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Sep 30 - Lakers in San Diego
Oct 02 - Lakers in LA
Oct 05 - Perth in Denver
Oct 09 - Clippers in LA
Oct 12 - Bulls in Chicago

Only one home game but some believe that road time is better team building time and season ticket holders typically have to pay for pre-season games whether they want to go or not (never checked if the NBA does that though). Pre-season games are not typically well attended in any sport.

In the NFL, pre-season is more about the last few slots on the roster. In the NBA, the roster is usually fairly well set and this year that is true for the Nuggets. Biggest questions are: will Porter be ready? Will Vanderbilt be ready? Rumors say Cancar might get a camp invite because he's playing so well in Europe. Could he possibly make the roster? Other camp invites seem unlikely to play.

So what are the Nuggets looking for in the pre-season?

Playing time for the starting five? Probably somewhat.
Identifying the 3 or 4 primary bench players? Certainly.
Are wins important for the Nuggets? Probably more so than for some teams but the Lakers are going to want to win, to show they can turn things around. Perth is going to want to win, just to show they are legitimate. They are the reigning champions in the NBL and their preseason started at the beginning of September, so they'll be more in unison by the time they play the Nuggets. The Clippers & Bulls also have much to prove. The Nuggets have far less to prove than any of their competition - in my opinion.

NuggetsWY wrote:Sep 30 - Lakers in San Diego
Oct 02 - Lakers in LA
Oct 05 - Perth in Denver
Oct 09 - Clippers in LA
Oct 12 - Bulls in Chicago

Only one home game but some believe that road time is better team building time and season ticket holders typically have to pay for pre-season games whether they want to go or not (never checked if the NBA does that though). Pre-season games are not typically well attended in any sport.

In the NFL, pre-season is more about the last few slots on the roster. In the NBA, the roster is usually fairly well set and this year that is true for the Nuggets. Biggest questions are: will Porter be ready? Will Vanderbilt be ready? Rumors say Cancar might get a camp invite because he's playing so well in Europe. Could he possibly make the roster? Other camp invites seem unlikely to play.

So what are the Nuggets looking for in the pre-season?

Playing time for the starting five? Probably somewhat.
Identifying the 3 or 4 primary bench players? Certainly.
Are wins important for the Nuggets? Probably more so than for some teams but the Lakers are going to want to win, to show they can turn things around. Perth is going to want to win, just to show they are legitimate. They are the reigning champions in the NBL and their preseason started at the beginning of September, so they'll be more in unison by the time they play the Nuggets. The Clippers & Bulls also have much to prove. The Nuggets have far less to prove than any of their competition - in my opinion.

Knowing Malone's history, I'll bet he tinkers with lineups, perhaps (gasp) even schemes. He's gonna want to try and implement some defenses, probably the same ones that hasn't work the past two training camps. he is a creature of habit.

Lakers are the only playoff level team we will face in the preseason, but to be fair, during the first week of the season out of four opponents, three are also non-playoff level.

THE J0KER wrote:Lakers are the only playoff level team we will face in the preseason, but to be fair, during the first week of the season out of four opponents, three are also non-playoff level.

I'm not convinced the Lakers are playoff level - not in the west. Sure, if they make the playoffs, they could be dangerous. But they've done a major make-over and those don't always work. They are depending on LeBron and ... ??? The very unproven Ingram & Ball? The questionable Rondo & Caldwell-Pope? Lance Stephenson? Beasley? McGee? That lineup just doesn't seem frightening.

NuggetsWY wrote:

THE J0KER wrote:Lakers are the only playoff level team we will face in the preseason, but to be fair, during the first week of the season out of four opponents, three are also non-playoff level.

I'm not convinced the Lakers are playoff level - not in the west. Sure, if they make the playoffs, they could be dangerous. But they've done a major make-over and those don't always work. They are depending on LeBron and ... ??? The very unproven Ingram & Ball? The questionable Rondo & Caldwell-Pope? Lance Stephenson? Beasley? McGee? That lineup just doesn't seem frightening.

Well, I agree that the Lakers have to prove it, chemistry plays a BIG part of a playoff run and they overhauled a LOT of their roster. That which they did keep are all young, and when you throw in the LaVar factor that's not a good mix.

I also think Perth will give s a good pre-season tuneup game. I believe they have won their league championships 3 out of the last 4 years, they play like a team so don't underestimate them. Talent-wise we should boat race them but we'll see.

I would give better chances to Portland, Pelicans, Minnesota, and Spurs from #3-#10 group to miss playoff than Lakers. Even Jazz, with Gobert missing 3 times over 20 games in his 5 career seasons so far. LeBron still is the best basketball player in the world, and their young players should improve. Also, they have space and assets for one another notable roster improvement before the trade deadline. So, that first preseason game would be LBJ debut for Lakers, they will be very motivated, so that Nuggets first preseason game will be the best test for me.

THE J0KER wrote:I would give better chances to Portland, Pelicans, Minnesota, and Spurs from #3-#10 group to miss playoff than Lakers. Even Jazz, with Gobert missing 3 times over 20 games in his 5 career seasons so far. LeBron still is the best basketball player in the world, and their young players should improve. Also, they have space and assets for one another notable roster improvement before the trade deadline. So, that first preseason game would be LBJ debut for Lakers, they will be very motivated, so that Nuggets first preseason game will be the best test for me.

I don't think the LBJ/Laker debut in preseason will be as urgent and dynamic as you foresee, it's still just preseason. The Pels and Tpups look like the most endangered to miss the playoffs too, but the Lakers are a total unknown even with James....but that's just my gut, you could be right, I do see your logic.

