The Denver Nuggets crushed the New York Knicks 113-99 in Madison Square Garden. The win helps quickly erase the bitter taste of the loss to the Orlando Magic, but it also confirms the reality that it’s far too early to surrender this season.
The Nuggets have the reigning league MVP in Nikola Jokic who demonstrated yet again he’s somehow upping his game this season.
Nuggets fan can smile at least until Monday, when they face another tough foe in the Chicago Bulls in the midst of this 7-game road rip, but there’s at least three important takeaways from Saturday’s matinee win.
Denver Nuggets: They Beat the Knicks So Soundly Because of the D
All along, Coach Michael Malone has preached how defense will win games for the Nuggs.
The Knicks came into the game with two close losses earlier this week in spite of playing very well on offense. First, the Knicks lost to Brooklyn 112-110 in a game they shot 48.4 percent from the floor and 34.4 percent from 3-point range. On Thursday, they lost to the Chicago Bulls 119-115. The Knicks shot 51.2 percent from the floor and 34.6 percent from 3-point range.
Yet on Saturday, the Nuggets held yet another team to under 100 with. The Knicks scored only 99 points, with their shooting falling off a skyscraper. The Knicks shot 39.8 percent from the floor and 30 percent from three-point range.
When Jeff Green hustled back to block the Knicks Immanuel Quickley’s dunk attempt on a breakaway, Nikola Jokic sprinted off the bench to congratulate Green for a play that personified the Nuggs’ effort on D.
Denver Nuggets: Nnaji Has Earned All the Minutes He Can Get
Forward Zeke Nnaji is showing Coach Malone that he deserves more minutes. I like the contributions from the J-Green duo, particularly Uncle Jeff, but this guy has potential to be a future starter, and maybe a star. Nnaji’s defense is improving, which is why Malone is getting him on the floor.
He played 34 minutes against the Knicks and scored 21 points. Both are career highs. He shot 5-9 from 3-point range, which has been a Nuggets weak spot this season. Along with his scoring, he put up 8 rebounds and had a couple of steals. Maybe the best stat? No turnovers.
Nnaji’s output was similar to the numbers he put up in only 20 minutes when Jokic was serving his one-game suspension: 19 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block and no turnovers.
Then Nnaji got hurt.
In the Knicks game, Jokic shined because Nnaji and the perimeter game loosened up the defenders swarming Big Honey inside. Whenever the Knicks tried bringing extra bodies to guard him inside, Jokic turned into an unstoppable distribution hub. And this only works if Nnaji and others are knocking shots down.
Nnaji saw a lot of clear looks because of Jokic’s exquisite passing. However, at 6-foot-9, Nnaji can also shoot over defenders when he’s not wide open.
There’s a reason the Nuggets selected Nnaji in 2020’s first round after just one year at University of Arizona. He’s still the Nuggets youngest player at 20 years old, even younger than Bones Hyland.
The injuries to Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray are in no way a net positive for the Nuggets. Yet if the minutes Nnaji gets by default allow him to develop with in-game experience while filling into an NBA physique, the Nuggets might be handsomely rewarded.
Denver Nuggets: Call-up of Davon Reed From G League Another Smart Move
With Bones Hyland and Austin Rivers still out due to COVID protocols, the Nuggets needed to make a call-up from the G League Rapids City Gold.
Many fans, myself included, wondered if they would call up the 31-year-old Lance Stephenson, who can score and play the strong defense Malone is making a calling card this season.
Instead, they called up the 26-year-old Davon Reed, who last played in the NBA in 2019 with the Indiana Pacers, his second season in the league. Like Stephenson, Reed is a stout defender.
Malone said choosing to sign Reed to a 10-day contract was an easy decision. In seven games with the Rapids City Gold, Reed was averaging 15 points, 8.1 rebounds, six assists and 2.6 steals. In his last game, Reed had five steals.
In his first 24 minutes with the Nuggets, Reed picked up two steals and a block on defense. In the post-game recap on ESPN, Reed talked about how the Nuggets’ D made the difference.
"“I felt they were out of sync,” said Reed. “We know they’re a heavy (isolation) team. We had shots we wanted to force them to take. … They were definitely getting frustrated and we were locked in.”"
According to Mike Singer’s game wrap in the Denver Post, the coaches gave the Defensive Player of the Game chain to Reed.
Yet Reed immediately made his presence felt on offense as well. He hit all three of his three-pointer attempts for 9 points and dished out four assists to help the bench unit outscore the Knicks reserves 43-32.
Once again Malone and Director of Operations Tim Connelly look extremely wise for not only calling up Reed at the right time, but acquiring him for the G League Rapids City Gold in the first place.
Monday marks the midpoint of the road trip, so let’s hope there’s just as many impressive takeaways after the Nuggets take on the Chicago Bulls.