The Denver Nuggets kicked off their season against the New Orleans Pelicans on October 26, 2016. This game was a thriller from the beginning and could come back into play in April as both teams could vie for a playoff spot.
First Quarter:
The Denver Nuggets started this game slow, but they quickly sped as the quarter continued. The Denver Nuggets ended up being on top at the end of the first quarter.
Although they were winning, their dismal start proved that they still have several aspects of their game to work on. The Nuggets shot 10-18 in the first quarter and continued to dominate the boards, being +4 after one.
The Nuggets turnovers problem has also been a factor early as Jokic and Mudiay have combined for all five turnovers.
They have played exceptional defense though, but they, like most teams, have not found a way to shut down Anthony Davis as he erupted for 16 points to lead all scores. While Denver did not put anyone in double-figures in the first, they did five players score over four points with Nurkic leading the way with nine points.
Emmanuel Mudiay with the absolutely gorgeous drive in transition https://t.co/RZU4JB3SOx
— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) October 27, 2016
The big takeaway from the first quarter is that the Nuggets shot 12 free throws while the Pelicans shot a mere 2.
Score after one: Nuggets 30 – Pelicans 24