Former Kansas basketball star Christian Braun made an appearance in his team’s NBA Finals Game 1 victory.
Christian Braun has an opportunity to join an exclusive group of Kansas Jayhawks this season. He and the Denver Nuggets took one step closer to an NBA Finals victory, claiming the first game on their homecourt.
Nuggets head coach Mike Malone had begun to phase “CB” out of the rotation after he failed to score a point in their previous series against the Los Angeles Lakers. However, after receiving a DNP in their most recent game, Braun saw the floor for 8 minutes last night.
In his first game action since May 20, Braun missed his only field goal attempt, assisted one basket, and grabbed a rebound while also recording two personal fouls. He also turned the ball over once.
Although he was much more of a factor in the Western Conference Semifinals versus the Phoenix Suns, it is encouraging to see Malone give Braun minutes when he struggles. Even if he is not scoring points, his impact is still felt through his defensive intensity and high motor.
Christian Braun giving props to the crowd for fueling the team and making the environment electric pic.twitter.com/bHe6VIcBKN
— Romi Bean (@Romi_Bean) June 2, 2023
No matter his contributions to the team during this series, Braun could very well become an NBA Champion in the next week or so. That’s a feat that not many players can boast.
If Denver claims the title, he will become the sixth player in NBA history to win back-to-back championships at the NCAA and NBA levels. He’d join legends such as Magic Johnson and Bill Russell with this accomplishment.
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