Phenomenal Zach Lowe Nuggets Article

[Powder Blue]

Man this dude always hits the mark on the Nuggets, touches on all the things we discuss here.

He talks a lot about how the effort to improve defensively has had a negative impact on the offense, along with the swap of Gallo to Milsap and Finch leaving. I believe we'll get it figured out on Offense, probably not returing to last years numbers but we'll get better.

The front office comments really resonated with me, I knew we were too damn nice...and taking the next step is going to be tough, banking on a lot of internal improvement.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/21424481/zach-lowe-nikola-jokic-jamal-murray-denver-nuggets-nba

Still: the players have bought in after spending the majority of practice time on defense. They are flying around in rotation. There is even a little anxiety within the organization that the Nuggets sacrificed some of their happy-go-lucky scoring identity in tilting the focus toward defense. Losing offensive guru Chris Finch to the Pelicans didn't help.

Denver is down to 13th in points per possession after leading the league last season post-Dec. 15, when Malone made Jokic a starter. (That date is scripture inside the Nuggets. Everyone knows it by heart, and mentions it often.) Last season's symphony of backdoor cuts and no-look slings has given way (on some nights) to a meandering slog:

Before Game 1, Denver waived Jameer Nelson, their starter much of last season. They had a deal in place to trade him to a bad team in exchange for a protected second-round pick, but they could not stomach sending a beloved mentor into lottery purgatory, sources say. The Nuggets admit emotion creeps into their decision-making, and they hope players around the league notice.

"You can't make decisions with your heart only," Connelly says, without confirming any Nelson deal. "But these are good guys. To view them as just assets -- that's not something we ascribe to. Guys we've had here will speak highly of how we've treated them."

Whether they can nudge past 55 in a few years, and how they might add post-Millsap talent to do it, are open questions. Actualized versions of Murray and Mudiay may top out as league-average starting point guards. Harris will be better than that as his position, but perhaps never an All-Star.

They don't have a long-term answer at either forward position, and they may not have cap room to find one in any of the next three summers. They are banking hugely -- maybe too much -- on internal development.

They are confident they still have the goods to butt into trade talks for the next disgruntled star. That is uncertain. Bit players like Juancho Hernangomez and Malik Beasley have value, but they aren't blockbuster centerpieces. Denver is out of extra first-round picks after coughing one up to dump JaVale McGee, and tossing another into the Plumlee-Jusuf Nurkic deal -- an overpay.

They doubled down by inking Plumlee to an untradable new contract when he had zero leverage in restricted free agency. Trading down from No. 13, where Utah picked Donovan Mitchell, for Trey Lyles and the 24th pick looks like a net loss; the Nuggets targeted OG Anunoby (among others), sources say, but Toronto snapped him up.

Connelly's remark about Denver perhaps overvaluing its own players -- or being conscious of avoiding it -- rings true. They sold late on Ty Lawson, and passed up chances to flip Danilo Gallinari for picks. Barton's contract is no longer a golden chip in its final season.

[skywalker33]

Well where do you think Lowe does his research ?

Good article, like to hear Malone emphasizing importance of defense to Jokic, get it into his head now while he’s young

[NuggetsWY]

Well where do you think Lowe does his research ?

Good article, like to hear Malone emphasizing importance of defense to Jokic, get it into his head now while he’s young

Friend sitting courtside said Jokic is starting to be vocal on defense, maybe the most vocal.

[Mickey8]

Last spring, Malone warned Jokic of the coming burden. He needed to get in better shape, and stay even-keeled. "When s--- doesn't go your way, sometimes you become a baby," Malone told him. "You take bad fouls. You take bad shots. Your body language does this and that. You think it's just about you. But what do you think Jamal [Murray] is looking at? What do you think Gary Harris is looking at? All eyes are on you. If you do that stuff, it filters down. At the end of the day, Nikola knows I love him."

I remember maybe a game or two when Jokic had a really bad shooting nights last season , even then he didn't force it , he just missed the open shots or lay up's , one of those games was Minnesota at home . So if this was the wise pep talk from a very "wise" head coach, to think about Murray and Harris etc. than I understand Jokic tentativeness to take the open shot , or the decision to be a non factor most of the nights scoring wise . I am starting to believe that Malone could be a real time loony , I am starting to dislike him more and more with each game passing by, sorry I can't help myself

Coach wants him to be a point guard, but he's really a scorer," Jokic says

I have noticed Jokic frustration with him , many times this season, the kid is awful as PG , he has no pg instincts at all .

[skywalker33]

Well the sign of a true superstar is to impact the game in other ways even when your shots aren't falling. Can't say I'm 100% happy with Malone as I think this team should be playing more impactful basketball, but he is preaching defense which I like.

