Nuggets: Possible changes in the starting lineup

The Denver Nuggets should make a significant change to their starting lineup ahead of the Western Conference semifinals.

With the Utah Jazz now in the rearview mirror, the Denver Nuggets don’t have much time to recover, as Game 1 against the Los Angeles Clippers is on Thursday.

However, while the Jazz were a team with multiple scoring threats and a defensive stud on their roster, the Clippers are a team with multiple scoring threats and multiple high-level defensive studs on their roster.

Considering that usual starter Gary Harris now has a couple of games under his belt and that the veteran Paul Millsap has had a negligible positive impact when he’s on the floor as a starter, there’s great reason to question whether Nuggets head coach Michael Malone needs to make changes to the starting lineup.

Continuing to start Monte Morris could ease the ball pressure that the Clippers are sure to apply to Jamal Murray, particularly whenever Patrick Beverley returns. So his continued presence in the starting lineup would be a good idea.

[Editor’s note: Clippers head coach Doc Rivers all but guaranteed that Beverley will play in Game 1]

However, sixth man Lou Williams is still a dangerous scoring threat in the second unit and moving Harris into the starting lineup so that he can contend with Paul George could be a smart adjustment. Not just because George is still the better player (despite how subpar performances have altered many people’s perception of him in recent weeks) but because a large part of the reason that the Dallas Mavericks won two games against Los Angeles is that PG averaged 11.5 points per game on 7-31 shooting from the field in those contests.

This is even with Kawhi Leonard averaging 33.5 points per game in those games. A methodical and highly-skilled player that Grant will have his hands full trying to slow down.

Starting Gary Harris

While Harris gives up size to George that he didn’t give up against Donovan Mitchell or Jordan Clarkson but his agility, athleticism and awareness on the defensive end make him their best defensive option when it comes to slowing him down.

This would give Denver a starting lineup of Morris, Harris, Murray, Grant and Nikola Jokic. There is concern of if the players around Murray and Jokic can knock down the open shots that come from the attention that these two will draw, as Morris is shooting just 23.8% from deep in the postseason and Harris is shooting 14.3% from outside.

Starting Torrey Craig

The other option is leaving Harris in the second unit and moving Torrey Craig back to the starting lineup. Craig wasn’t a defensive dynamo against Utah but he earned a reputation as the team’s defensive specialist for a reason. Defending a player who’s not as shifty or quick as Mitchell or Clarkson should help as well, as Craig will be guarding a player in George who’s much closer to his own size.

That said, Craig didn’t do great defending George the last time these two teams met, on August 12. Starting Craig rather than Harris would give the Nuggets a starting lineup of Morris, Murray, Craig, Grant and Jokic.

Parting Shots

Starting Harris instead of Craig, at least initially, appears to be the best option.

Either way, the underwhelming Millsap — who moved like he was stuck in quicksand in these teams’ last game against each other — will be moved to the bench. Speaking of the second unit, having a player who can stick with Lou Will is a good idea. Craig, Millsap, Michael Porter Jr. and Mason Plumlee (who will likely spend ample time with Murray or Morris playing beside them) should be able to hold their own against LA’s bench unit, which will typically be comprised of Williams, Reggie Jackson, JaMychal Green and Montrezl Harrell.

While it’s rare to see platoon swaps and the lineups will be mixed throughout the games that these teams play, the starting unit sets the tone on both ends and it’s important for Denver to get off to as good a start as possible against a team that will be even tougher to defeat than the Jazz.

Are there any changes you would make to the starting lineup ahead of Game 1? Let us know on Twitter @Nugg_Love.