Written by Jonathan Peter on April 29, 2023.
The pressure is at an all-time high for the Denver Nuggets. In their quest for a championship, the Nuggets are facing a daunting next challenge, a rematch against the Phoenix Suns.
Two postseason’s ago, the Nuggets got swept out of Ball Arena at the feet of the Suns. Shorthanded, due Jamal Murray’s torn ACL and other injuries in Denver’s backcourt, the Nuggets looked helpless against Phoenix. Nikola Jokic gave it his all attempting to carry Denver through the series, but it did not matter.
Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon were also part of the 2021 sweep, but neither has memorable performances. Porter shot an uncharacteristic 38% from the field, while averaging 15.3 points and 5.5 rebounds. Gordon’s series was just as forgettable, averaging 9 points and 3.8 rebounds.
Quite simply, the Nuggets got undressed in front of the NBA world by the Suns. The stench of the 4-0 sweep was strong and Denver appeared to be no where close to being a championship caliber team.
Now, two years later, the Nuggets are healthy and are a far more formidable team and the Suns might be too.
Phoenix acquired future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant at the deadline, pairing him with star guard Devin Booker. The talented offensive duo proposes a difficult challenge for opponents attempting to defend them. Add in veteran guard Chris Paul and former #1 overall pick Deandre Ayton or “DOMINAYTON” as he likes to refer to himself, the Suns have an impressive four players leading their squad.
“I think we all understand who we are about to play and the problems that the team presents across the board,” said Coach Michael Malone in a media scrum on Friday. “But we got a lot of guys who have a significant amount of playoff games under their belt, second round, Western Conference Playoffs, guys are locked in.”
Denver truly does have all of the components necessary to defeat this loaded Phoenix roster. Partially due to Denver also having a quality roster, but there is something greater ingrained in the Nuggets’ identity. They are the best version of themselves when they play unselfish basketball.
Reflecting back on the Nuggets first round series, they eliminated Minnesota in 5 games, winning the series 4-1. Denver was in command of the series from the get go and they did not even play their best basketball.
In the first round, the Nuggets only averaged 25 assists per game as a team, lower than their regular season average which was about 29 assists per game. While the numbers may seem similar, there were many instances in which the Nuggets were not playing in their free flowing offense. Often, they were bailed out by knocking down difficult shots from the likes of Murray, Porter, and Jokic.
Going forward, the Nuggets should continue to fall back on the style of basketball they love playing. The isolation moments are great, but the Nuggets are equipped to wreck havoc on their opponents by utilizing all five of their guys on offense.
It’s imperative the Nuggets make their brand of basketball the focus in this series. They can be a contrasting force against what the Suns want to do. While Phoenix’s offense is deadly, it’s simple to understand how they like to operate which is the pick and roll with the ball in the hands of their best players. Their offense doesn’t force the defense to think, it’s just a matter of being able to make their shots as difficult as possible.
Many are making this series out to be a battle of the stars, but the truth is it’s going to be the others who are the swing factors in which way this series goes. Denver has the upper hand on paper because of their depth, but it will only be a difference maker if they get everyone involved. The Nuggets objective should be to make Phoenix look silly for losing all their depth in the blockbuster deal for Durant. Make the Suns feel tormented for losing Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and to a lesser extent Jae Crowder.
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Generally, whenever the Nuggets play a nationally televised game, a graphic appears consisting of the names Erik Spoelstra, Gregg Popovich, Steve Kerr, and Michael Malone. The graphic informs viewers that these are the longest tenured head coaches in the NBA. Malone is the only coach on the list who has not won a championship yet.
This is a golden opportunity for Malone to make his mark. The other three other coaches listed next to Malone on those graphics have specific styles of coaching. There is an expectation about how those teams will perform on a game by game basis. Malone’s mantra of unselfish basketball can be on display if the Nuggets dominate this series. He’s been the driving force behind Denver’s past playoff success and impressive feats and can continue to add to it in this series. It’s his time to shine.
“‘Selfless’ on that wall [in the Nuggets’ practice facility], and it’s a big part of the culture that I’ve tried to create since day one,” said Malone. “All the teams that win championships, everyone sacrifices.”
It’s time for Denver to embody this message and what they have been building on for the past eight years. Their opportunity begins tonight at 6:30 at Ball Arena.
Stats Tell Stories 