Post All-Star Break Nuggets

Post #1 » by **NuggetsWY** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 12:31 am

Some all-star break questions for the Nuggets:

1. How will the Nuggets respond to a rough finish to the schedule?
2. How will they play bringing back Millsap & Plumlee (what will the rotation be)?
3. Will Chandler be the player we saw just before the break or the player we've seen all year?
4. Does Murray continue improving?
5. Will Malone allow the Nuggets to continue playing off from Jokic or will he go back to calling all the plays?

And the question we all want to figure out:

The Nuggets are tied with four other teams in the loss column. They are only two losses behind third place. They are only two losses ahead of tenth place. So where do we finish the season?

My responses:
1. They play better against better teams. So I'll bet they finish with 46 wins.
2. Millsap & Plumlee are a puzzle - mostly based on Malone's rotation. Millsap will probably fit right in as the starting PF with 26 minutes or so - cutting down Plumlee's & Lyle's minutes. Plumlee will probably (hopefully) become strictly the backup center.
3. I have no idea.
4. I do believe he will continue to improve.
5. I have no idea.

Can we actually finish in fifth place? I think so.

TunaFish · Post #2 » by **TunaFish** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 1:37 am

The Nuggets we are watching are much improved from last year. Millsap coming back will be a factor.

However, if there is anything that I have learned recently about this club it is that young players are inconsistent and there will be let downs coupled with amazing wins. They have a core group of 3 that are likely to be stars and play for a long time in the NBA. These 3 are the future but they may make the near future very interesting.

skywalker33 · Post #3 » by **skywalker33** » Tue Feb 20, 2018 3:27 pm

Wonder if Malone actually learned anything from Plumlee’s absence ?

MidMountain · Post #4 » by **MidMountain** » Tue Feb 20, 2018 4:21 pm

NuggetsWY wrote:Some all-star break questions for the Nuggets:

1. How will the Nuggets respond to a rough finish to the schedule?
2. How will they play bringing back Millsap & Plumlee (what will the rotation be)?
3. Will Chandler be the player we saw just before the break or the player we've seen all year?
4. Does Murray continue improving?
5. Will Malone allow the Nuggets to continue playing off from Jokic or will he go back to calling all the plays?

1. They will rise to the competition, but good teams will exploit our lousy defense. I predict 14-10
2. I think Plumlee gets relegated to backup C and Chandler moves to starting SF.
3. My guess is that Chandler is trying to be more assertive in order to secure a solid multi-year contact next year. My guess is that he will play better than early in the season, but not as well as just before the break when he saw a lot of time at PF.
4. I don't think we see another big leap from Murray this year. I just hope he gets more consistent.
5. My guess is that he will try to work Plumlee and Millsap into the rotation without disrupting the offense with the hope that the defense improves.

Post #5 » by **The Rebel** » Wed Feb 21, 2018 12:59 pm

NuggetsWY wrote:Some all-star break questions for the Nuggets:

1. How will the Nuggets respond to a rough finish to the schedule?
2. How will they play bringing back Millsap & Plumlee (what will the rotation be)?
3. Will Chandler be the player we saw just before the break or the player we've seen all year?
4. Does Murray continue improving?
5. Will Malone allow the Nuggets to continue playing off from Jokic or will he go back to calling all the plays?

And the question we all want to figure out:

The Nuggets are tied with four other teams in the loss column. They are only two losses behind third place. They are only two losses ahead of tenth place. So where do we finish the season?

1 I think the team will be fine, the young guys play better against the big names and love the challenge.

2 Millsap will likely be back to starting but playing limited minutes within a game or two of getting back and Plumlee should be relegated to backup Center with only a handful of minutes coming with Jokic, but both will drastically improve our defense. As Millsap at the 4 and Chandler at the 3 are a much better defensive combo than Chandler at the 4 and Barton at the 3.

3. I think Chandler is trying to play for his next contract, I think it had to bug him that teams no longer were lining up to trade for him and the Nuggets couldn't get a reasonable deal for him. Meaning his next contract is going to be bad if he does not put in some effort.

4. I think all the young guys continue to improve even if they are somewhat streaky the last few weeks of the season.

5. Malone knows if he does not make the playoffs he is gone, and he knows that trying to force the young guys into a system that does not fit them is going to lead to missing the playoffs. If he tries to force his style again than he deserves to be fired.

I think we actually move up in the standings, I think the wheels are starting to come off for the Twolves and the Thunder are still struggling, it would not surprise me if we passed at least one of them. Below us I think the Trailblazers stay steady but are not as good as this team and I think the Jazz are going to push us but with the slight lead we have they will fall a little short.

Post #6 » by **NuggetsWY** » Wed Feb 21, 2018 6:38 pm

My biggest fear is that Malone is going to keep tinkering with the lineup. Clearly the starters will be Jokic, Millsap, Harris, Murray but who will be the SF? Will it be Barton or Chandler or Craig or even Lyles or Jefferson?

Sure we want to make the playoffs, but four of our starters are set for next year too. Shouldn't Malone be considering both?

