Denver Nuggets vs. Philadelphia Sixers: Main takeaways

Denver Nuggets beat the Sixers.

The Denver Nuggets maintain their winning ways to get their 33rd win of the season against the Sixers.

However the Denver Nuggets certainly had the odds tipped in their favor by the health issues of the Sixers’ roster.

Most notably, both Joel Embiid and Jimmy Butler did not play.

Which meant that last night’s game was an opportunity for Denver to get an easier win and further solidify their position near the top of the Western Conference.

Something the Nuggets successfully managed to do. However, what were the main things Denver’s latest performance taught us?

We take a closer look at this below.

Getting It Done On Both Ends

Against the Phoenix Suns  as well as last night, Denver’s defense was once again trending upwards.

Currently, the Nuggets are making a concerted effort to limit their opponents on the defensive end whilst also playing at a high level on offense. Last night the Denver Nuggets successfully stuck to this formula, outscoring Philly in every single quarter.

Two areas that serve to elucidate this, are Denver’s rebounding and points scored in the paint. The Nuggets managed an enormous 74 points in the paint whilst the Sixers only had 40.

The second area where the Denver Nuggets outperformed Philadelphia is in defensive rebounding.

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Whilst both teams grabbed the same amount of offensive boards (11)  Denver had 40 defensive rebounds to Philly’s 30.

Essentially, both teams cancelled each other out on the offensive glass, whilst Denver gained an advantage by limiting Philadelphia’s scoring opportunities.

Moreover, practically every Sixer either struggled from the field or lacked the scoring volume needed to change the games outcome.

J.J Redick and Corey Brewer were the best opposing players but between them they only totaled 42 points.  Whilst Jokic only went and got himself another triple-double: 32 points, 10 assists and 18 rebounds.

For the second night in a row, Denver’s depth and subsequent scoring power proved to be too much for their opposition to handle. However, with this being the first time this season these two teams have met, the Nuggets would do well to prepare to play at a higher level when these teams meet next (8th February).

Particularly as Embiid and Butler will likely be playing.

For now though, Denver’s latest victory is was a good one. Tomorrow the Nuggets get the opportunity to win one more against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Fed Ex Forum.

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