Jalen Pickett has a lot of similarities with Nikola Jokic. They both play at their own pace and nobody can speed them up. They both have skillsets that are hidden behind a lumbering, awkward, yet somehow also graceful way of moving around on the court. And both of their talents pop the more that you watch them. In this breakdown,…
Things are different around here now, Nuggets Nation. Now, and forever.
The Miami Heat know how to cook up and execute a game plan. In game two of the NBA Finals, the Heat lured Jamal Murray into tough shots by taking away the Jokic-Murray two-man game. They also took advantage of Denver’s desire to stunt on Jimmy Butler drives, opening up wide open shots from Miami’s three-point shooters. We break down…
The Denver Nuggets looked too big for the Miami Heat in game one of the NBA Finals. Cross-matches exasperated an already undersized front court and the Denver Nuggets were surgical in the way that they capitalized on those cross-matches. But there are ripple effects to the Heat’s fear of getting cross-matched or beat in transition. In game one, those ripple…
In 2022, the city of Denver rallied around the Colorado Avalanche as they won the Stanley Cup for the first time in 21 years. This year, it’s the Denver Nuggets receiving the support as they charge toward the first NBA Championship in franchise history. Count the Colorado Rockies among the millions in the region who want the Larry O’Brien Championship…
The Los Angeles Lakers put LeBron James on Nikola Jokic in game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. Jarred Vanderbilt entered the starting lineup. And the Denver Nuggets found a few ways to lure Anthony Davis out of the paint when he’s playing free safety. All of that and more on today’s edition of THE LIST. The List Intro -…
master key (noun)definition – a key that opens several locks, each of which also has its own key. As someone who may have often been asked to spend a little extra time after school on occasion, possibly due to a little mischief, I often found myself making friends with the school janitors, who were usually hard at work by the…
“Believe you can, and you’re halfway there.”- Theodore Roosevelt If the former Bull Moose Party leader knows anything about anything, these Denver Nuggets and their fanbase must have a lot of belief, because for better and for worse, the team is halfway there. At the close of last season, and with the looming returns of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter,…
Have the Nuggets comfortably outmatched the Timberwolves in the first two contests? Yes. Have they played games they will need to vastly improve upon to notch 14 more wins before all is said and done? Hell. Yes. Wildly, in this case, both things can be true. While the Denver Nuggets have gotten off to a primarily-hot start in this year’s playoffs, they have also shown us promise…
It’s close to a miracle what can happen when a basketball engine runs perfectly. But this sh– is fragile, and no one knows it better than Nuggets Nation.
1. If there is one reason to have faith in the Denver Nuggets championship aspirations this season it is the perfect synergy of the Nikola Jokic - Jamal Murray two man game. The duo took a 500 day hiatus yet picked up immediately where they left off as if they never stopped playing. The two of them are so perfectly in sync at all times, especially at the close of each half when the other three players seem content to get out of the way and watch as the two dance back and forth en route to the exact outcome that they seem fit. The term pick your poison seems to undersell the conundrum presented by those. Often times, the duo will gladly make that choice for you.
https://youtu.be/Xev9bufPT58
2. One of my favorite things about Jokic is that he has a counter for every read the defense makes. Here, rookie Walker Kessler clearly studied his scouting report to note that these rub screens send Jokic to one of his favorite spots on the left block. But Jokic sees him jump the action and decides to pop out to the three point line, taking advantage of Kessler's early work.
After the game, Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy said of Kessler, "Walker came to the bench at one point and said like 'I'm trying really hard.' I said, 'Dude, I get it. You are trying really hard. And keep trying hard. This is part of your growth."
1. “Peel Sting” is one of Denver’s go-to isolation plays for their power forwards and one of the most common set plays in Michael Malone’s playbook. The play starts with a 1-4 ball screen that usually forces a switch before leading to a mid or low post touch for the “4” to attack a mismatch. Here are several examples from…
When you’re playing against a stacked deck, compete even harder. Show the world how much you’ll fight for the winners circle. If you do, someday the cellophane will crackle off a fresh pack, one that belongs to you, and the cards will be stacked in your favor.- Pat RileyThough Mr. Riley’s words are strong and apt, he’s a funny person…
From the perspective of many, Connelly was the architect of all that had gone right with the Nuggets… With his departure, had the Nuggets just lost their Carroll Shelby?
“Remember, Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” – Andy Dufresne, The Shawshank Redemption Hope is the name of at least three cities in the United States. Hope is the name of a cousin of mine. Hope is a dessert at this cool little place I went to in Arkansas.…...
Murray has ramped up his on-court work. It's been impossible to miss if you've been paying attention.
“April First. The day upon which we are reminded of what we are on the other three hundred and sixty-four.” – Mark Twain On April Fool’s Day 2021, the Atlanta Braves played a bit of a goof on their fanbase, losing their season opener in extra innings at the Phillies. They laid on for good measure – just to make…...
“Don’t tell me where your priorities are. Show me where you spend your money, and I’ll tell you what they are.” – James W. Frick Mr. Frick knew a lot about how people spent their money. After serving honorably in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he enrolled at Notre Dame as a 23-year old freshman. To make ends…...
The Denver Nuggets without Jamal Murray made it passed a fully healthy and in-his-prime Damian Lillard. How far would they have made it WITH Jamal on the court? We might find that out later this year when Murray returns from rehabbing his knee. Or we might find out that it takes more than a few weeks for the heart and…...
DNVR: Welcome back to Nuggets basketball! Even with the last three seasons being packed so tightly together, you seem to be very ready to get back to basketball. Is that right? Katy Winge: Well, when you say I’m “ready”, I think what I’m ready for is that feeling of normalcy. I think that cliche, “you don’t know what you’ve got…...
Broncos
Avalanche
Nuggets
Rockies
Buffs
Rams
Rapids
Rugby
DNVR Golf