Post #7 » by **The Rebel** » Wed Feb 21, 2018 8:22 pm

NuggetsWY wrote:My biggest fear is that Malone is going to keep tinkering with the lineup. Clearly the starters will be Jokic, Millsap, Harris, Murray but who will be the SF? Will it be Barton or Chandler or Craig or even Lyles or Jefferson?

Sure we want to make the playoffs, but four of our starters are set for next year too. Shouldn't Malone be considering both?

I think it is pretty clear that Malone loses his job if we miss the playoffs, screwing with the offense again this season and costing games early in the season will only be remembered if we don't make it. Given that I think he starts Chandler and Millsap, but would not be shocked if it was Millsap and Barton. Playing Lyles at a position that doesn't suit him, a rookie, or a veteran that is basically done is just asking to be fired.

Alatan · Post #8 » by **Alatan** » Wed Feb 21, 2018 8:35 pm

skywalker33 wrote:Wonder if Malone actually learned anything from Plumlee’s absence ?

Nope.

TheGr81 · Post #9 » by **TheGr81** » Fri Feb 23, 2018 1:16 pm

Imagine Denver's score and Jokic's numbers if Malone would run the gameplay like the previous several games for the full season, without stupid experiments.

skywalker33 · Post #10 » by **skywalker33** » Sat Feb 24, 2018 10:15 pm

Read Millsap May come off the bench when he’s ready to returns, keeps Chandler in the starting lineup perhaps to even showcase him for an offseason trade ???

psimanic1 · Post #11 » by **psimanic1** » Sat Feb 24, 2018 10:30 pm

I wanna thank to NBA for giving us two back to backs with CLE being on 2nd night both times in next games.....fuuuuuuuuuuckkk

Powder Blue · Post #12 » by **Powder Blue** » Sun Feb 25, 2018 2:44 pm

skywalker33 wrote:Read Millsap May come off the bench when he’s ready to returns, keeps Chandler in the starting lineup perhaps to even showcase him for an offseason trade ???

Be a little late to trade Chandler...he keeps up this production and he’ll just opt-out for a new deal from someone else. At best a S&T similar to Gallo’s will be our best return. Pretty sure he couldn’t be combined with other players in a trade unless he opts-in.

I think Milsap comes off the bench 3-4 games then starts at the 4 and Chandler slides to the 3. Malone will have a challenge on his hand weaving in Milsap. Maybe he only gets 25-30 mpg max this season as other players are already in stride.

MidMountain · Post #13 » by **MidMountain** » Sun Feb 25, 2018 3:00 pm

psimanic1 wrote:I wanna thank to NBA for giving us two back to backs with CLE being on 2nd night both times in next games.....fuuuuuuuuuuckkk

Maybe Lebron will slip on your tears!

Sent from my iPad using RealGM mobile app

Post #14 » by **NuggetsWY** » Sun Feb 25, 2018 3:35 pm

Powder Blue wrote:
skywalker33 wrote:Read Millsap May come off the bench when he’s ready to returns, keeps Chandler in the starting lineup perhaps to even showcase him for an offseason trade ???

Be a little late to trade Chandler...he keeps up this production and he’ll just opt-out for a new deal from someone else. At best a S&T similar to Gallo’s will be our best return. Pretty sure he couldn’t be combined with other players in a trade unless he opts-in.

I think Milsap comes off the bench 3-4 games then starts at the 4 and Chandler slides to the 3. Malone will have a challenge on his hand weaving in Milsap. Maybe he only gets 25-30 mpg max this season as other players are already in stride.

Maybe the front office didn't want to trade Chandler for a 1st last year because they knew this year they could trade him for a second, like they did Gallinari. :lol:

Hey, Jokic was a 2nd. Maybe they think they'll get a small forward version of Jokic.

Post #15 » by **NuggetsWY** » Wed Feb 28, 2018 10:00 pm

psimanic1 wrote:I wanna thank to NBA for giving us two back to backs with CLE being on 2nd night both times in next games.....fuuuuuuuuuuckkk

1-2 since the All-Star break and we haven't even played back-to-back nor have we played Cleveland. Looks like we don't need the NBA to cause our problems - we seem to be able to do that for ourselves.

Signed,
18 point lead gone in 5 minutes

Alatan · Post #16 » by **Alatan** » Thu Mar 1, 2018 2:48 pm

NuggetsWY wrote:
Powder Blue wrote:
skywalker33 wrote:Read Millsap May come off the bench when he’s ready to returns, keeps Chandler in the starting lineup perhaps to even showcase him for an offseason trade ???

Be a little late to trade Chandler...he keeps up this production and he’ll just opt-out for a new deal from someone else. At best a S&T similar to Gallo’s will be our best return. Pretty sure he couldn’t be combined with other players in a trade unless he opts-in.

I think Milsap comes off the bench 3-4 games then starts at the 4 and Chandler slides to the 3. Malone will have a challenge on his hand weaving in Milsap. Maybe he only gets 25-30 mpg max this season as other players are already in stride.

Maybe the front office didn't want to trade Chandler for a 1st last year because they knew this year they could trade him for a second, like they did Gallinari. Hey, Jokic was a 2nd. Maybe they think they'll get a small forward version of Jokic.

2>1. Math 101...