There’s no way to spin it; the Nuggets have shown some serious flaws lately. They did such a good job of covering for Nikola Jokic and others with injuries, but now that those guys are getting healthy, it feels like things are coming apart.
They’ve dropped 5 of their last 7, and fallen to fourth place in the West, just three games up on the play-in mix. They’re losing games in the clutch, the defense is hemorrhaging points, key players are still out of the lineup, and the stars are starting to show some signs of fatigue. All that, and we’ve still got two months of regular season to go.
And yet, despite all their issues and question marks, you can’t quit this team. And even with their warts, if they can just get healthy for the playoffs, they stack up with any team in the league, including the Thunder.
As bad as their defense has been, and 24th in the league on the season is extremely bad, the numbers when they actually have their best players on the floor are much better. As Sam Vecenie and Bryce Simon pointed out on the most recent episode of the Game Theory podcast, when whole, this team is still elite.
They cautioned that the Aaron Gordon injury is a total curveball, and his steadying presence, especially on defense, shifts them from non-contenders to possibly favorites. As bad as that defense has been, with Gordon on the court, the Nuggets have a 110.2 defensive rating this season, which would be third best in the league, only behind the Thunder and Pistons.
Nuggets defense is elite when Gordon is on the floor
When Gordon is on the court with Christian Braun, the d-rating is right around 111; with Gordon and Peyton Watson, it’s basically 113, and with AG and Bruce Brown, it’s a staggering 108.1. Gordon is an essential lynchpin, but if the Nuggets can get him healthy, they have the makings of an elite two-way juggernaut.
Unfortunately, AG’s health is a real concern. This is his second extended absence this season due to hamstring issues. This has been a lingering issue for Gordon that has plagued him in past seasons as well. It’s something he’s going to have to manage and deal with, perhaps for the rest of his career.
But there’s reason for hope, as Tim McMahon reported on the Hoop Collective, that Gordon has been working out, practicing, playing 1-on-1, and generally progressing well. He stated that after this road trip, the hope is to have Gordon ramp up even further, with an eye on returning in a few weeks.
We’ll see if the team can get and then keep Gordon healthy, as it remains one of the biggest x-factors in this NBA season. But if he’s on the court, things will sort themselves out, and this Nuggets team has as good a chance as anyone to raise another banner to the rafters.