The Nuggets Need To Give Nikola Jokic Some Help
From Denver’s offensive struggles to the weirdness of the Memphis Grizzlies, I talked about everything from last night’s games.
Philadelphia 76ers vs Denver Nuggets
This game was supposed to be boring. The Nuggets were without MPJ and Jamal Murray. The 76ers were missing Joel Embiid. We expected an ugly game and we got it, however, the result was unexpected.
While Nikola Jokic dominated the first half, the 76ers stayed in front. The 76ers slowed down Jokic in the 2nd half and cruised to a win, snapping a 5-game losing streak in the process.
Let’s break down this ugly basketball game, shall we?
Philadelphia 76ers
Even without Joel Embiid, the 76ers played a complete game on both sides of the ball. I was impressed with their defense and I think that their role players continue to look passable. They ran away with things in the 2nd half, as they looked like the far better team.
Now it’s just time for Joel Embiid to stop getting hurt.
2nd Half Nikola Jokic Defense
In the first half, Nikola Jokic had 27 points on just 12 shots. He was dominating and while the 76ers still led at halftime, they needed to slow down the MVP if they wanted to win this game. In the 2nd half, they made a much better effort at slowing down the MVP.
Jokic had just 3 points on 0/5 shooting in the 2nd half, a steep decline from the wizardry he performed in the first half. So what did the 76ers do to slow down the best center in basketball?
After Jokic dominated the 76ers in the first half with a series of cuts and open 3-pointers, the 76ers changed their defense immediately. And when I mean immediately, I mean on the very first half of the 2nd half.
Jokic was trying to post up Andre Drummond on the left block. Drummond was playing great defense, but Tyrese Maxey did a great job helping Drummond. He timed his double-team perfectly and Jokic missed the shot.
I can’t even tell you how Jokic got this shot up.
On this one, the Nuggets score, but the 76ers are not hiding what they’re doing on defense against Jokic. George Niang does a great job pressuring Jokic at the right elbow. Jokic attempts to drive towards the middle, but Seth Curry closes it off.
Jokic then spins back to the right and the 76ers are out of place defensively because they were so focused on stopping him. Two shooters were wide open on the right side because of the way that the 76ers were playing defense.
With their swarming defense, the 76ers held Jokic and cruised to the win. Instead of trying to stop Jokic one-on-one (not a good idea), all five defenders on the floor tried to slow him down and it worked.
Even without Ben Simmons, this defense can still be amongst the best in the league.
Seth Curry Is Having A Fantastic Season
Seth Curry is the S tier of NBA role players. Curry has been playing the best basketball of his career with the 76ers and showing the Mavericks how foolish they were to trade him. After a strong showing in the postseason, Curry is picking up right where he left off.
15.7 points – 52% FG – 44% 3-PT – 65% TS
If you’re noticing a lot of bold, that’s a good thing. Bold indicates a career-high in a certain category. Curry continued his excellent season in Denver last night.
Curry was excellent off the dribble, getting past his defenders due to his elite shooting prowess. He hit some floaters and shots in the mid-range. He looked comfortable off the dribble, which is music to the ears of 76ers fans.
He finished the night with 20 points, along with 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Of those assists, there were a couple of dimes to Bassey and Drummond down low.
Curry is having a great season and is one of the best role players in the NBA. Do you want any more reasons to like Curry? I’ll name a few.
- He’s brothers with another basketball player (he’s kind of unknown)
- Curry is shooting 55% (27/49) from the mid-range
- He’s shooting 56% from the corner this season
- Did I mention he’s brother of another NBA player?
Denver Nuggets
I know that a (valid) excuse for this game would be that MPJ and Jamal Murray are out. My counter to that is that MPJ wasn’t impactful this season and the Nuggets are used to playing without Jamal Murray. Even without those two guys, the Nuggets were the better team in this game.
But they just couldn’t make shots. Mike Malone got ejected in the 3rd quarter, likely because he didn’t want to watch the Nuggets play anymore. I can’t blame him for that, as Denver hasn’t been as great as I think they’re capable of being.
What Is Going On With The Offense?
All season, the Nuggets offense has been floundering. Their surprisingly good defense has kept them afloat in the Western Conference this season. But their offense, which has been elite for the past few seasons, is struggling.
They are the 20th best offense in the NBA right now and they are struggling to give Nikola Jokic the support he needs.
