned to play within his skill set. In college he showed a really slow shot release and poor touch going to the rim against defenders. He added physical D to good rebounding, hustle, athleticism & smarts to become a useful part of a championship rotation. Those easy layups and dunks from the 2-headed assist monster JokicMurray show how far smart hustle can get you with the Nuggets.

[@J.J.J.J.J.J.J]

4:28 that bump and score on Jimmy was the sign that this series was over. The role rookie beating the all star player at his own game. That just deflated Miami.

[@wjatube]

I was surprised the great Eric Spoelstra couldn't get more out of Bam Adebayo in the Finals. He's a 6th year player yet he loses awareness on the court at times. That switch gave him an obvious advantage over Braun yet he never made any move to get the ball in the post or a lob against the shorter defender. It was there quite a bit since Game three.

[@luckycharm5757]

kid is sharp.

[@pg13pacernation30]

Rookie is going to be special 🔥

[@QueensWino]

I enjoyed this video but must say that Christian is a good shooter; he just hasn't had the opportunity to show it fully yet. He will in time. His FG% and 3P% were both very strong in college and not too shabby in the pros thus far.

[@Notimportant959]

Love CB dude was a great draft pick

[@Kingfisher1215]

Watson probably has more upside, but he’s just 20 so he needs some experience. Braun needs to improve his shot so that year after next, he takes over for KCP.

[@Ebay772488]

DEFENSE BABY!

[@jimilove7773]

Braun kicked ass!

[@jefferyhollie8366]

I posted your video on Facebook with the comment "This is pretty good analysis on this rookie."

[@KLUJICS]

All except the comment about his shooting.

[@chrispaul7849]

this is a fantastic breakdown, thank you! CB def sparked this game 3 win!

[@Aryne84]

CB is future MVP of NBA league,he is a hard working fella and he got good teachers and coaches in Denver and i look forward to his bright future.

[@alexlindbjerg8283]

Damn! This is impressive..

[@mica-hr2mb]

Good analysis, except for the "he's not a shooter" comment made a few times. Braun can absolutely shoot lights out.

[@paulratzlaff2935]

Anyone that says or thinks Braun isn't a shooter doesn't know much! This young man made Kansas in 2022 ! He carries the matches to e ignite a game ! And He's clean cut ! No damn tattoos messing up a great body!! Making Burlington KS. proud

[@randygram9310]

If he can develop a jumper he'll be a really good player. The fact that he defends as well as he does as a rookie is a big surprise.

[@barryjointer]

love the way he went right into Jimmy's chest for the bucket...

[@derickchambers7172]

Rock Chalk. Jayhawk Nation

[@KLUJICS]

Rock Chalk

[@oscarlozano9986]

Basically, he plays good defense. Something unseen in the NBA

[@DUGGER1947]

Braun's high basketball IQ makes up for his inexperience. The kid's been involved in winning 3 Championship trophies, including an NBA title, and he's a mere 22 years old (and looks like he's 17 or 18).

[@G30MaN27]

CB is going to be a great 3 and D starter on this team before you know it. he's having problems with his 3ball this whole playoff run which really threw me off. he was pretty good shooting those wide open or slightly contested 3s in the regular season from what i remember. i was supper disappointed that he wasn't getting much time on the floor, but I'm happy Mike tried putting him in. i was hoping he would play Him the second half of game 2. shit its looking like if Mike would have done that, this series might have been a sweep. cuz the nuggets should have won game 2 for a multitude of reasons, and then theyd be playing with a fire in their hearts tonight, which hopefully they still are but you get what I'm saying.

[@j-us-t_be-in-g]

He's much more than a 3 and D guy. He's only one because of his role within the offense. However, that's one of the main reasonsn why they drafted him.

[@VinceLyle2161]

He could really help himself by getting better at FT shooting. He's a good cutter and driver, which means he can make the defense pay with fouls, but he has to make them pay with points, too. Something to work on in the off season.

[@eeltrohs2247]

Amazing how this kid came from a podunk little school in Kansas with weak competition to where he is now. But, as a Kansas fan, i was shocked he wasn't recruited even higher. He was amazing in college. Instead of Kansas winning the national championship, they would just been good team with at least 6 or 7 more losses in the season. Quite a few heroics causing a wow factor. I hope he can develop as offensive threat from the outside. I've also been amazed at how Embiid, another Kansas product, developed a broader game.

[@Jac833]

And he was a high rate shooter in college, when he starts to knock them down look out

[@michaeljoyner6470]

NCAA Title and an NBA Title in. 2 years. Not Bad.

[@malte4573]

Also an underrated shooter, 35% on sure not high volume but that's on 15 minutes per game scoring isn't a main focus for him

[@m.wahidmaulana4913]

he improve a lot in the defense after game-2

[@BoolatGuzairov]

You usually replace consistent 3-n-D like KCP with less consistent players from the bench, but not a thing for this Nuggets.

[@fedurrrass4226]

Pretty nice jobe was done

[@nenad-seguljev]

5:12 wow

[@kurosan0079]

If Denver can't keep Bruce Brown after this season, expect this kid to have an even bigger role for the Nuggets.

[@carlpatrickragas2159]

Bruce shall sign because they are guaranteed to win it all in West. Lakers is old and predictable, Warriors is in torment, Dallas can't figure out who they are and Wolves hasn't yet capitalize on ANTs greatness.

[@kennethward4985]

Its scary to think about how great the Nuggets will be when Braun hits his full potential.

[@nikw4740]

because they lost, no one talks about it but when he came into the game in game 2 he also immediately made a huge impact on both ends of the floor and denver went on a huge run

[@sano1062]

A good 2-way player!

