Denver Nuggets Stung by the Hornets.
The Denver Nuggets lost a winnable game last night in Charlotte. However, that should come as no surprise, as the Denver Nuggets have been in every single game they have played this season.
With the Nuggets taking on the Atlanta Hawks tonight, the team has a great chance to get back on track.
However, better than having to get back on track is staying on track in the first place. Which begs the question, what lessons can be learned from last night’s game? What do the Denver Nuggets need to do to keep the wins coming in a season that’s 82 games long and demanding to say the least.
Denver Nuggets Defense
As mentioned in a previous article, although the Nuggets are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, there is clear room for improvement when it comes to the Denver defense.
Firstly, elite two-way players know there is no such thing as defense. Hold on a minute, let me explain that. Elite defenders are on offense, even when they are on defense.
They are pro-active, forcing the player on offense to react to the options their defense gives them. The transition to always taking the initiative when on defense, making the offensive team react, instead of the other way around is vital to the Denver Nuggets realizing their championship potential.
A glaring area where this was the case last night, was on the 3 point line. (The Charlotte Hornets are the NBA’s 10th best from 3 with an average of 35.6%).
Whilst, on a positive note, the Denver Nuggets often had multiple players around the rim. Discouraging easy lay-ups and dunks at the basket.
Unfortunately for Denver, with some ball movement, the Charlotte Hornets were able to get too many good looks at the basket from 3.