Denver Nuggets vs Detroit Pistons: Three Things to Watch For

Mar 19, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Detroit Pistons small forward Josh Smith (6) guards Denver Nuggets small forward Kenneth Faried (35) in the first quarter at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

The Denver Nuggets get their 2014-15 season underway tonight when they welcome the Detroit Pistons to the Mile High City. The Pistons are coming off of a 29-win season, but that doesn’t mean their roster is completely devoid of talent. Big men Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe are both big-bodied bruisers who can impact the game at both ends of the court, and point guard Brandon Jennings is no slouch. The teams met twice last year, with each squad winning on their home court in high-scoring affairs. It should be a good test for the Nuggets to see where they are in terms of progressing in head coach Brian Shaw’s system. Here are three things to watch for during tonight’s contest:

1. Moz in the Middle
Timofey Mozgov will anchor the paint for the Nuggets, and the Pistons will present a nice test for him right out of the gate. The combination of Drummond and Monroe essentially guarantees the Pistons will look to their bigs to play a big role, which means Moz will get plenty of opportunities on the defensive end to prove he’s the gritty defender the Nuggets need down low. It’s no secret that coach Shaw is looking for the team to be physical, and as I’ve mentioned before, whether they succeed or fail on the front likely will be determined by the play of Mozgov. He has looked great in the preseason, showing an ability to protect the paint and initiate contact when opposing players try to bully their way to the basket. That said, he isn’t an elite rim-protector or even as talented of a shot blocker as JaVale McGee, so nothing will come easy for Moz. How he performs against players like Drummond and Monroe will tell us a lot about whether he’s ready to step up and become the cornerstone of the Nuggets defense. If not, rookie Jusuf Nurkic has shown he not only has a nose for the ball in the rebounding department, but he isn’t afraid to use his size and mix it up with anyone who comes within an arm’s length. If Mozgov isn’t up to the task of being the physical presence in the middle Shaw is looking for, Nurkic could challenge for minutes sooner rather than later.

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2. Perimeter Defense
Most Nuggets fans know that perimeter defense was an area where the team struggled last season. The addition of Arron Afflalo provides an instant upgrade in that category, and rookie Gary Harris has shown flashes in the preseason that he can be a physical defender that can body-up and lock-down opposing guards. The back court for the Pistons isn’t spectacular, but they can’t be overlooked either. Jennings isn’t a top-teir point guard, but he’s shown the ability to be explosive and find ways to involve his teammates. He’s coming off a season where he averaged 15.5 points and 7.6 assists per game. At 6′ 1″, he doesn’t present any match-up challenges for the Nuggets shorter, faster point guards, so expect to see a nice battle between Jennings and Ty Lawson/Nate Robinson. Second-year pro Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will get the start at shooting guard, and Kyle Singler will see a lot of minutes at the three. Both youngsters can shoot and attack the basket, but the Nuggets 2s and 3s match-up well at both spots. This should be a nice warm-up for Denver before they face more formidable back court competition, and I expect the Nuggets to dominate these match ups. That said, if the team struggles to lock down the likes of Caldwell-Pope, Singler, and sharp-shooter Caron Butler coming off the bench, we could be in for a long season.

3. Minutes
How coach Shaw divides minutes will be a big topic of conversation throughout the season, considering the Nuggets are one of the deepest teams in the league. But the minutes-played stat will be of particular interest during the first few games of the season as Shaw not only works out his rotation, but also monitors the minutes of some of the team’s players returning from injuries that cut their seasons short last year. Shaw has already said publicly that Danilo Gallinari will have a minutes limitation imposed on him by the medical staff and will likely be held to around 20 minutes in the first few games:

JaVale McGee and Nate Robinson also are likely to have their minutes closely monitored as they return from season-ending injuries as well. The reduced roles for these veterans means there will be minutes available for some of the younger players on the team like Nurkic and Harris, so it will be interesting to see if they can make the most of the opportunities presented to them.

I know Nuggets fans are excited to get the season underway and erase the injury-filled nightmare that was last season from our collective memory. The Pistons are a perfect first opponent for Denver and I expect the Nuggets to win handily and send them back to the Motor City with nothing more than an “L” to show for their troubles. Let’s go, Nuggets!