The Nuggets are clearly a bit overmatched in their second-round series against the Thunder. Sure, they’ve got the best player in Nikola Jokic, but after that, the Thunder probably have the next few. They have more talent, more depth, a much more experienced coaching staff, and homecourt advantage.
The Nuggets were able to steal Game 1 thanks to a lot of great performances across the board from just about everyone who played, but everything caught up with them in Game 2 as they got run out of the gym in the first 10 minutes.
OKC comes in waves while Denver has one lineup
The biggest issue is that the Thunder just keep coming at you in waves. They go deep into their bench with no drop-off in play. They can bring in a fresh group of players at any time that will beat you up on both ends of the court.
Over the course of a game, and especially a series, that is going to catch up and make a difference. They have great diversity and can differentiate how they play to adjust, adapt, and overwhelm their opponents in a ridiculous variety of ways.
The Nuggets, on the other hand, essentially have five guys they can trust right now. Jokic is obviously a rock, Jamal Murray has been steady, and Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun, and Russell Westbrook have been excellent. When those five players are on the floor, Denver has been outstanding.
Partly due to injury, Michael Porter Jr. hasn’t been able to contribute consistently. The bench players beyond Westbrook have been unreliable and scarcely used. And if the level of play from any of the top five guys dips, then Denver is in big trouble.
Someone unexpected must step up for Nuggets
The margins are way too thin for the Nuggets, and to win this series, they need some variance, and they need someone - or multiple people - to step up. As good as Denver’s top five players have been, it won’t be enough.
They are going to need to reach a little deeper into their bench, and they need some unexpected production. Maybe it’s Julian Strawther hitting a few threes, or maybe Peyton Watson making some plays on defense and getting some steals, maybe it’s even DeAndre Jordan or Zeke Nnaji giving some good minutes down low.
It doesn’t really matter where the production comes from, but it’s vital that they get production from somebody outside of the top six players. If an unsung hero or two can make an impact on this series, the Nuggets have a real shot. But if not, they’ll eventually be ground to dust by this juggernaut of a Thunder squad.