Today, the Denver Nuggets wrap up what has been a very successful home stand so far. Denver’s 4-0 and has a chance to go 5-0, turning around the early struggles of their season.
To make it happen, all they have to do is slow down Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving…Good Luck!
Let’s delve into the Dallas Mavericks matchup:
Denver Nuggets vs Miami Heat
Projected Starting Lineups
Denver: Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, Michael Porter Jr., Nikola Jokic
Dallas: Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, Daniel Gafford
Key Bench Players
Denver: Russell Westbrook, Julian Strawther, Hunter Tyson, Zeke Nnaji or DeAndre Jordan
Dallas: Spencer Dinwiddie, Jaden Hardy, Quentin Grimes, Olivier Maxence-Prosper, Dwight Powell
Notable Injuries
Denver: Aaron Gordon – OUT, Vlatko Cancar – OUT, DaRon Holmes II – OUT
Dallas: Luka Doncic – QUESTIONABLE, Dereck Lively II – DOUBTFUL, PJ Washington – DOUBTFUL, Maxi Kleber – DOUBTFUL, Dante Exum – OUT
Key for the Nuggets – Rim Pressure
The Mavericks, likely without some of their frontcourt players, will be tasked with keeping the Nuggets out of the paint. That’s been tough for most teams so far. The Nuggets average 53.1 points in the paint, seventh most in the NBA so far. Much of that comes from Jokic, who sets the table for others to attack. The Nuggets attempt the second most shots within five feet of the rim in the entire NBA, though they have the third lowest efficiency in that zone. They are simply overwhelming for most teams.
Can the Mavericks slow down the Nuggets rim pressure? Without Dereck Lively II and PJ Washington, that might be a tall task. Both are doubtful.
Important Matchup – Luka Doncic vs Peyton Watson
This one is key for Denver. Luka Doncic, despite some early shooting struggles, remains a top 3 player in the NBA. His craftiness, scoring talent, and insane court vision make it close to impossible to stop him, and Peyton Watson will have to stay engaged throughout the game. Luka is bigger than Watson and will try and use that to his advantage. Watson must stay disciplined and avoid excessive fouls.
On the other end, Watson has scored double figures in each of the last three games without Aaron Gordon. Can he force Doncic to work hard on that end to tie the superstar out offensively?
Number of the Day – 4
That’s the ranking of Denver’s three-point percentage among all NBA teams to start the year. Denver’s shooting 39.6% from distance, behind only the Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and New York Knicks. It’s a surprising placement for the Nuggets, but with Jokic, Porter, Braun (what a revelation), and Gordon all shooting above 40%, it shouldn’t be THAT much of a surprise.
The question that will persist is the volume. The Nuggets as a team rank 29th in three-point attempt rate. It makes the percentage they shoot slightly less meaningful. Still, if Murray (33.3%) and Strawther (35.5%) continue to elevate their percentages, then there will be few players opposing teams can simply ignore from distance. Even Westbrook is shooting a respectable 32.3% from deep after a solid start.
Nugget who should have a good game: Jamal Murray
It was good to see Murray play a strong game in his return from concussion protocol against the Miami Heat on Friday. Now on Sunday, Murray’s primary matchups will likely feature Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, and Spencer Dinwiddie throughout the evening. When attacking in pick and roll and dribble hand offs, Daniel Gafford is a good rim protector, but he has to deal with Jokic.
I think Murray has a shot at another strong game today. If he stays aggressive, attacks in transition, and generates space with the ball in his hands, there’s a great opportunity for him.
