The Nuggets are walking a dangerous tightrope in the West
Nov 11, 2019, 6:24 AM
When it comes to the Nuggets, there’s good news and bad news through the first three weeks of the season. That’s the reality check that most people don’t want to hear.
On the positive side of things, Denver is 7-2 and currently sitting in the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference, just a half-game behind the Lakers for the top spot. They’re there thanks to a dramatic weekend, one in which Nikola Jokic hit two game-winning shots to give the Nuggets a pair of thrilling, last-minute victories.
First, the All-NBA center capped off an amazing come-from-behind victory against the 76ers with a 20-foot jump shot on Friday night to beat one of the best teams from the Eastern Conference. Then, as if to prove it wasn’t a fluke, Jokic did it again on Sunday afternoon in Minnesota, hitting another tough outside shot in the waning seconds to put Denver ahead for good against the Timberwolves.
What’s not to celebrate? What reason is there to not be happy?
Well, one look at the standings is the first cause for concern. As expected, the West is as competitive as ever.
After losing to Denver, Minnesota fell to 5-4 on the season. At the moment, that puts them ninth in the conference, which would be on the outside looking in if the playoffs started today.
That’s the exact same spot the Nuggets would find themselves if things hadn’t broken their way during the weekend. The current second seed in the West would be in the lottery if not for some fortunate breaks.
On Friday night, the Nuggets trailed the Sixers by 19 points after three quarters. It took the largest fourth-quarter comeback in franchise history to propel them to a victory, which didn’t materialize until Jokic hit his late jump shot.
On Sunday afternoon, Denver was up by 16 points with a little more than six minutes to play. But their 90-74 lead turned into a 90-90 tie when Minnesota scored every point during the rest of regulation to force overtime. Thankfully, Jokic’s late-game heroics once again saved the day, as the Nuggets pulled out a 100-98 victory.
Given how Denver has struggled to finish games in recent years, a problem that seems to date back as far as anyone can remember, it’s certainly a good thing to see that they can win games down the stretch. For the first time in ages, the Nuggets have a player who can come through in the clutch, as Jokic has taken on the superstar role as the clock ticks down.
But it’s also very troubling that the team was in those situations to begin with. There’s no excuse for either scenario.
Against Philadelphia, Denver was sloppy and lethargic through the first three quarters of the game. Being down 19 points at home to another one of the NBA’s elite teams doesn’t exactly inspire confidence that the Nuggets are ready to contend.
A miraculous comeback doesn’t erase that fact.
Against Minnesota, Denver was cruising to victory before completely falling apart in the fourth quarter. Blowing a 16-point lead in a little more than six minutes, while failing to score a single point along the way, isn’t exactly the performance expected from a championship contender.
A clutch shot in overtime doesn’t erase that fact.
That’s why the weekend was a mixed bag for the Nuggets. Yes, it was a couple of fun victories, games that had fans buzzing the next morning about what went down. But it was also filled with troubling signs, providing reasons to be concerned.
The exciting part of the two victories is easy. Both games provided jump-up-and-down, high-five-a-friend moments, which are the stuff that great teams are built upon.
The disappointing part isn’t so simple. It requires not getting caught up in the euphoria of the moment and looking objectively at what’s transpiring.
If the Nuggets hadn’t done something they’ve never done in the 53-year history of the franchise, they’d have lost to the Sixers. And if they hadn’t figured out how to stem the tide of an epic collapse on Sunday, they’d have lost to the Timberwolves.
Had those two games not gone Denver’s way, Michael Malone’s team would currently being sitting at 5-4. In other words, they’d be ninth in the Western Conference, a borderline playoff contender.
That’s how tight the race is going to be all year long. And it’s why the Nuggets need to be on their game every single night.
Miracles aren’t going to happen very often. The thrilling wins against the Sixers and T-Wolves aren’t going to be the norm. Most of the time, those two games end in losses.
Denver’s 7-2 start is certainly something to be excited about. And this weekend’s wins were fun for everyone involved, including the fans. But they can’t obscure reality.
If the Nuggets don’t play better, those games are going to result in losses more often than not. And in the West, a few missteps will put a good team on the sidelines once the playoffs tip off.
Friday and Sunday were awesome. There’s no reason not to enjoy those moments.
But if they become the standard, if those performances are what the Nuggets are going to bring on a nightly basis, it’s eventually going to catch up with Denver. And if that happens, falling in the standings will occur in rapid time.
