What is the Denver Nugget’s identity going into this season?
The Nuggets still need an identity.
Going into the season, the Denver Nugget’s need to take a look in the mirror and figure out their identity. They must decide what kind of team they want to be? In previous years, the Nuggets struggled to figure out their identity. Some games they would come out aggressive and play as the enforcer. Others, they would play passive, and be bullied on both ends of the court.
The Offensive Identity
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Given the off season additions and the make-up of the starting lineup, the Nuggets identity must revolve around hustle. According to ESPN, the Denver Nugget’s finished the 2016-2017 regular season with the NBA’s 4th rated offensive efficiency. Thus, they must utilize the altitude and try to run teams out of the gym.
They must continue funneling the offense through Nikola Jokic. Now having Paul Millsap, they can integrate a low post presence into the offense. Adding that to their dangerous fast break offense, the Nuggets should be fine on offense.
The Defensive Identity
Unlike previous seasons, the Nugget’s need to focus some of that energy on the defensive end. They were rated 29th out of 30 NBA teams according to NBA.com. Though, with the addition of Paul Millsap, who will anchor the Denver Nuggets’ defense, this should change. Yet, the remaining players need to hold themselves accountable on the defensive end if they want to make a playoff run.
Gary Harris needs to fully transition into a 3 and D shooting guard, and the team needs to keep the ball out of the paint. They need to keep the ball on the perimeter and avoid penetration into the key. If they can accomplish that, the Nuggets will begin to see results.
As that style and intensity become habit, the Nuggets will start winning many of the games they lost in previous years. To be a strong team in the NBA, you must have talent. Nevertheless, a talented team with an unknown identity is destined for failure. The Nuggets need to establish a strong system and an effective culture if they want to sustain success on the court.