How big of a sample size do you need to really get a good pulse on a team?
In the NFL, it takes four or five weeks to figure out the identity of a team. Major League Baseball is about two months too long as is, so who knows how long it would really take to figure out a team if regular season games actually meant something early on. The NHL and NBA just might be a little too long for some of your liking, but not me. I think an 82 game schedule is perfect; the NBA should not start their season until December, but that’s a different story. The point is that now that we have eight games to base off of, who do we think the Denver Nuggets are going to be?
The team has yet to have every player available for head coach Michael Malone, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Denver is deep; the depth is not an issue, finding a way for them to all work together with the right lineups is a puzzle that Michael Malone continues to work on.
With Gary Harris getting back in the swing of things it gives the Nuggets a sold defender around the perimeter; it also allows Will Barton, when healthy, to play off the bench, which gives that second unit another solid scoring option. Darrell Arthur and Wilson Chandler are also dealing with lingering injuries, but these speed bumps early in an NBA season are better than later. Not to say they will not face adversity down the road, but they are learning early how to over come it, and that it is another aspect of sports.
Denver sits at 3-5 going into Saturday night’s game against the Pistons, a team that blew them out a week ago in Detroit. With a tough loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, a loss that the team is disputing with the NBA, a couple of winnable games with the Timberwolves and Trailblazers that went the wrong way, the record could look a lot better. However, much like our presidential election, the results are in and there’s not much that can be done now.
Here’s what we’ve seen from the Nuggets so far:
The Negative:
Emmanuel Mudiay has struggled early on, with turnovers, playmaking and shooting the ball. The good news is we saw a flash of what he could be and what I believe he will be in the Boston game. Maybe it’s early season jitters, maybe it’s the new players and lineups that the team is working with? It could be several things but we have to keep in mind that it is early, and he is young, coachable and wanting to improve. Therefore I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that he will do all of those things.
Another thing this team will have to get better at is closing out games, be it an inbounds play or desperately needing a closer that wants the ball in his hands when the game is on the line. The inbound play problem can be fixed with coaching, and it will be; the closer problem is instinct and has to be something a player wants. There are two guys who have that, Danilo Gallinari and Will Barton. We need to see it more from both when the opportunity presents itself, but those two have to be the guys to take the responsibility.
Lineups and switching on pick and rolls is something else that should work itself out with time. I understand it is easier to switch everything in today’s NBA when it comes to the pick and roll, but if the Nuggets want to play with bigs on the floor; the guards are going to have to start fighting through screens to keep the matchup that favors Denver.
The Positive:
This team has yet to really have a great game, and they are 3-5 — they should be at the very least 5-3. The Jusuf Nurkic and Nikola Jokic lineup, otherwise known as the Jurkic lineup, has shown some potential. I know it goes against what the rest of the NBA is doing, and maybe that is why I like it so much. Both big men can pass from the post, both can also score with their back to the basket or facing up. Both can also improve in those categories as well.
The truth is the Nuggets will not beat teams like the Warriors at their game. If a team is going to play small and shoot threes, then why not counter with a big lineup and playing in the post? If nothing else, it is outside of the box thinking and not just following trends, and again that makes me like it.
Kenneth Faried deserves some praise as well. In a new role as a man off of the bench, he has exceled. A role I wondered if he would accept? Not only that, but he is providing the spark his team needs. I just hope he knows that this is what is best for him and despite playing well, he is better suited off the bench and not a starting role.
Jamal Murray has also played well. Yes, I know he missed his first 17 shots as a pro but he did so much more: made the right pass, pushed the pace when he needed to, played slow down when he needed to. I have been impressed with what he can do without scoring the basketball. Continue to do those things and score the ball and he will force Coach Malone will have to find time for him.
Eight games in and 74 to go, this team is young, the season is young but the future is bright for the Denver Nuggets.
