GAME 1: Nuggets @ Jazz (10/19/22)

 

At long last, our first glimpse at the highly anticipated new-look nuggets. For the better part of the last two years, this date has been circled on the calendar as the start of the Nugget’s rise to power. The national media has taken notice, and there’s no lack of expectations for the defending two-time MVP, Nikola Jokic, and his squad to take the NBA by storm.

So, it was only fitting to get blown out in Salt Lake City by a Utah Team widely expected to be among the worst in the league this season. Now look, it’s only one game. Now is not the time to panic. However, it’s a perfect time to start taking stock of what’s working, what’s not, and what changes we can expect in the coming weeks for a Nuggets team that is still very much on the mend. In the spirit of taking stock, I’d like to put forward a first edition of ‘Buy or Sell’ and mention my top 3 favorite and least favorite performances from last night’s lackluster showing in the beehive state:

Buy:

 

• Aaron Gordon’s Feel for The Game

Aaron gordon ended last season with an interesting quote saying that he wanted to “work smarter” and “become a student of the game” especially as it pertained to his connection with Jokic. Even with a small sample size, it seems obvious that he has taken these goals to heart this offseason and worked on finding ways to get easy looks, especially when Big Honey is playing facilitator around the rim. AG looks healthy, dialed in, and I expect that he will continue to be a major contributor to the first-unit offense, especially as MPJ and Jamal continue to reintegrate themselves into the team.

 

• Nikola Jokic, Reigning MVP

It is such a joy to watch Nikola Jokic play basketball. His touch and footwork around the rim continue to be part of the most magical ballet I’ve ever seen a 7-footer perform on a basketball court. His efficiency is possibly his most deadly asset, finishing the game with 27 points on 12-17 shooting. This was not an elite Jokic performance, but it seems clear that he is picking up where he left off. With slightly improved effort on the glass, I expect Jokic will continue his dominance over the league.

 

• MPJ’s Improved Effort

With Jamal Murray returning from a nearly two-year hiatus, it’s easy to forget that Michael Porter Jr. has also not played meaningful basketball for the better part of a year. His return was a bit understated, finishing with 15 points including a pair of 3’s, but gave hope that he could still be a critical piece on a championship contender. The knock on MPJ has always been his inability to defend, especially against dynamic offenses, and while he did still miss a few switches and fail to contest a handful of closeouts, his defensive effort seemed improved. As the season continues and defensive rotations become more established, I expect him to be a serviceable defender, which, combined with his deadly shot-making ability, is a recipe for increased minutes, increased shot attempts, and increased ability to positively impact the team.

 

Sell:

 

• Bone’s Shot Selection

Bone’s is one of my favorite Nuggets in recent memory. He plays with a ton of heart and has the shot-making ability to torment opponents, deflate opposing fans, and win games in crunch time. Last night, he showed almost none of that. Bones seemed erratic and out of rhythm, and his shot selection suffered greatly because of it. Bones’ role as a 6th-man ‘Flamethrower’ off the bench seems to fit his strengths, but as Jamal continues to reintegrate into the starting rotation, Bones may be asked to play a more traditional point guard role that requires less show-stopping theatrics and more measured facilitation.

 

• Passive KCP

KCP’s first regular season game in a Nugget’s jersey was solid. Not flashy. Not particularly memorable, but solid. He finished the game without a made field-goal, but seemed consistently involved on the defensive end, recording 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and a block to go with 6 assists. KCP is a great fit with the Nuggets starting unit as presently constructed and will no doubt settle into his role, but The Nuggets need him to be more willing to score, especially in situations where his minutes are staggered with the bench unit.

 

• The ‘Jeff Green Iso’

One of the most puzzling sequences of last night’s game was coming out of a timeout in the first half, down 17, Coach Malone seemed to draw up a Jeff Green post up which led to a certifiably awful possession, a missed shot, and a quick runout for the Jazz. Even more confusing was that in the next handful of possessions, Green once again found himself in Iso situations and was expected to facilitate the offense. I think that Jeff Green may have a very limited role as the nuggets continue to get healthy. His limited time playing center last night was clunky at best, and I expect that Zeke Nnaji will quickly become a more attractive option at the 5 for the bench unit.

 

(Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)