After snapping a soul-crushing six game losing streak with a win against the Timberwolves in Minnesota on Wednesday, Denver will look to build off the momentum as they put all the excuses behind them. It’s go time. The Nuggets will be without Kenneth Faried tonight, as the forward is out due to personal reasons — to attend the birth of his second child. Denver will have to replace him in the starting lineup with either Darrell Arthur or Joffrey Lauvergne.

The Grizzlies have been playing small ball as Zach Randolph has finally gone over the cliff, averaging just 13.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. Unfortunately for the Nuggets, Randolph may be picking things up in his new role off the bench as his most recent game was also his best, scoring 26 points (11-18 from the field) and gobbling up 18 boards. Fortunately, it’s becoming a more and more uncommon event as the former walking-double-double only has four in his last 18 games.

Nikola Jokic continues to earn Michael Malone’s trust and has been playing well, impressing with both his skills and basketball IQ. The rookie seems to pick things up on the fly and already has some of the better awareness on the team. Amazing for such a young player.

Here you can see Jokic knowing what the play is going to be, as well as instructing his teammates on what to do. Unfortunately Gary Harris got caught on the screen and Randy Foye ended up getting posted by Andrew Wiggins, leaving Jokic caught between helping and staying on Towns (34.5 percent from beyond the arc). Still, Jokic moved the split second he was able to and almost came up with the block anyway. Great awareness from the 20-year-old.

This one is an example of how quickly Jokic picks up on things. Here we can see Jokic making a mistake in the post by not being aware of his surroundings, resulting in a turnover. A few plays later, he ended up in a similar situation and had already adapted his game perfectly, passing out to Harris the instant Wiggins sank in too deep. Keep in mind that Jokic is far from a finished project, but if he keeps developing at this pace, his potential is real, real scary.

The Return of the Prodigal Son

After missing the last 13 games, Mudiay is ready to return and has been antsy for some action for the past month. He’s listed as questionable and will be a game-time decision.

“It’s the worst. I don’t know what to do with myself, to be honest with you. Other than that, I’ve tried to just be the best cheerleader I can be,” Mudiay said. “I’ve learned a lot by sitting there and watching, seeing things from another perspective. I think I learned about pace. How do people change pace? How do people have their timing and when they’re going to take a shot and when they’re going to get their teammates involved at the right time and control the tempo? It’s really been helpful.”

It’ll be extremely encouraging seeing the Nuggets top pick back in action against the Memphis Grizzlies, even if it is with a watchful eye over his minutes.

“We’re in constant communication with our training staff just like we were with Jusuf Nurkic,” Malone said. “[Emmanuel] will have a minutes restriction as well. You don’t want to fatigue his ankle and have any breakdown so it becomes a recurring issue. If we get him back, we’d like to have him be healthy and stay ready for the rest of the season.”

Mudiay has made sure to be one hundred percent for this game and that’s extremely encouraging to hear, as the Nuggets should definitely not be jeopardizing his future for this season. Fortunately Emmanuel knows this and has proceeded with caution.

“I want to push through, and stuff like that. But it’s nothing to play with. I’ve already had this injury last year, so it’s not something that I want to linger on for the rest of my life or career.”

Mudiay has averaged 10.7 points, 5.7 assists, 3.5 rebounds and a steal so far in his first NBA season. At times he’s looked like a 19-year old, averaging four turnovers a game and shooting a putrid 31.1 percent from the field. And yet, every game there are glimpses of a man who will lead the franchise one day:

Look for Mudiay to come out aggressive after missing nearly a month of action. It’s time to put those fresh wheels to the test.

Battle of the Titans

Last time Jusuf Nurkic and Marc Gasol met up, sparks were flying and tempers flared. It was a great sight to see the Nuggets, then-rookie, going toe-to-toe with one of the league’s best centers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QcpvoF3LnY

Nurkic returned just last Saturday and has shown he hasn’t missed a single step. Always one who gets the most out of his time, Nurkic is averaging a whopping 26.3 points, 17.6 and 5.6 blocks per 36 minutes. Forget the small sample size, Nurkic showed he was back when he toasted the Timberwolves with a 15 point, 10 rebound and 5 block performance on Wednesday. The Bosnian Beast can dominate front courts and make players cower when they drive to the rim:

Nurkic has the ability to get to any place he wants to on the floor. As he gets more and more used to the game, he’ll be able to finish the layups that he can get whenever he wants to. His 38.5 percent field goal percentage will only improve with game experience.

Nurkic’s main strength at the moment is his elite ability to protect the rim. With his bulky size, surprisingly quick feet and anticipation, Nurkic is an absolute nightmare for players trying to drive to the basket. In just his third game back (and only playing five minutes in his first) he swatted five shots and altered many more. Fortunately for Nuggets fans, Nurkic has held Gasol to 30.7 percent shooting on 4-13 shooting when he was the closest defender (per NBAsavant.com).

With Nurkic so far, the Nuggets have rocketed up to an 110.7 offensive rating, compared to the 104.0 beforehand (+6.7); while holding opponents to a 92.1 rating compared to an embarrassing 109.3 without Jusuf (-17.2!!). Considering the Nuggets are better all around the board with Nurkic and his added defense, it’s no coincidence the Nuggets won their first game scoring under 100 since January of last year. With his help, Malone will finally be able to realize his dream of becoming a bona fide defensive team.

Injury report:
Nuggets: Wilson Chandler – out (right hip arthroscopic surgery), Kenneth Faried – out (personal reasons), Emmanuel Mudiay – questionable (ankle).

Grizzlies: Mike Conley – doubtful (sore left Achilles), Courtney Lee – doubtful (left hip contusion), Jordan Adams – out (right knee soreness), Brandon Wright – out (arthroscopic knee surgery)