Nuggets fans may be waking up the morning after the Nuggets' latest playoff clunker with a feeling of "we've been here before" and "it happened again." And it did. The Nuggets dropped Game 3 last year to the Los Angeles Clippers in a disaster loss after a close Game 2 loss at home. They went down 2-1 to the Clippers before storming back in a tight Game 4, only to win the series in seven.
And even though it's a different team this year and a different opponent, one who's become a bitter rival in the Minnesota Timberwolves, to say the least, the outcome has been the same so far. Why can't the Nuggets turn it around? The glass shouldn't be half empty. The Nuggets showed last year they can do this. The glass should still be at least half-full before Game 4.
The attitude in the locker room is that they can do it, so we need back them and believe Game 4 will have the same outcome as last year's first round, plus real help could be on the way.
The Nuggets could get Aaron Gordon back
The Nuggets are no strangers to taking a series longer than any fan wants. Their last three playoff series have gone to seven games. And if they can steal a win on the Timberwolves home court as they did against the Clippers last year, they'll also extend the chances of getting help back before it's too late.
Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson could still return, albeit the question mark on Watson is much larger due to game rust. But with AG, the Nuggets would get a sorely needed boost for Nikola Jokic to work with in Game 4. However, Gordon's status remains questionable for the pivotal game.
Gordon makes Jokic, Jokic
Gordon can create off the dribble, something nobody else seems to be able to do aside from Jamal Murray and Jokic.
And that opens up the spacing and helps create better looks, plus Gordon hits his own shots. Gordon makes the Nuggets move, and the proof is in the data. They're an astonishing 11.7 net points better with Gordon and Jokic than without Gordon. And you could see it in Game 3.
The Nuggets' offense went stagnant, stopped moving, and, combined with Jokic's poor three-point shooting, created a hostile environment for Jokic's passing game. He only had 3 assists paired with 4 turnovers. Getting Gordon back for Game 4 could make all the difference for the offense.
The Timberwolves have been able to sag Rudy Gobert off Jokic since he can't shoot a three right now, and nobody's moving to get open. The Nuggets needed someone else to create in Game 3.
So yeah, it's dark and gloomy, and there are plenty of reasons to be upset today, but the bigger picture shows the Nuggets have been here before and emerged victorious. Let's just hope they get AG back for Game 4.
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