Three Hard Lessons Learned from Loss to Orlando Magic
By Geoff Graser
Denver Nuggets: Careless Turnovers Have Caused Losses
The problem started in the second quarter and grew more glaring in the third and fourth. At times, the Magic didn’t even need to play solid defense.
The Nuggets threw away several passes while defenders hardly applied pressure. To use a tennis term, these were unforced errors. I’d argue they were caused by a lackadaisical attitude. The Nuggets didn’t value each possession, apparently believing their lead would never dissipate to a point where every touch of the ball mattered.
Jokic turned the ball over five times, including a couple whiffs on passes. Will Barton, who deserves credit for a season above expectations so far, was another main culprit. Playing in the position of a ball-handler in the backcourt too often, Barton chucked the ball out of bounds on a couple of laughable occasions.
This is where they missed Austin Rivers. He isn’t the flashiest player but he takes care of the ball. He’s averaging near a team-low .6 turnovers per game. Bones would have played a role in securing the ball as well.
Vlatko Cancar was curiously absent from last night’s game. He is another player who doesn’t turn the ball over much. He set a moving screen in his few minutes against Miami, but hopefully that wasn’t the reason he didn’t play. JaMychal Green contributed some valuable minutes last night, including one high-degree of difficulty bank shot.
Still, I would rather see more from the younger players, especially in a season that is starting to feel like more of an audition year than a true championship run.