The Denver Nuggets are in the process of discovering themselves.
Despite traveling a challenging road, they have not yet reached their destination. Nevertheless, the Nuggets and their roster have united and managed to regain their winning form. This turnaround comes after a six-game losing streak, which ultimately led to their current 14-day, seven-game road trip.
Despite being without three key players, including rookie Bones Hyland and starters PJ Dozier, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr., the Denver Nuggets achieved a 4-3 record on their recent road trip. Impressive wins over the San Antonio Spurs, New Orleans Pelicans, Miami Heat, and New York Knicks contributed to their current 13-13 record. Additionally, they are just two losses behind the third-seeded Memphis Grizzlies.
Despite their desire to be in a better position after 26 games, the Nuggets are undoubtedly still seeking home court advantage in the playoffs. They have managed to revive their offense despite a decline in defense and ongoing struggles with their bench throughout the season. Additionally, they are also learning how to capitalize on this improvement.
Denver & , s rekindled offense
After a slow start to the period, Denver discovered its musical rhythm during a road trip and managed to score in hockey. Now, the key to its victories lies in its offensive production.
Based on statistics, the Nuggets’ success cannot be attributed to their security measures. In the last seven games, their defense has only had a narrow difference of 2.3 points between deficits and wins. However, there is a significant disparity of 18.6 in the offensive rating between victories and losses. Notably, the Nuggets boast an impressive offensive rating of 124 in their wins, but it drops to 105.4 in their losses. This suggests that their ability to make shots plays a crucial role in their offensive efficiency.
Despite being a reductionist statement, offensive improvement is closely linked to successful shots, making it a vital factor in the Nuggets’ success. While the production of Nikola Jokic may not be the sole determinant, the team’s lack of talent beyond him has hindered their performance. The ability of the Nuggets to win games heavily relies on Jokic receiving support from the rest of the roster, particularly when he is not on the court. This underscores the importance of Denver’s ability to make shots, particularly three-pointers, which has notably improved across the board.
The Nuggets’ unpleasant rise depends on three-point shooting.
During their seven-game road trip, Denver has been shooting 39.9% from three-point range on an average of 36.9 attempts per game. Will Barton III takes 7.3 attempts per game, with 43.2% of them being three-pointers. Monte Morris, on the other hand, only shoots over 40% on 5.3 attempts. Hyland, who comes off the bench, shoots 43.5% on nearly six attempts per game, some of which are strong triples. Facu Campazzo and Zeke Nnaji have been shooting 44% and 53.5% respectively from beyond the arc while away from the bench. Overall, each player is striving to make a valuable contribution.
As three-point attempts decrease, the Nuggets’ assist numbers are on the rise. This is a positive sign for Denver and their staff, as it indicates success on offense. It’s not a coincidence that their assist percentage of 68.5%, which ranks third in the NBA in the last seven games, aligns with their offensive improvement. The Nuggets thrive when the ball is constantly being passed around. This newfound ball movement allows for more challenging shots to be taken, as they utilize both sides of the court. As a result, opposing defenses are forced to scramble earlier and contest shots.
Jokic, with his incredible average of 26.7 points, 13.4 rebounds, and nine assists per game during the seven-game road trip, remains the foundation of the Nuggets’ offensive improvement. To label him as merely brilliant would undermine his ability to redefine the limits of what is achievable on a basketball court. Jokic’s astonishing scoring and seamless playmaking are unparalleled in history. He is leading the Nuggets’ offensive dominance in a manner never witnessed before, marking a truly historic period for him.
If you’re searching for valuable bets, keep an eye on the NBA MVP odds where Jokic is still favored to win the title for a second time.
Nuggets also need to take care of some problems.
Despite its superior offensive impact, Denver still has issues that need to be resolved.
However, despite their victories, the defensive score has dropped along with an increase in injuries. It is important to find a solution to increase the number of starts, starting with better defense. In the last seven games, the Nuggets have allowed the second-highest number of shots in the restricted area, averaging 30.1 per game. Unfortunately, opponents have been successful in converting 69.7% of those shots, exacerbating the issue. While the Nuggets have compensated by limiting three-pointers, allowing opponents to score easily at the rim poses a significant threat.
In addition, Denver’s losses seem to occur at unexpected times. When Jokic is on the court, the team has outscored their opponents by a total of 189 points in 691 minutes this season. However, when Jokic is benched, the team has been outscored by an additional 188 points in 562 minutes. This significant difference in performance is evident as the Nuggets’ net rating drops from +13.4 to -15.7 without Jokic. Moreover, both their offensive and defensive ratings decrease by approximately 15 points when he is on the bench.
The Nuggets need to address their rivalry with Jokic off the court and improve their defensive performance in order to truly compete. However, Denver still has a chance to secure one of the top-four seeds in the Western Conference, thanks to Jokic’s outstanding season and the resurgence of their offense.
