Denver Nuggets: 3 things to watch going into the Semi-finals

For much of the regular season the Nuggets X-factor was Paul Millsap for his offensive rebounding and post production, but in the playoffs the Nuggets have needed something different from their starting lineup in the form of a good on-ball defender like Torrey Craig.

During games one through three against the Spurs it was clear that the Nuggets starting offense was out of rhythm and struggled at hitting shots with a lot of Will Barton handling the ball and not hitting shots that he was making earlier in the season. Ever sense game four and Torrey Craig’s addition to the starting lineup the series against the Spurs had a night-and-day difference on both ends of the court all because of Torrey Craig.

Craig has been a lockdown on ball defender for the Nuggets in the playoffs making players like Derrick White who in game three went nuclear and scored a career high 36 points to a minuscule eight points in game four on 3 of 8 shooting.

Craig will be asked to guard one of the best guards in the league in Lillard and might have to contest McCollum as he runs around the perimeter looking for open shots which will certainly be no easy task for any guard in the league, but if the Nuggets want a shot at winning games they are going to have to find a way to take the ball out of Lillard’s hands which is only proving to be harder from game to game in the playoffs.