[@ralphpadilla9283]

The rookie does good because he plays with the intensity that his coach and teammates expect him to play. He's like another Aaron Gordon.

[@I_Cunt_Spell]

National championship and an nba one in two years span. 🤩

[@phillipgurule9881]

Great 2 way potential in just his 1st season the Nuggets are set up for long term success

[@angelicaamora11]

What I learned on my end: Defend like Braun Assist like Gordon Rebound like Jokić Drive like Murray

[@MrWarrenRB]

He’s hungry, unlike MP3 who just walks around lost

[@levie6932]

i really him play.. these are good points on him.

[@kerryabruzzo5297]

Rookies are hungry, hopefully he won’t lose that edge.

[@marisolpartida5041]

Striaght DOG he will take on any defender no matter their "name"! We def miss him at Kansas but forever will be ROCKCHALK JAYHAWK!!! ❤💙

[@nwohippo]

Rock Chalk

[@Zach-lv5qs]

As a Heat fan, I can tell you without watching the video. Short answer: The basic essentials. Starts with effort. Defensively, he puts himself in-between his man and the basket. Offensively, if he's near a teammate, he's setting a screen, or he's spacing, and he's moving without the ball. More importantly, he's timing his cuts. He's disrupting driving and passing lanes, helping his teammates recover so they can help. In the NBA, their talents aren't basic. However, make no mistake, it is still the basics that make the difference between winning and losing.

[@aohjii]

hes better than austin reaves, and has much greater potential

[@lovexxxjoise]

CB is good, future AllStar, strong D skillset.

[@OsakaceniNindza]

Slow down a little. Murray still did not play in All Star team, but you know for sure that Braun will?

[@VinceLyle2161]

@@OsakaceniNindza Agree. I think Braun's likely destiny is a superglue guy, a shorter Aaron Gordon. If he plays his cards right, he'll be the beneficiary of a lot of Jokic assists.

[@lovexxxjoise]

@@OsakaceniNindza 10000%

[@FreeTurtleboy]

Knows his....Role.

[@bookjeannie]

My fave Nugget! Only Jersey I want! 💙💛💙💛💙💛

[@PInk77W1]

Christian Braun. 15pts game 3 $2M Zion. 0pts in finals. $200M Braun gonna get a big pay raise

[@waimeaguyz9074]

He played well, and why not with a team that trusts each other and finds you when you're open.

[@lolno6975]

We need to give Mike Malone his flowers

[@williammacdonald9271]

Seems simple and logical, and most don’t work as hard as this kid.

[@ceebubzbe2516]

Everybody be sleeping on CB. I am a Kansas fan and knew he had an NBA championship in him .

[@Lost_souls_lose_freedom]

Don't get it twisted Braun CAN shoot. My guess is as a rookie he wasn't given the green light. He also knows his role he said on Mitch Lightfoot's podcast he wasn't trying to be the star he knew what his coach wanted from him and who the stars were. My guess is you'll start to see his 3 ball as his second year progresses.

[@rizalinomalino5684]

It is not you're rookie it is a guts what you got in training.

[@julie4642]

Plus, he’s gonna learn some trickery from Jokic. Could be an all star in a couple years

[@cowboy7170]

Kuminga could have played like this for the Warriors in the Lakers series but for some reason, coach Kerr decided not to play him. Maybe GSW wanted his numbers to be low, so they won't have to pay him more down the road.

[@dxfifa]

Kuminga is LAZY on defense and has very low BBIQ. Warriors were gutted in 2022 when OKC jumped in on Giddey, who the warriors were sure would drop to 7 and was their #1 target

[@rastaman2722]

People still don't realize that there's not only Jokic and Murray....

[@j-us-t_be-in-g]

Braun can create his own shot, handle the ball, and do many other things but he's in an offense that doesn't revolve around his game, so he has to dumb down his individual game to better team game..

[@KLUJICS]

What? He doesn’t need to “dumb” down his game. Like Bill Self, Malone needs to find a way and play to his strengths. Geez! That’s a dumb thing to say for a player to dumb down his play. If Malone fails him and doesnt play to Braun’s strengths, then you trade him. The NBA is a business. Either CB fits or doesnt. If Nuggets waste him off the bench, he should be traded. I’d like him at Philly with Embiid.

[@PInk77W1]

15pts in 19m is 37pts for whole Game

[@mortystraphouse5077]

he didnt change anything but the kid is good it was a sick performance

[@sinisasisarica2812]

he had serious impact on the game in both games 2&3. he had 15 pts and denver won by 15...he saved game 3.

[@elijahgonzalez3123]

jokic said he won them the game lol

[@mortystraphouse5077]

@@elijahgonzalez3123 bro joker is humble af and the best player on earth. he leads like bill Russel not mj

[@mortystraphouse5077]

@@sinisasisarica2812 niga miami wasnt winning this even the refs (nba) try to help miami get to game 6 but still 4-1

[@elijahgonzalez3123]

@@mortystraphouse5077 he’s not saying that cb is better than him, but he is acknowledging that cb’s contribution won them the game. that scoring run he had changed the whole momentum of the game

[@ecliqxse9591]

It’s a steal in the draft

[@Romans219]

I love players who play great defense which wins championship's. Carmelo Anthony never played defense and has no NBA championship.

[@ajpend]

Watch all of his Kansas games and say again "he's not much of a shooter". 😆

[@SORAFilmsHub]

Basic sense, move without the ball, many coaches have players static still creating no spaces and penetrations. Thats so basic ! Keep moving

[@STASHYNSKYI]

Well done CB !

[@bigdoge6602]

Just shows you how much of a fluke the heat are if a rookie can cook them 😂

[@juzta]

stole my idea W sadly