The Minnesota Timberwolves embarrassed the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs last season. Specifically, the Timberwolves backup point guards did the most damage overall, routinely getting past their defenders and getting into the paint for easy buckets. New Nugget Ryan Nembhard also lit up the Nuggets during the regular season. While the second-year two-way player may not crack the rotation to start the season, he's still going to provide the Nuggets with a crucial role. He'll be trying to burn everyone in practice.
Head coach David Adelman revealed after the Nuggets' third practice of training camp that Nembhard would serve best for now as a quick guard for the Nuggets to practice against.
"He [Nembhard] embarrassed our pick-and-roll defense last year....But also, for our main people, the need to play against guys like him in practice. Sometimes you need guys like that on your roster on a two-way," Adelman said to the media.
Adelman is right. And it makes total sense. The Nuggets were often bad against the smaller, quicker guards. Nembhard had 28 points and 10 assists against the Nuggets last season while with the Dallas Mavericks. A game that resulted in a loss for the Nuggets at home.
The Nuggets need all the practice they can get against Nembhard
It's a smart decision by the Nuggets to use Nembhard as a "practice" guard for now. It allows him to develop his own skills against one of the best starting units in the league. And it allows the Nuggets to figure out how to stop the quicker, smaller guards from getting into the paint.
Ayo Dosunmu looked like prime Kobe without the power dunks in the first round of the playoffs. There was no pressure on the perimeter, and once in the paint, no pressure to stop the layup. Dosunmu had games of 25, 43, and 18 points back to back to back, and it did the Nuggets in. Now the Nuggets will have a better chance to practice pick-and-roll defense so they can get back to the basics of fighting through screens and calling out switches.
The Nuggets need to take lessons from Alpha Diallo
However, if the Nuggets just took defensive lessons from the rookie defensive ace, Alpha Diallo, they would all be better defenders. Cameron Johnson described Diallo as a "menace" on defense. And Adelman said Diallo "doesn't get screened."
At least the Nuggets are thinking ahead about how to keep improving the team. Even a small two-way transaction can have a big impact, and getting in live reps against a player who gave the team trouble is one of the best ways to utilize that spot.
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