What’s wrong with the Denver Nuggets?
That’s a question that gets asked both too often and not enough. Too often because the answer is probably a whole lot less than you think; not enough because, well, not many people are really talking about the Nuggets.
The fact is that right now, the Nuggets are at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to Denver sports, and it’s almost definitely worse than you think. Because, sadly, if I said the Broncos, Avalanche and Rockies were all drawing larger attendance than the Nuggets, nobody would bat an eye; if I told you that the Colorado Rapids, who rank dead last in MLS attendance, have more people trekking all the way out to Dick Sporting Goods Park than the Nuggets can get into the Pepsi Center, that should be stunning.
And it’s absolutely true. According to Soccer Stadium Digest, the Colorado Rapids averaged 15,657 fans a game last season (again, worst in MLS); the Nuggets currently sit at 13,618.
It, as I’ve been saying all season long, is embarrassing. But the only way things are going to change is if the Nuggets start winning — a lot.
So, again, I ask: What is wrong with the Denver Nuggets?
They’re Injured:
Wilson Chandler, Jusuf Nurkic, Joffrey Lauvergne, Gary Harris, Kenneth Faried. Alone, those five guys would make a pretty serviceable starting lineup, and yet they’ve all missed a sizable chunk of the season (if not all of it) with injury. That tends to hurt a team’s chances at success.
In fact, you could probably make an argument that at least three of those guys are either the Nuggets’ first or second best player; Faried is getting paid like it, Nurkic has played like it and Chandler is everybody’s under-the-radar darling. Even Lauvergne was in the top five in PER before going to the bench with a back injury, for whatever that means.
Now, should the Nuggets use their health as an excuse? No, of course not. But I can! Listen, this is a team that was starting the season in the NBA’s gray area, anyways; they were one of about 10 organizations that, if you squinted your eyes hard enough, you could see both a fringe playoff contender and a team vying for a top-three pick in the lottery. Take away five players in their nine-man rotation and suddenly we’re looking at a much different basketball team.
With Wilson Chandler and Gary Harris running at full health, the Nuggets wouldn’t need to be playing Randy Foye, who’s shooting under 30 percent from the field and under 20 percent from three, 21 minutes a game. With Jusuf Nurkic and Joffrey Lauvergne on the court, the Nuggets wouldn’t need to rely on the inconsistent (at best) play from J.J. Hickson and Darrell Arthur.
This is a case of the Nuggets being unlucky, not bad. Now, they’re not getting Chandler back all season, but if Nurkic can find himself a role when he returns this month, and if guys like Will Barton and Darrell Arthur can continue to perform above expectations, then maybe things will get better.
But, please, I know watching Foye miss nearly every shot he takes is infuriating, but don’t blame coach Michael Malone for putting him on the court when he hardly has another option.
