The defense is coming along, but it still needs work.
Obviously, a team with Russel Westbrook, Paul George, and Carmelo Anthony is going to score. However, after a holding the Thunder to 6 points for almost half of the first quarter the defense let up. The Thunder ended up with 25 points at the end of the quarter, scoring most while the Big 3 were not on the floor together.
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The Thunder shot 50% in the first half, which is not ideal for Michael Malone and his staff. They cooled down to 43% for the game, but still made 40% of their three-point attempts.
Despite the many open shots, the Nuggets appear to be playing more intensity. According to ESPN stats, the Nuggets are averaging around nine steals per game. A change in defense efficiency begins with an increase in intensity. If the Nuggets are getting their hands on the ball with deflections and steals, they are increasing the pressure, which will consequently making things difficult for opposing offenses.