The Nuggets are the best scoring team inside the restricted area, shooting a whopping 71% at the rim. They are also one of the best mid-range shooting teams in the league. But other than those two areas, they struggle to score the ball.
In The Paint (Non-RA)
5.4 FGM Per Game (21st)
39.1% FG (18th)
Above The Break 3-PT Shooting
8.2 FGM Per Game (22nd)
30.4% 3-PT (28th)
Denver is unable to make shots above the break and in the paint. They are struggling to make 3’s, even wide-open ones. When the closest defender is 6+ feet away on any 3-PT attempt, Denver is shooting just 34%. When the closest defender is 4-6 feet away, Denver shoots just 33% from 3.
They aren’t making their open shots and it’s hurting them. They need to make those open shots that they get or they won’t win games. It’s fairly simple.
Moral of the story: Make shots
Rudy Gay Is A New Weapon For The Jazz
While I might not be the biggest Jazz fan in the world, this new revelation is a good sign for them. After signing Rudy Gay this offseason, the veteran forward had been unable to play to start the season. Last night was his debut with the Jazz. You could say things went well.
20 points – 5 rebounds – 7/8 FG (5/6 3-PT) – +14 plus/minus
Not a bad way to start your tenure with a new team. Gay, the proven scorer, did exactly that with the Jazz. He was on fire from the perimeter and looked very comfortable in his role. His floor spacing is icing on the cake for Utah, but I think he offers them some new wrinkles on offense.
The Jazz used Gay in the pick-and-rolls a few times and I think this is something they can work with. Gay is a threat from outside, but with guys like Mitchell and Conley involved in the action? It puts defenses in a bind and forces them to make tough decisions.
Gay is also another body on the perimeter for the Jazz and should be solid for 10-15 minutes a night off the bench. This could be a great addition for the Jazz going forward, who got back on track with a dominating win against Toronto last night.
The Memphis Grizzlies Are Weird
The Grizzlies season has been weird. From great wins, bad losses, and injuries, they have continued to be unexceptional. Not to say that they’ve been bad, but they aren’t taking the leap that we’ve expected them to take for the past couple of seasons. Why is that?
Roller Coaster Season
The Grizzlies have had a weird start to 2022. They started the season 2-0, with Ja Morant domintating defenses. But as Morant cooled off, so did Memphis. They have lost to both Washington and New Orleans this season. They’ve also beaten Denver twice.
They currently sit at 8-7, but they have played at all levels of the spectrum this season. I can’t say if that’s a good or bad thing because I just don’t know.
Dillon Brooks Makes This Team A LOT Better
If me capitalizing ‘LOT’ wasn’t enough proof of this, just wait a moment. Brooks was sidelined for the first few weeks of the year with a hand injury. De’Anthony Melton was a fine enough replacement for the Grizzlies. But with Brooks returning to a starting role, it’s clear there is a wide gap between the two.
Brooks might chuck up poor shots and foul a lot on defense, he’s a tough player. He can make tough shots and he’s a pest on defense. The numbers back up the fact that Memphis is a far superior team when he’s on the floor.
Adams – JJJ – Morant – Bane – Melton (145 minutes)
116.7 ORtg
108.0 DRtg
8.7 Net Rating
Adams – JJJ – Morant – Bane – Brooks (36 minutes)
119.0 ORtg
85.0 DRtg
34.0 Net Rating
Albeit in just 36 minutes, but Brook’s defense has made an already good starting lineup even better. While Melton helped the offense, Brooks helps the defense while the offense doesn’t lose any firepower.
Having Brooks back in the lineup is a major positive for the Grizzlies going forward.
Steven Adams Has Been Surprisingly Solid
While losing Jonas Valanciunas this season was hard, Steven Adams hasn’t been terrible. While he’s still a downgrade, Adams has been pretty passable down low for the Grizzlies. They’re not playing him a lot of minutes, but for the minutes he’s getting, he hasn’t been terrible.
He’s averaging a monster 4.0 offensive rebounds per game in just under 26 minutes per game. That’s just insane. The Grizzlies offense has been better with Adams on the floor (+4.3 ORtg with Adams on the floor).
The good thing for Memphis is that Adams is a positive on the floor. The Grizzlies can go to other options at center like Jaren Jackson Jr, Brandon Clarke, or even Xavier Tillman. But the fact that they can rely on a traditional center like Adams is important.
What Are Your Thoughts From Last Night’s Games? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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