Mason Plumlee didn’t beat around the bush after the Denver Nuggets’ latest disappearing act on Tuesday in Utah. Following his team’s 106-77 loss, the Nuggets reserve center suggested a lack of leadership contributed to Denver getting outscored by 30 points in the second half.
“Somebody has got to step forward and kind of be a voice and get on people,” Plumlee said via Altitude TV. “And it can’t just be from the staff. We have to take ownership internally and deal with it.”
On Thursday after shootaround, Plumlee elaborated on the comments he made two days earlier.
“I think the reason you guys are asking me questions right now is because everybody was miffed about how we played the second half against Utah,” Plumlee told BSN Denver. “There have been other stretches in games this season where we have been no-shows. It can’t happen. You aren’t always going to hit shots, but you’ve always got to compete. And that’s got to be an absolute.”
Denver watched a one-point lead at halftime turn into a 29-point Jazz win. The Nuggets were held to 28 second-half points as they got trounced on national TV. Their performance in Utah was reminiscent of a loss to Portland on Nov. 14. In that game, which was also on the road, Denver scored only 28 second-half points in a 99-82 loss.
The Nuggets have turned in a few of those no-show halves this season — a concerning pattern for a team trying to snap a four-year playoff drought.
“I think the best guys who lead, they do it by example, and they play hard every possession and show up every day,” Plumlee said Thursday. “I think it’s a lead-by-example type of thing.”
Prior to his time in Denver, Plumlee played in Portland alongside Damian Lillard, who is regarded as one of the best leaders in the NBA. Plumlee and Lillard spent a season and a half together. In that time, Plumlee got an up-close look at how Lillard lifted his teammates up during tough times.
The Nuggets are still searching for that type of leadership, Plumlee acknowledged. Someone who can help prevent those “no-shows” from happening.
“Right now, when we hit adversity on the road, we kind of separate,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “That’s a really important time to come together, and all we have is each other in those situations on the road. It can’t be just one player. Nikola (Jokic) has been doing a much better job of being a leader and stepping up. Gary Harris can take a role in that. Jamal (Murray) as a young player, Will Barton off the bench. I don’t care who it is. We need guys to step up and not only make plays but also calm everybody down. I can’t call a timeout every time a team goes on a run.”
Denver hosts struggling Bulls
The Nuggets (11-9) have an excellent opportunity to wash the bad taste of out their mouth that’s been lingering since Tuesday as they host a Chicago Bulls team that’s lost six-straight games. The Bulls are 3-16 this season with the worst point differential in the NBA.
Journeyman shooting guard Justin Holiday (14.8 points per game) leads the Bulls in scoring. Finnish forward Lauri Markkanen, who the Bulls took seventh overall in June’s draft, is second at 14.3 points per game.
“They take quite a few threes,” Malone said. “They have three guys in Holiday, Markkanen and (Denzel) Valentine, who take I think 21 amongst themselves, and they can all get it going. We have to make sure we value the ball and make sure we don’t allow those three players to kill us from the three-point line.”
The game tips off at 7 p.m.
[column size=”1/2″]Nuggets Starters
Jamal Murray
Gary Harris
Juancho Hernangomez
Kenneth Faried
Nikola Jokic[/column]
[column size=”1/2″]Bulls Starters
Kris Dunn
Justin Holiday
Denzel Valentine
Lauri Markkanen
Robin Lopez[/column]
