The Denver Nuggets have started the year 1-5. The last time the franchise started 1-5 was during the 1998-1999 season where they ended up winning only 14 games.
The Nuggets have made the playoffs in 10 out of 11 years (missed last season). I cannot speak for the Nuggets organization but it is easy to infer that the Nuggets are not off to the start they expected.
After acquiring Arron Afflalo (trade), Alonzo Gee (FA), and Jusuf Nurkic (draft), combined with the return of Danilo Gallinari, it was almost a given the Nuggets would be back in playoff discussion. There is talent on the roster.
So what is the big issue here? Why can’t the Nuggets win games?
The obvious answer is they’re not scoring more points than the other teams. What fun is life when you only look at the obvious answers?
When George Karl coached the Nuggets post-Carmelo Anthony era, there were teams that had
much less talent than the current Nuggets roster, but those teams always made the playoffs. The word that comes to mind when thinking about those Nuggets teams is “scrappy.”
One of George Karl’s biggest strengths as a head coach was the ability to get the players on a team to “buy in” to his system and play selfless basketball. Karl would coach to the strengths of the players he had on the team. If he had defensive minded players, he would push a defensive mentality. If there were athletic, young, players then Karl would preach get out in transition.
Watching the Nuggets under George Karl was like watching any stereotypical underdog team in any sports movie. Somehow the underdog team won, and many times when watching the Nuggets play I found myself wondering, how did they do that?
Now in his second season as head coach, Brian Shaw has yet to play to his team’s strengths. An apprentice under the great Phil Jackson, Brian Shaw is a fan of the triangle offense and shutdown defense. Unfortunately, Shaw has not been able to be successful with either this season.
What I have seen when watching the Nuggets is they are having a rough time running back on defense. The Nuggets give up over 108 points to opponents, which ranks 29th, or second to last.
In fast-break situations it seems like the players have trouble knowing who to pick up on defense. For example, one of the many fast breaks the Cleveland Cavaliers had against Denver, you can see that three Denver defenders are all guarding LeBron James on a fast break, which then leaves Shawn Marion wide open for a layup.
I wish I could say that was the only time there was a miscommunication on defense, but in the same game it happened over and over again.
As you can see below, all five of the Nuggets defenders were behind the lone Tristan Thompson on the fast break. That made it easy for LeBron to throw the half-court alley-oop, followed by a great Javale McGee attempt on the pass.
And against the Kings, it is the same story, three Nugget defenders trying to stop one Darren Collison.
Along with poor defense, the Nuggets struggle to move the ball on offense. The Nuggets are toward the bottom of the league in assists averaging almost 20 per game, which is good for 22nd in the NBA. That seems pretty contradictory while running the triangle offense, which is based on feeding the ball to either an open shooter on the wing, the big man down low, or some kind of pick-n-pop/roll action.
So if the Nuggets are struggling on offense and defense, are they beyond salvaging? Should they just call it quits and tank?
If I have learned anything from watching basketball or any sport, it is that you cannot judge a team after they have only played six games. The NBA is a long season, and the Nuggets have a lot more basketball to play.
They have a great duo in Ty Lawson and Kenneth Faried, who by themselves are good for at least 10-15 wins.
The rest comes down to the coaching of Brian Shaw. Shaw needs to find a way to make his players commit on both ends of the court, and adhere to the team’s strengths.
If they only have 10 wins in the next two months, I would say it is time for a shake-up on the roster. For now, the Nuggets are fine and I would expect them to get back to their gritty, winning ways.
