DENVER — Generally speaking, it’s been a solid, season-long eight game home stand for the Denver Nuggets. The Mile-High crew methodically handled a pesky Hornets team, took down the Warriors in dramatic fashion, lost winnable games to both the Heat and Thunder, and topped the Pacers in a Sunday night shootout.
After tonight’s 102-101 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, Denver has to re-group both physically and emotionally in order to salvage what’s left of the home stand (Pistons and Hawks).
The Grizzlies got out to a 37-23 lead after a first quarter which saw Memphis shoot 12-15 from the field and 3-5 from 3-point range. Part of it was Denver came out with little energy and decisiveness, the other portion was Memphis converted contested jumper after contested jumper. Fortunately those jumpers didn’t continue to fall throughout the night, but set Memphis up well for the rest of the half.
“It gets so old when you hear, ‘Hey, great game. Great comeback.’ We’re paid to win games,” said a clearly frustrated Malone post-game. “For me to have to call a timeout in the first quarter: and beg, and plead, and demand our guys to play hard, and to play with a sense of urgency, to play with a sense of physicality. When I have to do that, we’re in trouble.”
Denver closed to within seven at halftime behind 13 first half points from Danilo Gallinari. Gallo’s been inconsistent this season — especially since he’s come back from that sprained ankle — averaging just 2.6 points in fourth quarters. Tonight was no different as Gallo finished with 17 points, but went scoreless in the fourth of a one-point game.
The Nuggets seemed to be digging themselves out from that first quarter deficit all night as Nikola Jokic, who started but finished with nine points in 14 minutes, tried his hardest to ignite a surprisingly boisterous mid-week Pepsi Center crowd. He went behind the back after stealing the ball from Marc Gasol, then found his frontcourt mate Kenneth Faried in the paint on a nifty behind the back bounce pass. But the rookie also struggled — those strugglees might be why Jokic can’t find the court to close out games recently — and further showcased his inability to set a proper ball screen, something that could really take his game to another level if he improved at it.
A three from Emmanuel Mudiay who finished with 14 points brought Denver to within two with just over five minutes left and Darrell Arthur found a cutting Joffrey Lauvergne for a layup (who scored 9 points in 28 quality minutes).
After Jusuf Nurkic picked up three first quarter fouls, and, Jokic and Gallinari committed two a piece, the Nuggets were in the danger zone against the stout Memphis frontline. However, Malone leaned on Lauvergne in the second half, and rightfully so.
“He was being physical,” Malone said. “Nikola played great for us and it’s one of those things where you don’t like to take guys out because that group was playing so well, and then we got so winded and tired. Put the other guys back in and kind of stayed with them down the stretch because they were playing well offensively and defensivly. Joffrey, again, he’s one of our hardest workers. Off days, before practice, after practice, he puts a tremendous amount of time in the gym and I think the way he played against OKC, and tonight is indicate of how hard he’s been playing and the potential that we think he has.”
Lauvergne gave the Nuggets quality minutes down the stretch, keeping the score close and Denver in the game throughout the fourth quarter. He also drew the tough assignment of defending Gasol, and fouled out on a Gasol drive where he got an and-1 to give Memphis their two point lead late.
Denver forced Memphis into a 24 second shot clock violation down three with 2:35 left and Will Barton hit his first three of the night to tie the score at 94. The two teams traded baskets until 24 seconds remained on the clock, but an Emmanuel Mudiay missed box led to a Marc Gasol driving, and-1 layup to put Memphis up two (fouling out Joffrey in the process).
The Nuggets ran a dribble handoff play with Mudiay to Gallo with Memphis up just two points. Gallinari took the handoff, but an awaiting Conely forced Gallo into a desperation, off balance three that fell well short, as Denver let another winnable contest slip through their fingers.
Marc Gasol scored 27 points, grabbed four rebounds and dished out six assists to go with three blocks in 35 minutes. Mike Conley had 20 points on just nine shots for Memphis who improves to 25-19 on the year.
WHERE/WHEN
Pepsi Center, Denver, CO – Jan. 21 2016 – Game No. 43
STAR OF THE GAME
Emmanuel Mudiay scored 14 points on 6-13 shooting and registered eight assists in 33 minutes and the rookie’s jumper looked better tonight than in game’s past.
“Im just staying in the gym,” said Mudiay. “Just trying to do my part, thats all I can do. Let God take care of the rest.”
PLAYS OF THE GAME
Jokic behind the back to Faried:
Barton’s steal and score:
BY THE NUMBERS
NBA.com
QUOTE OF THE GAME
Playoffs?
“They scored 37 points on 80 percent [shooting] in the first quarter,” Malone said. “Think about those numbers for a second. That is embarrassing; 37 points, 80 percent from the field. We have guys, you know, talk about playoffs. Well, I don’t even use that word because our every day actions do not indicate to me that we are a team that is serious about making the playoffs. And the way that we played in that first quarter is not indicative of a team that wants to make the playoffs.”
WHAT’S NEXT
The Nuggets finish out their homestand by hosting the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks before a three game Eastern Conference road trip takes them through the rest of January.