I'm just curious as to when Father Time catches hold of LBJ, he will be 34 this season and even he doesn't list the Lakers as potential WCF contenders.

There's going to be a ridiculous amount of hype around those first two games because of LBJ. I really could care less about the W-L results of the preseason. I'll be focused on the roation shakes out, how our previously injured players look and do we enter the season with as many healthy players as possible.

Gonna be a lot of Nuggets coverage out there, I'll be looking for some solid reporting as camp kicks up, hopefully we aren't flooded with puff pieces.

Powder Blue wrote:There's going to be a ridiculous amount of hype around those first two games because of LBJ. I really could care less about the W-L results of the preseason. I'll be focused on the roation shakes out, how our previously injured players look and do we enter the season with as many healthy players as possible.

Gonna be a lot of Nuggets coverage out there, I'll be looking for some solid reporting as camp kicks up, hopefully we aren't flooded with puff pieces.

That hype is important if you are trying to sell tickets. I too would like some "good" reporting but historically there has been a lack of eyes on the subject, at least at practices. Now with actual games (although pre-season), we can see some talent go with the hype.

It wasn't so long ago that the Nugget's attendance was dismal. We argued here for a while about how to turn that around. Winning is always the answer.

With the Nuggets we have an educated guess as to how good they can be. With the Lakers who knows. Hard to argue against James being the best player on the court most nights. But I feel the same way about Jokic, so let the games begin.

skywalker33 wrote:

THE J0KER wrote:I would give better chances to Portland, Pelicans, Minnesota, and Spurs from #3-#10 group to miss playoff than Lakers. Even Jazz, with Gobert missing 3 times over 20 games in his 5 career seasons so far. LeBron still is the best basketball player in the world, and their young players should improve. Also, they have space and assets for one another notable roster improvement before the trade deadline. So, that first preseason game would be LBJ debut for Lakers, they will be very motivated, so that Nuggets first preseason game will be the best test for me.

I don't think the LBJ/Laker debut in preseason will be as urgent and dynamic as you foresee, it's still just preseason. The Pels and Tpups look like the most endangered to miss the playoffs too, but the Lakers are a total unknown even with James....but that's just my gut, you could be right, I do see your logic.

I'm just curious as to when Father Time catches hold of LBJ, he will be 34 this season and even he doesn't list the Lakers as potential WCF contenders.

As I suspected, Laker's LBJ preseason fanfare gonna be minimal. He's a vet that doesn't need to prove himself. Regular season...that'll be FANFARE !!

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/251238/LeBron-James-Likely-To-Have-Limited-Preseason-Workload

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/othersport/1023844/LeBron-James-Lakers-Luke-Walton-Denver-Nuggets-debut-pre-season-clash

Seems that first game of the preseason will be preseason peak for Lakers and Nuggets both.

THE J0KER wrote:https://www.express.co.uk/sport/othersport/1023844/LeBron-James-Lakers-Luke-Walton-Denver-Nuggets-debut-pre-season-clash

Seems that first game of the preseason will be preseason peak for Lakers and Nuggets both.

What do you (they ?) mean by preseason "peak" ? Preseason is for experimenting/learning, not winning ...not sure I understand that statement (didn't read their article, didn't want the cookies honestly)

BTW, anyone interested in predicting on the 1st preseason game ??

1. Who takes the win ?

2. Leader in mins/pts/rebs from the Nuggets ?

3. Surprise player for the Nuggets ??

I'm going 1) Nuggets win 2 Barton mins/Morris pts/ Juancho rebs 3. Morris plays very well.

skywalker33 wrote:
1. Who takes the win ?

2. Leader in mins/pts/rebs from the Nuggets ?

3. Surprise player for the Nuggets ??

I'm going 1) Nuggets win 2 Barton mins/Morris pts/ Juancho rebs 3. Morris plays very well.

1. Who cares? OK - I think the Nuggets win simply because the Lakers have too many new pieces and LeBron isn't going to want a lot of minutes.

2. Who cares?
Minutes? Lyles because Malone plays him some PF, some SF, and some center
Points? Morris - give Lyles an outside shot at this
Rebs? Lyles because of his minutes - give Craig an outside shot at this

3. Surprise player for the Nuggets? Morris

Morris, Lyles when playing SF, Juancho, and opponent player #23 will be most intrigue for me to watch tonight. And more than anyone's mins/pts/rebs, I'm curious with how many assist will finish Jokic (Murray also).

THE J0KER wrote:Morris, Lyles when playing SF, Juancho, and opponent player #23 will be most intrigue for me to watch tonight. And more than anyone's mins/pts/rebs, I'm curious with how many assist will finish Jokic (Murray also).

You must be far ahead of me in time zones as I have this game on Sunday.

TunaFish wrote:

THE J0KER wrote:Morris, Lyles when playing SF, Juancho, and opponent player #23 will be most intrigue for me to watch tonight. And more than anyone's mins/pts/rebs, I'm curious with how many assist will finish Jokic (Murray also).

You must be far ahead of me in time zones as I have this game on Sunday.

I obviously can't wait the start

IT, Vanderbilt and Harris ruled out for tonight's game, looks like Beasley will get some mins tonight . I expect we'll see some Donald Sloane as well at the SG position.

Millsap's limited to 15min means Lyles and Juancho gets to showcase as well.

Jokic looking to be aggressive, good sign there. Juancho and Beasley coming strong off the bench while Lyles seems to be struggling.

Skinny dude but Brandon Ingram is a PLAYER