Game 21: Chicago Bulls @ Denver Nuggets 9:00 PM ET

Post #2 » by **NuggetsWY** » Thu Nov 30, 2017 9:48 pm

Clearly a must win if there ever was one (and we've said that before). The Bulls have the worst record in the league and are clearly struggling. If the Nuggets lose this one, I just can't see how they don't fire Malone. He shouldn't even have to motivate the Nuggets to beat the Bulls. They are having a terrible season. If Malone does his worst possible rotation, I'd still have expect the Nuggets to win.

Mickey8 · Post #3 » by **Mickey8** » Thu Nov 30, 2017 10:23 pm

Every home game is a must win, since this team can't win on the road, especially against the better teams in the league.

Post #4 » by **NuggetsWY** » Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:13 pm

Mickey8 wrote:Every home game is a must win, since this team can't win on the road, especially against the better teams in the league.

Hey Mickey, last game we saw Jokic being far too passive IMO. Do you think having a better center motivates him more? I haven't figured out a pattern yet. But Chicago only has one "physical" big - two if you count Portis (unlikely to be on Jokic much). Is it when he plays mobile bigs? I just can't figure it out. Maybe if he doesn't feel challenged?

Mickey8 · Post #5 » by **Mickey8** » Fri Dec 1, 2017 12:26 am

He started well in Utah, but I don't think he got enough quality touches later in the game . Its part of the blame on him for not demanding the ball and not being aggressive enough and part of the blame is the poor guard play . I also think that he always struggles on the road in Utah , I don't think that Arena is happy place for him

On the other hand, when Denver plays Utah at home he usually plays well, against Gobert and Favors. I don't think think that he struggles against any particular center in the league , maybe only Nurkic for right now , but they haven't play each other in Denver yet. Funny thing is Nurkic always get destroyed by Cousins, Marc Gasol, Anthony Davis but Jokic is always productive against them. I think Denver have to establish him at the beginning of every game and he will do well. That's my personal opinion .

skywalker33 · Post #6 » by **skywalker33** » Fri Dec 1, 2017 12:31 am

If DEN loses tonight , I predict Malone gets fired !!

Mickey8 · Post #7 » by **Mickey8** » Fri Dec 1, 2017 12:39 am

No way , I think he deserved to get fired last year, but I don't see him go down this season , unless Denver totally collapses in December, maybe then he might get sacked.

Post #8 » by **NuggetsWY** » Fri Dec 1, 2017 1:46 am

Mickey8 wrote:No way , I think he deserved to get fired last year, but I don't see him go down this season , unless Denver totally collapses in December, maybe then he might get sacked.

Sorry Sky, I wish you were right but I have to admit, I think Mickey is right. If their collapse jeopardizes their playoff chances, they'll fire him. The question is, how far must he jeopardize their playoff shot? 6 games out of 8th? Or just wait till the end of the season to see if they actually miss the playoffs?

Mickey8 · Post #9 » by **Mickey8** » Fri Dec 1, 2017 2:27 am

These mind games Jokic is playing right now are getting tiresome, if I was Denver coach I would bench him.

Powder Blue · Post #10 » by **Powder Blue** » Fri Dec 1, 2017 2:28 am

24-8....wtf

You can fire Malone....but who coaches the rest of the season? Giving an assistant the job for 60 games?

Alatan · Post #11 » by **Alatan** » Fri Dec 1, 2017 2:47 am

Ok il be the first to say it. Does Jokic even deserve a max ? He has been playing like crap and appears he got fat again.

Mickey8 · Post #12 » by **Mickey8** » Fri Dec 1, 2017 3:19 am

He plays well when he wants to, and that's not good thing , it seems he will miss some time due to injury , lets see how Denver do without him.

Alatan · Post #13 » by **Alatan** » Fri Dec 1, 2017 3:28 am

I expected improvement from him this season or at least the production he made at the end of the last season. He seems to have regresed. Hesitates to shoot, hesitates to pass, started off playing better D but then returned to his bad D. Looked gased in the 2nd quarter of this game and is fat again. I dont think he deserves more than 15 milion the way he plays right now. Maybe the critics were right and he was just a fluke that teams didnt game plan for. I know that he can shoot very well, he can pass really well and he can rebound really well but it appears he cant run an offense and he is a liability on defense so his production on offense is negated. That is not a max player.

Alatan · Post #14 » by **Alatan** » Fri Dec 1, 2017 4:20 am

Harris playing really well. Barton too. Sucks we are losing to the Bulls.

Alatan · Post #15 » by **Alatan** » Fri Dec 1, 2017 4:27 am

Barton saves the day!

Mickey8 · Post #16 » by **Mickey8** » Fri Dec 1, 2017 4:46 am

Alatan wrote:I expected improvement from him this season or at least the production he made at the end of the last season. He seems to have regresed. Hesitates to shoot, hesitates to pass, started off playing better D but then returned to his bad D. Looked gased in the 2nd quarter of this game and is fat again. I dont think he deserves more than 15 milion the way he plays right now. Maybe the critics were right and he was just a fluke that teams didnt game plan for. I know that he can shoot very well, he can pass really well and he can rebound really well but it appears he cant run an offense and he is a liability on defense so his production on offense is negated. That is not a max player.

