Reeling Nuggets host Spurs as Denver looks to end losing streak

DENVER  — The Nuggets are currently in a tailspin of sorts and now have the hefty task of hosting the San Antonio Spurs for Denver’s third game in four nights.

Regular season game No. 36 | Denver Nuggets (14-21) vs  San Antonio Spurs (28-7)

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

Here’s what to watch for:

Perimeter defense

One of the Nuggets’ largest issues this season has been how badly they have struggled when containing opposing wings on the perimeter and the Spurs are one of the best in the league at exposing weak perimeter defenders. San Antonio currently has seven players playing 19 minutes or more per game that are shooting 40 percent or better from the three-point line. If the Nuggets have any hope of notching a statement win against the Spurs they will have to find a way to limit them from deep.

“It starts on the ball, containment, 1-on-1 containment, taking pride in not getting blown by off the bounce,” Michael Malone said of his team’s defense after the Sacramento loss. “Communicating, trusting each other, trusting in the gameplan. Not second-guessing everything that we’re trying to do. Those are all things that we can do to get better.”

The Nuggets are currently over-helping on the roll man in pick-and-roll coverages and doing everything they can to limit points in the paint and it has led to the collapse of the Nuggets’ perimeter defense. If Denver continues to play this type of defensive scheme, it will be Gregg Popovich and the Spurs who will take their turn roasting the Nuggets from distance.

Balancing offense and defense

How the Nuggets balance their offense and defense will be a storyline for the rest of the season. In the past ten games (since Denver’s lineup change) the Nuggets are third in overall points per game, averaging 115.1 but have been terrible on the defensive end of the ball as opponents are scoring a league-high 114.5 points per game.

“It’s embarrassing how we go out and attempt to defend every night,” Malone said. “That is something that we have to try and fix as soon as possible because it’s at an all-time low right now and that is a huge concern of mine.”

The Nuggets need to find a way to inject some defensive intensity into their starting unit to go with their newly found explosive offense, an answer that could be found elsewhere; particularly in Atlanta. If the Nuggets could find a way to acquire Paul Millsap, he would allow Wilson Chandler to slide back to the bench unit, where he is much better suited while allowing the offense to continue to play the way it has been since the integration of point-Nikola Jokic into the overall offensive philosophy.

The addition of Millsap would be an immediate boost to the starting unit’s defense as well as the bench. Chandler would not be tasked guarding the opposition’s best frontcourt player like he will be tonight, against LaMarcus Aldridge.