[NuggetsWY]

OP article implies the offense is worse because of the extra effort on defense. That seems like a cop-out. There are plenty of teams that do well on both. We call them serious contenders. The Nuggets' pace is almost identical to last year - just less effective on offense. He points out the lack of cutting also. He does not point out the lower usage by Jokic, which probably is related to less cutting. On the other hand, Malone changed the offense for this year and it seems to involve less Jokic and less cutting.

[DaFan334]

Reading this and seeing ESPN's RPM stats makes me think that it would be a good idea to at least try moving Chandler to the bench when Juancho comes back. His lack of the ability to space the floor seems to make defenses crowd the paint more. With the move from Gallo to Milsap, we lost outside shooting and floor spacing having Chandler and Milsap on the floor at the same time. A move to the bench would allow Chandler to be more of a focal point on offense and not a 5th wheel, which is how I see him right now with the starters. Juancho can help space the floor and Milsap could be a good match up with him because he can cover some of the better small forwards if needed.

[NuggetsWY]

Reading this and seeing ESPN's RPM stats makes me think that it would be a good idea to at least try moving Chandler to the bench when Juancho comes back. His lack of the ability to space the floor seems to make defenses crowd the paint more. With the move from Gallo to Milsap, we lost outside shooting and floor spacing having Chandler and Milsap on the floor at the same time. A move to the bench would allow Chandler to be more of a focal point on offense and not a 5th wheel, which is how I see him right now with the starters. Juancho can help space the floor and Milsap could be a good match up with him because he can cover some of the better small forwards if needed.

Millsap's 3pg shooting does not matchup to Gallinari's but it's close enough. Where Gallinari is much better, is driving & getting to the line. On the other hand, Millsap is better down low. But that does not account for the issues, as I have said before, Jokic needs the ball in his hands more. When he has the ball in his hands, the players cut more. The Nuggets have never been a great outside shooting team. Your assessment that the Nuggets need spacing, but the threat of a decent 3pt shooting, is enough to allow the quicker Nuggets to cut & drive.

I totally agree with your assessment of Chandler & Hernangomez. Hernangomez seems a much better fit with Jokic and will probably increase Millsap's effectiveness, along with Harris & Murray also. Meanwhile, Chandler has always done well off the bench and his style of play is more like Barton's. Add Faried's energy with Plumlee and put Mudiay in there as a somewhat traditional PG, it sure looks like a great bench.

[U hova]

Well where do you think Lowe does his research ?

Good article, like to hear Malone emphasizing importance of defense to Jokic, get it into his head now while he’s young

He's always paid attention to the Nuggets so I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of it was just pronouncing what he saw... that all of us here pretty much agree is a sign that it's kind of obvious i'd think.

[Powder Blue]

Reading this and seeing ESPN's RPM stats makes me think that it would be a good idea to at least try moving Chandler to the bench when Juancho comes back. His lack of the ability to space the floor seems to make defenses crowd the paint more. With the move from Gallo to Milsap, we lost outside shooting and floor spacing having Chandler and Milsap on the floor at the same time. A move to the bench would allow Chandler to be more of a focal point on offense and not a 5th wheel, which is how I see him right now with the starters. Juancho can help space the floor and Milsap could be a good match up with him because he can cover some of the better small forwards if needed.

Millsap's 3pg shooting does not matchup to Gallinari's but it's close enough. Where Gallinari is much better, is driving & getting to the line. On the other hand, Millsap is better down low. But that does not account for the issues, as I have said before, Jokic needs the ball in his hands more. When he has the ball in his hands, the players cut more. The Nuggets have never been a great outside shooting team. Your assessment that the Nuggets need spacing, but the threat of a decent 3pt shooting, is enough to allow the quicker Nuggets to cut & drive.

I totally agree with your assessment of Chandler & Hernangomez. Hernangomez seems a much better fit with Jokic and will probably increase Millsap's effectiveness, along with Harris & Murray also. Meanwhile, Chandler has always done well off the bench and his style of play is more like Barton's. Add Faried's energy with Plumlee and put Mudiay in there as a somewhat traditional PG, it sure looks like a great bench.

Who drops out of the rotation then? Barton? Malone would never! Probably won’t see more Juancho until an injury occurs

[Powder Blue]

Well where do you think Lowe does his research ?

Good article, like to hear Malone emphasizing importance of defense to Jokic, get it into his head now while he’s young

He's always paid attention to the Nuggets so I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of it was just pronouncing what he saw... that all of us here pretty much agree is a sign that it's kind of obvious i'd think.

If it’s obvious why is he the best at writing it? This one article from a national guy is more accurate and insightful than most of the local puff piece stuff I’ve seen. Suppose the front office can’t blackball Zach Lowe the same way they can blackball these small local writers so he has more freedom to write a piece that includes praise AND criticism.