The Denver Nuggets hit the All-Star break with a record of 22 wins and 32 losses. They sit in 5th place in the Northwest Division, 5 games behind the Utah Jazz for the 8th and final playoff spot.
The Denver Nuggets started the season by hiring Mike Malone as Head Coach in June. Malone spent the last two years in Sacramento guiding the team to a 39-67 record. The Nuggets were hoping his up-tempo style would improve their record of 30-52 from the year before.
Denver started the season 6-12. During the month of November, they endured a seven game losing streak which would be their longest. The Nuggets haven’t won more than three in a row which occurred three times this season. They have been unable to go on a long winning streak. Whenever they win two to three games in a row, they go on to lose the next two to three games. After the All-Star break, they must play improved basketball. They can’t afford to lose many games in a row because that could hurt their slim playoff chances.
The Nuggets are able to score as they average 100.5 points per game. They can’t seem to stop their opponents from scoring, allowing 103.4 points per game. They must improve on the defensive end. Denver can’t let opposing teams to go on runs or have second chance points. This has killed them. They don’t play great defense and that leads to easy baskets.
The Nuggets can rebound, averaging 11.6 offensive rebounds per game. They are going after the glass on a missed shot. Those missed shots give them second chance points which in some games has been the difference in a win vs. a loss.
The Denver Nuggets aren’t in terrible shape going into the All-Star break. Once they come back from it, Denver must emphasize defense. They need to stop teams from scoring and letting them go on large runs. The Nuggets will improve on their 30-52 record from last year but it still won’t be enough to make the playoffs.
What can the Nuggets do to become a playoff team this year?
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