The Nuggets fell 92-74 to the Milwaukee Bucks, dropping their seventh straight game thanks to yet another second half offensive collapse. Milwaukee’s defensive pressure was too much and the Nuggets sloppy offensive play proved to be too much to overcome as the Bucks ran away with the game in the second half. There were a few bright spots, but an overall disappointing effort from the entire roster tonight.
When/Where
Monday, Nov. 30, 2015 at BMO Harris Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI
Pounding the Paint
Both teams were clearly looking to take advantage of the lack of rim protectors on either roster by pounding the ball inside early. The Bucks posted up Greg Monroe against Nikola Jokic with mixed results, especially after the Nuggets sent in late double teams, forcing him to rush his shots. Denver’s success came from both Jokic and Kenneth Faried attacking Monroe from both sides. The post play early essentially amounted in a draw as the only real difference early was Khris Middleton‘s ability to hit the three (3-3 in the first quarter).
| Bucks 1st Quarter Shot Chart | Nuggets 1st Quarter Shot Chart |
Too Many Turns
In the preview I asked for more Emmanuel Mudiay turnovers – meaning it’s okay to turn it over if he’s being aggressive and attacking. I got the turnovers, but unfortunately most of them came due to aggressive Bucks double-teams rather than aggressive attacking offense from Mudiay. He’s still tentative with the ball, so when teams attack him, his hesitation leads to turnovers or extended possessions leading to difficult shots. Mudiay needs to trust his instincts and get back into attack mode.
Mudiay Turnover leading to easy Bucks basket
Return of the King
Joffrey Lauvergne put in solid minutes in his second game back from injury, scoring 7 points and pulling down 6 rebounds in 19 minutes on the floor. He didn’t look full speed yet, but his presence was definitely felt when he was out there. Look for the Nuggets post play to get back on track as King Joffrey gets back to full strength.
Star of the Game
No stars to be had tonight. Everybody had some moments, but no Nuggets were able to sustain any amount of energy or results to truly impact the game .
Play of the Game
The highlight of the night for Mudiay and the Nuggets was this coast-to-coast layup off of a steal at the other end. We’ll need to see a lot more of this if the Nuggets are going to be at all competitive this season.
Turning Point
The Nuggets took a 54-51 lead with just over eight minutes left in the 3rd quarter after a Gallinari 3-pointer, but it was all downhill after that. The Bucks capped their run on this steal and slam by Michael Carter-Williams, giving them a 12 point lead with nine minutes left in the game and it was all downhill from there.
Carter-Williams Steal and Slam
By the Numbers
35 points off of 24 Denver turnovers vs. 9 points off of 13 Milwaukee turnovers. Yuck.
Here’s the shot chart from the first half, showing decent shooting in the paint, thanks to some nifty moves by Jokic, and good hustle from the Manimal and Joffrey.
And here’s the second half with fewer and worse shots in the paint, leading to more and worse shooting from the perimeter.
Quote of the Game
Seven straight Ls for the Nuggos. Yeesh. — Paul Klee (@bypaulklee) December 1, 2015
Lasting Impact
The Nuggets have two tough games in Chicago and Toronto before looking to avoid being the first team this season to let the 76ers into the win column to close out this five game road trip. The disappointment is evident during the post-game interviews, so grabbing a couple wins to close out the trip would go a long way towards righting the ship.
Next up
Wednesday, December 2nd @ Chicago
The Denver Nuggets will travel to the Windy City to take on the Bulls. This will be the first Eastern Conference team the Nuggets will face this season other than the Bucks. The Bulls squeaked out a 92-89 win over the Spurs tonight at home bringing their record to 10-5 and they stand two games behind the Cavaliers for the top spot in the East.
