Five Ways the Denver Nuggets Can Salvage Their Season

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Feb 23, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Joffrey Lauvergne (77) shoots the ball against Brooklyn Nets forward Cory Jefferson (21) during the second half at Pepsi Center. The Nets won 110-82. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

5. Give the Fans Something to be Excited About

This should go without saying, but the team has to give Nuggets fans something to cheer for. The product on the floor can be subpar, so long as we’re convinced the players are giving it their all, game in and game out. I know plenty of fans are open to the idea of tanking the rest of the season to improve the team’s odds in the draft lottery, and I’m not entirely opposed to that. But there’s a way to “tank” while still putting a committed team on the floor. If that means starting second unit guys like Joffrey Lauvergne, Will Barton and Erick Green who are battling to make a name for themselves in this league, then go for it. They may not have the talent needed to win games, but at least they are going to play balls to the wall and put forth an effort that fans can get behind.

The worst thing that can happen in this final stretch of the season is for the Nuggets to completely mail it in or implode in a way that turns fans off for the future. If there is dissension in the ranks, find a way to suck it up and not let it boil over publicly. The last thing long-suffering Nuggets fans need is to have the team they love turn into the laughing stock of the league. And if there are players who won’t show professional pride and compete even though the losses outnumber the wins, then sit those guys on the bench until they get their heads right, and feed the minutes to players who are going to work regardless of what the scoreboard says.

This season has been a tough haul for everyone — players, coaches, and fans. But if the Nuggets can accomplish these five things, at least when the dust settles, we can look back on this year and not view it as a complete and total waste of time.

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