The Denver Nuggets suffered defeat at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies Sunday afternoon, dropping to a disheartening 1-2 after the All-Star break.
Following their return from the layoff, the Nuggets looked out of sync, tired, and searching for answers. The much-needed rest the team was expecting over the break has yet to transfer over down the stretch, leaving the Nuggets in an unsettling position.
The disappointing start has put Denver in a position to not just lose the rights to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, but worse, have a season that has warranted a ton of optimism about potentially breaking the franchise’s three-year playoff drought wrecked.
As it stands, Denver still remains in control of the West’s final playoff spot; however, after their latest loss, that lead has minimized to just a single game.
The wear and tear of the NBA season seems to have caught up to Denver at the worst possible time. If the Nuggets want to fix the recent line of difficulty they have been experiencing, they are going to have to find their second wind and develop the mental toughness to endure the remaining 23 games on the schedule.
“I think every player and every team right now is fighting it [fatigue].” Head coach Michael Malone said after the team’s loss Sunday. “We as a group have to find a way to fight through that.”
That second wind will be essential if this Nuggets team wants to turn this season around.
“We are definitely going to need that second wind.” shooting guard Gary Harris said. “We got a tough schedule coming up, so we have to be ready to play.”
The Nuggets have games against likely playoff teams, the likes of the Milwaukee Bucks, Washington Wizards, and Boston Celtics within the team’s next five contests.
“Every player in the NBA is tired, no exceptions,” Malone said. “If you are a starter in the NBA your mentally and physically fatigued at the moment, and the great players and teams find a way to fight through it and get their second wind and get ready for the postseason. I hope that our guys can do it.”