If you had told me going into the 2024-25 NBA season that the Nuggets would have a lot to learn from the Indiana Pacers, I would have called you crazy. But a full regular season and playoffs later, the Pacers are heading to the NBA Finals, and their model is one that many teams should - and will - try to copy going forward.
The Nuggets have the best player in the world, Nikola Jokic, and until recent years, that was enough to at least compete for a title. With a solid supporting cast around him, we saw Denver reach the mountaintop and win a championship two years ago, but a lot has changed since then, both with the NBA and with the Nuggets specifically.
The Pacers have put forth a great showing in these playoffs, and they’ve done it with their smothering pace, depth, and positional versatility. They have a star who the offense runs through in Tyrese Haliburton, and he set the tone for how they play, but the team is defined by a style and pace that’s only achievable through their incredible depth and diverse talent.
Spacing, defense, and depth more critical than ever
Unfortunately, the Nuggets are badly missing this depth as they had one of the most top-heavy rosters in the league this season. Things only got worse in the playoffs as Denver suffered a rash of injuries, and it felt like they had about 3.5 able-bodied players by the end of their second-round series with the Thunder.
On top of the lack of depth, the Nuggets have too many players who are liabilities on defense, and too many others who aren’t true catch-and-shoot threats. It’s a stark contrast from watching the Pacers. They defend on a string, move the ball all game, and space the floor with all kinds of shooting.
Opponents try to hyper-focus on stopping Tyrese Haliburton, and he’s happy to zip the ball to his teammates who can capably attack a rotating defense and bury open shots. They all bring the intensity on defense as well, often picking up full court without relenting all game.
They never seem to get fatigued because they are able to play 10+ players on any given night. Head Coach Rick Carlisle has a deep bench, and he trusts them to play major, high-leverage minutes so that his starters are always fresh for crunch time.
As a fan of basketball in general, it has been great to watch, and it really highlights all the deficiencies of the Nuggets’ roster. It’s going to be hard to right every wrong in one offseason, but Denver can start by turning some big salaries into depth and building a deeper roster of reliable role players who can shoot and defend around Jokic.