Denver Nuggets returning to scene of crime

It has only been seven months and 10 days since the Denver Nuggets lost a game which barred them from the post season.

As every Denver Nuggets fan knows, this is probably the loss that stings the most in the most recent memory.

An overtime loss on the road when you were only a couple shots away from making the playoffs for the first time since the George Karl era. A loss where you were only a couple of foul calls away from a pivotal win.

Unfortunately, fate decreed that the Timberwolves were the more deserving Western Conference team. Fast forward to today and things look a lot different.

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Jimmy Butler is gone after a drama filled off season with the Timberwolves and the Nuggets have added players such as Isaiah Thomas and Michael Porter Jr. Not to mention, Wilson Chandler and Kenneth Faried are no longer on the roster.

Sadly, the Nuggets have squandered a hot start to the regular season as they have lost five of their last six games despite starting with a win loss record of 9-1.

The Timberwolves are a team who seem to be trying to re-figure out what their identity is after trading Butler. Andrew Wiggins is trying to get back on track after he has somewhat stagnated since the Butler arrival. He went from averaging 23.6 points per game to 17.7 points per game last season.

This season, he is averaging 17.4 points per game, but if the way Denver has been playing defense lately is any indication, then he will have a golden opportunity to have a stand out game and get his confidence soaring going further into the season.

Especially when you consider the fact that Juan Hernangomez is not a great perimeter defender with a defensive rating of 108 and a block average of only 0.4 per game. Plus, he only averages less than a steal per game as well.

The Nuggets must not get caught overlooking Wiggins and focusing all of their defensive attention on Karl-Anthony Towns, who is currently averaging 19.9 points per game on 48.2% shooting from the field.

If the Nuggets can figure out a way to get off to a hot start, but keep up the intensity in the third quarter, then they will have a great chance of getting back into the win column.

Let’s be honest here as well, we all would like a bit of revenge from last season’s play in game as well and the Denver Nuggets ow us that at the very least.