Pistons visit Nuggets as Michael Malone wants more consistency from Danilo Gallinari and others

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Regular Season Game No. 9 | Detroit Pistons (4-5) at Denver Nuggets (3-5)

Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado | 7:00 PM MST | TV: NBA TV, Altitude

The Denver Nuggets host the Detroit Pistons Saturday night who are coming off a back-to-back after dropping their game Friday in San Antonio 96-86.

Here’s what to watch for tonight:

Malone wanting more consistency from Gallinari

Through eight games, Danilo Gallinari is averaging 16.4 points on 39.4 percent shooting and 3.6 rebounds in a career-high 36 minutes per game. However, his splits in Denver’s wins and losses this season are eye-popping.

In the Nuggets’ three wins, Gallinari is averaging 16.7 points per game, while in their five losses, that number only drops to 16.2, not even a full-points difference. But in Denver’s three wins, Gallinari is shooting a blistering 54.6 percent from the field, 52.9 percent from three and only getting to the line 2.3 times per game. In their five losses, his shooting percentages from the field and three plummet to 31.1 and 29.6 percent respectively and he’s getting to the line a monstrous 7.8 times per game, a drop-off and then spike in free throw rate that leaves many scratching their heads.

Heading into tonight’s matchup with Detroit, coach Michael Malone wants more consistency from the Nuggets’ best player.

“I think Gallo’s been like our team, a little inconsistent. In our wins he’s been great, shot the ball really well, in our losses, he hasn’t been great,” Malones said Saturday morning at shootaround. “I think right now from the field he’s shooting 39 percent which is not usually what Gallo does, but he’s doing a good job of getting to the foul line, and he has to help us on the glass more. He’s 6-foot-10 and he knows that we’ve talked about that so this is not something new, but overall I think he’s been good, but I also think he can be better.”

Murray’s confidence soaring

With injuries to Gary Harris and Will Barton early in the year, No. 7 overall pick Jamal Murray has been asked to take up a much larger role in the offense and rotation than many envisioned heading into the season. The 19-year-old has already started two games, and since he began the season 0-15 from the field, Murray is shooting 41 percent (16-39) over his past four games. Murray’s hot streak has raised his confidence exponentially.

“I think he had the weight of the world on his shoulders,” Malone said regarding Murray’s 0-16 cold streak to start the season. “And since that has happened, his percentages are way up.”

On the year, Murray’s numbers don’t look pretty. He’s at just 29.1 percent from the field and 28 percent from three as he tries to erase those early-season struggles from his mind.

“He’s doing more than just shooting, which is what I like,” Malone said. “He’s a complete player, but his confidence is definitely back in regards to shooting the ball because he’s one of the guys on our team that when he shoots the ball, I think it’s going in. So we encourage him to shoot it. Take good shots, take open shots, but don’t turn down those shots, let it go. Ever since he’s been seeing that ball go in, we’ve almost seen a different Jamal Murray.”

Footnotes

Barton’s timetable to return from the ankle injury he suffered Halloween night in Toronto was 4-6 weeks. That would put his return date, at the earliest, on November 28, exactly four weeks after the injury. Denver plays in Phoenix on November 27 and at home against Miami November 30.

Wilson Chandler got through shootaround Saturday morning and is officially listed as questionable for tonight’s game. Malone is awaiting word from Denver’s medical staff, but thinks there’s “a good chance that he’s able to play tonight.”

The Nuggets have yet to hear anything back from the league regarding the official protest they filed over Tuesday’s game in Memphis.

“Have not heard anything yet. I believe the timeline is maybe, we think seven days, I believe. I’m not certain of that, but no updates to this point,” Malone said. “Obviously it’s in [the league’s] hands, and as Josh said in his statement, commissioner Silver, and the NBA, they do a great job. We appreciate them hearing out our case and we’ll see what they say.”