The Denver Nuggets will square off against the Orlando Magic tonight at Pepsi Center with an opportunity to improve to a 5-1 record on their season-long six-game home stand, a feat that would be remarkable for a few reasons.
First, before the homestretch, the Nuggets were 3-4 and looked out of whack. Their offense was stagnant and the defense was struggling to base its self. The team looked collectively clunky as they struggled to become acclimated to a new season with heightened expectations.
The six-game home stand represented an opportunity for the Nuggets to establish their identity on the court while proving they could stay with some of the league’s best. With wins against the Toronto Raptors and Oklahoma City Thunder the Nuggets showcased an ability to beat premium talent while beginning to brand themselves as a threat in the league. In addition, the team took care of business against the Brooklyn Nets and Miami Heat. Their lone loss came against the Golden State Warriors which was about as close to a scheduled loss as possible due the workload the Nuggets have endured leading up to the match up (it was their sixth game in nine nights).
It is essential the Nuggets end this homestead on a strong note with a win before playing three of their next four games on the road. The squad has managed to find their stride and have impressed both on the local and national scale as they continue to catch the eye of the public.
A loss against one of the lesser teams in the pitiful Eastern Conference would put a big damper on what has been, what coach Michael Malone called an “unbelievable home stand”.
The players know what’s at stake in tonight’s game at Pepsi Center, led by veteran Nuggets newcomer Paul Millsap.
“We want to change our mindsets,” Millsap said. “This is a game that we feel like we have to get even though we’ve been on a nice win streak. This is a game that solidifies what we’ve been preaching all year [in] changing this program around. This is a game that we got to get.”
The Nuggets enter this game 6-4 in their last 10 games and 5-2 while playing at home this season.
Orlando comes to town riding a two-game win streak, including a resounding defeat of the Pheonix Suns last night. With the Magic on the second night of a back-to-back, this should be a game the Nuggets can get, especially if they want to continue to prove they are playoff contenders in the ultra-competitive Western Conference.
The Nuggets has done a solid job in recent days at avoiding losses like blowing fourth-quarter leads against lesser opponents.
The Nuggets have an ample opportunity tonight to further change the narrative while continuing to push the culture forward on their path back towards the postseason.
Denver and Orlando tip-off at 7 p.m. tonight.