In season opener, Nuggets show traits of a legit contender
Oct 24, 2019, 6:30 AM
It’s just one game, but there’s already early proof that this year’s Nuggets are different than most. In the season opener against the Trail Blazers, even the most-fatalistic fan had to be encouraged by what transpired.
First off, winning on the road is reason to feel good. Doing so against a quality opponent is even better. But Denver went and won in one of the toughest places in the NBA.
Portland had won a league record 18 consecutive home openers prior to last night. They hadn’t lost in their own building to start a season since the year 2000. That’s a staggering run of success.
Yet the Nuggets were able to go in and defy the odds, getting a 108-100 win. That’s not something that would’ve happened in years past.
Second, Denver overcame a rough start by their best player. In the first four minutes of the game, Nikola Jokic picked up three fouls, sending him to the bench for the rest of the first half. That mean the Nuggets would have to try to withstand the inevitable early run by the home team with the focal point of their offense sitting courtside.
Early on, it didn’t look like they’d be able to do it. At one point in the first quarter, Denver was trailing 19-7. It looked like the game was well on its way to being a blowout, with a built-in excuse about the officiating already cued up.
But then a funny thing happened. Denver went on a run, led by their deep and talented bench. Behind Malik Beasley and Jerami Grant, the Nuggets went on a 13-2 run to take the lead before the quarter was out.
They didn’t fold. They didn’t wallow. They just kept coming after the Trail Blazers with wave after wave after wave of players.
That’s the biggest difference between this year’s team and those in the past. It’s not about one or two guys. If Jokic is in foul trouble, Jamal Murray isn’t hitting his shots or any of the other stars are having an off night, there are plenty of teammates ready to pick up the slack.
When other teams go to their reserves, they take a step backwards while their starters get a rest. For the Nuggets, that’s not the case. Michael Malone is able to simply roll another batch of scorers, defenders and rebounders at the opposition.
Last but not least, Denver was able to finish last night. That’s something that has plagued them seemingly forever, an inability to execute down the stretch. Against Portland, the Nuggets were nearly flawless late in the game.
With 4:59 to play in the game, Denver trailed 88-87. From that moment on, they played nearly flawless basketball. In the final five minutes of play, the Nuggets scored 21 points, shot 56 percent from the floor and made nine out of 10 free throws. That’s the definition of executing in crunch time.
In addition, they had a player who was able to step up when the game was on the line. In the fourth quarter alone, Jokic had 16 points, eight rebounds and two assists. His back-to-back three-pointers at the 3:39 and 3:16 mark turned a one-point game into a 97-90 lead for Denver, giving his team the cushion they’d need to close out Portland.
So while it’s easy to dismiss a win in the season opener as just one of 82 that have to be played, it’d be foolish not to spot the ways in which this year’s Nuggets are different. They’re deep, resilient, mentally tough and clutch.
Find a time where that’s ever been the case in the past. That’s why a win in Portland is reason to get excited, even if it is just one game.
