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.
Their Schedule:
In their first 21 games, the Denver Nuggets have played 15 playoff teams from last season (I’m including the Oklahoma City Thunder because they should be; if you don’t like that, fine, 14 playoff teams). That’s a tough stretch for the Cleveland Cavaliers, let alone the Denver Nuggets.
The fact that Denver has made it through that stretch with half of their roster sidelined with injury at 8-13 is a minor miracle; if anything, it’s a positive, not a negative.
And listen, I get that that sort of talk was a little easier to stomach when the Nuggets were 6-5 and not coming off an eight-game losing streak, but let me run down the opponents Denver faced during that stretch:
San Antonio Spurs (18-4)
Phoenix Suns (9-13)
Golden State Warriors (22-0)
Los Angeles Clippers (12-9)
San Antonio Spurs (18-4)
Dallas Mavericks (13-9)
Milwaukee Bucks (9-13)
Chicago Bulls (11-7)
The way I see it, there were only two “bad losses” during that losing streak, against the Suns and the Bucks. And even then, the Nuggets led most of that Suns game before Brandon Knight went bonkers with 38 points and 11 assists, and the Bucks were a playoff team just last season.
Again, I’m not going to say that any team can lose eight-straight games without repercussions, but what I am saying is that the deck was definitely stacked against their favor. And if it makes you feel any better, based on ESPN’s expected-win-loss projections, the Nuggets’ 8-13 record is better than the 6-15 record they would have predicted. So, there’s that.
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[adrotate banner=”10″]Nothing:
You don’t order a hamburger from McDonalds and then complain when it’s not made out of premium Kobe beef. Likewise, when the Denver Nuggets start the season 8-12 (just two games out of a playoff spot, may I remind you), you shouldn’t be angry that they’re not competing with the Warriors and Spurs atop the Western Conference.
The Nuggets were a 30-win team last season, they just hired a new coach, they’re starting a 19-year old at point guard and half of their rotation has spent more time on the trainer’s table than on the court; give them some time!
I can understand if, as a fan, you’re frustrated, but if you’re judging the success or failure of this season on whether the Nuggets make the playoffs, you’ve got it all wrong. The reason we’re watching these games is to see young guys like Emmanuel Mudiay, Nikola Jokic, Gary Harris, Joffrey Lauvergne and Jusuf Nurkic develop; we’re watching for the future. And from where I’m sitting, I’m having a pretty darn good time!
Sure, it hasn’t been perfect. Nurkic has yet to play, and Mudiay and Jokic have made some frustrating rookie mistakes, but they are rookies; they’re going to do that.
The point is that there’s nothing wrong with the Denver Nuggets; if anything is wrong, it’s been our expectations. If you can keep that in mind, maybe you’ll be enjoy the rest of this season.
And who knows, maybe we can push that attendance number up past the Rapids …