He's having the best defensive ratings on this Nugget team. He could be a great offensive player , he indicated that with some great performances this season , he was also money in the clutch situations in those games . To have 20+ ppg average, he needs to take 15 shots per game , I don't think he has a green light from the coaching stuff every night to shoot that much , even Malone said that his role will be different this year. I would be hesitant as well handing him a max deal mostly because of his strange behavior at the times this season , but the Denver risking him walking out, I can see plenty of teams in the league offering him a max deal. If he walks away, Denver would loose second big man in two season, with Denver having hard time luring big time stars , that wouldn't be a wise move. Even with the reduced role this season, he's still a double double player, shooting high percentages, he also improved 3 point shooting.

Post #17 » by **NuggetsWY** » Fri Dec 1, 2017 4:47 am

Powder Blue wrote:24-8....wtf

You can fire Malone....but who coaches the rest of the season? Giving an assistant the job for 60 games?

Cut Jefferson the player and let him be the head coach. Bring back Mike Miller as the head coach. Getting serious: how did Malone get his start? As an assistant and as the son of a coach. Unseld is the son of a very intelligent player and has been an assistant coach; give him an interim shot. Hire a recently fired head coach that has had some success (just not this year).

What Malone has to do is play the players that want to play. So far this year that seems to be:
Murray, Harris, Beasley, Barton, Lyles - maybe add Faried & Plumlee. Bench everyone else and give them minimal minutes off the bench. NBA players don't like that and it just might motivate them. Some of those haven't been overly effective, but at least they are hustling most of the time. Barton's the only one playing like he's not afraid to shoot and we need Harris & Murray & Hernangomez & Lyles & Jokic to start taking some shots. For pity's sake, give Craig a shot, bring up Morris. Find someone that wants to play.

Post #18 » by **NuggetsWY** » Fri Dec 1, 2017 4:49 am

Mickey8 wrote:
Alatan wrote:I expected improvement from him this season or at least the production he made at the end of the last season. He seems to have regresed. Hesitates to shoot, hesitates to pass, started off playing better D but then returned to his bad D. Looked gased in the 2nd quarter of this game and is fat again. I dont think he deserves more than 15 milion the way he plays right now. Maybe the critics were right and he was just a fluke that teams didnt game plan for. I know that he can shoot very well, he can pass really well and he can rebound really well but it appears he cant run an offense and he is a liability on defense so his production on offense is negated. That is not a max player.

He's having the best defensive ratings on this Nugget team. He could be a great offensive player , he indicated that with some great performances this season , he was also money in the clutch situations in those games . To have 20 ppg average, he needs to take 15 shots per game , I don't think he has a green light from the coaching stuff every night to shoot that much , even Malone said that his role will be different this year. I would be hesitant as well handing him a max deal mostly because of his strange behavior at the times this season , but the Denver risking him walking out, I can see plenty of teams in the league offering him a max deal. If he walks away, Denver would loose second big man in two season, with Denver having hard time luring big time stars , that wouldn't be a wise move. Even with the reduced role this season, he's still a double double player, shooting high percentages, he also improved 3 point shooting.

If you're right, fire the coach. Barton seems to have an unlimited green light. Is Malone playing favorites? Is he trying to teach a lesson instead of winning? (That doesn't seem like Malone.)

Post #19 » by **NuggetsWY** » Fri Dec 1, 2017 4:53 am

Disgusting game - especially the defense. The Nuggets appeared intent on switching on every screen and Markkanen said, "Thank you" as he kept getting weak-side switches with a guard covering him. That was Murray's first two fouls very early in the game. There was never any help and not much in the second half. Our front court ought to be ashamed of their defensive effort, especially in the first half. That seems to be a new twist on defense: wear the team out by letting them have a killer shooting game and hope they start missing open shots.

Who was our best PG? Barton!
Who was our best SG? Barton!
Who was our best SF? Barton!
Who was I hoping would never pass the ball? Barton!

Barton led the team in shots taken.
Barton led the team in shots made.
Barton led the team in 3pt shots taken.
Barton led the team in 3pt shots made.
Barton led the team in steals.
Oh yeah, Barton let the team in scoring.

It looked like the 'Enver Bartonettes - no defense and Barton with a little help on offense.

Only 19 fouls? That means "no effort" on defense. The worst offense in the league scored 110 pts. They average 15 turnovers per game and only had 11 in this game. That means "no effort" on defense.

Jamal Murray hustled but was ineffective. Harris played 40 minutes! He picked it up in the second half, so did Faried. They're just lucky Barton was there tonight - for 35 minutes off the bench - that's 35 minutes in roughly 42 minutes (I didn't take note of when he went in the first time.)

Plumlee and Lyles were effective off the bench, but they aren't expected to carry the team - and they didn't. They were effective. Jefferson seemed effective also.

A win, but an embarrassment!

Mickey8 · Post #20 » by **Mickey8** » Fri Dec 1, 2017 4:58 am

Well those were Malone words before the start of the season, different role on the team, which is ridiculous when you have that talented offensive player. There is no reason for Jokic not scoring in the first quarter of the game and he had many games like that this season. Its either Jokic playing some mind games of his own , or he's following new Malone's game approach, one of them have to step forward and say whats up. Denver FO have to make important decision next summer.