The Denver Nuggets host the Brooklyn Nets at the Pepsi Center for the fourth game of a season-long six-game homestand on Tuesday night. Just nine days ago, the Nuggets defeated the Nets on their home-floor in Brooklyn by a score of 124-111 thanks to a furious 40-21 third-quarter push.
While the Nuggets third-quarter blitz was what garnered the most attention, the real story was that the team had a season-low turnover total with just six and those turnovers only resulted in nine points for the Nets.
The turnover battle will likely be what separates the Nuggets and Nets once more; this time at the Pepsi Center.
“We are giving up 21.2 points a night on turnovers,” Nuggets head coach Michael Malone explained at shootaround before taking on the Nets in Denver. “Obviously in Brooklyn, we did not turn the ball over and that was why we were able to beat them in Brooklyn but, at some point, when’s enough, enough? When are we going to stop beating ourselves? We have made so many improvements. I know it is early, but even defensively from this season to last year; good teams do not beat themselves and right now – you think about the Utah game and you think about the Washington game – turnovers cost us both of those games and we have to stop that as soon as possible.”
It is not shocking news to hear that the Nuggets season has been somewhat defined by turnovers so far but – particularly against Brooklyn – the Nuggets will need to get their turnover woes in check if they hope to slow down the fast-paced Nets team.
The best way to slow down a team that loves to feast in transition and on fast breaks the way Brooklyn does?
“Not turn the ball over. They are a team that is very active with their hands and they generate steals. If we do not turn the ball over we can score on them,” Malone explained. “If you look at a lot of their defensive numbers they are not great but they are very active with their hands getting deflections. They are a hard playing team. I think they lead the NBA in loose balls; one of those hustle stats that shows you that this team gets after it.”
The Nets currently lead the league in pace and have emerged as one of the more potent offensive teams in the league. They put up an average of 112.7 points per game and are doing so at a pace of 108.7, which is more than five points higher than the Golden State Warriors and leads all teams in the league. Turning the ball over will just continue to quicken the pace while also stimulating the Nets attack on fast breaks.
“They are a team that likes to get out and run,” Gary Harris at shootaround. “They are one of the highest scoring offenses in the NBA so there are going to be a lot of possessions. So that means we need to come right on the defensive end and focus on stopping them in transition.”
If the Nuggets hope to get their fourth win at home and, once again, climb back above .500 they will need to win the turnover battle against Brooklyn. That does not mean only valuing the ball (a favorite saying of Malone’s) and avoiding turning the ball over but also forcing the Nets into turnovers themselves. Malone has no problem getting into a foot-race with the Nets if that is what the game evolves into. He knows his Nuggets team can run with almost anyone.
“They want to play at a certain pace but we are not afraid to run,” Malone said. “As long as we are running with disciple and not turning the ball over.”
Forcing turnovers was one of the Nuggets biggest issues last year and with the their new aggressive defensive philosophy the team has been generating more turnovers and more points off those turnovers while also increasing their fast break opportunities. Which also happens to be an area that the Nuggets thrive.
“Last year we were dead last in forcing turnovers and scoring off of those turnovers. Dead last,” Malone said. “This year I think we are middle of the pack in forcing turnovers and scoring off of those turnovers.”
The Nuggets know they need to limit their own turnovers while also getting into the passing lanes to be disruptive and gobble up steals if they hope to win.
Another interesting wrinkle is that the Nuggets will be playing a Nets team that is as injury-ravaged as any team in basketball. Currently, the Nets will be without Trevor Booker (back), Jarrett Allen (foot), and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (hip) on Tuesday night against the Nuggets but DeMarre Carroll and Quincy Acy, both who missed the first game between the Nuggets and Nets, are healthy and will play.
The Nuggets will need to play composed but also play with great effort, and Malone implores them to do so often. If they fail to match the intensity of the Nets, who are one of the more ‘try-hard’ teams in the league, they could find themselves in a hole early that they may struggle to climb out of.
Malone said it best: “This team: they lead the league in pace, they get up and down, they shoot a lot of threes so we are going to have to match their energy from the jump ball.”
