Denver Nuggets: Best And Worst First Round Matchups
Denver Nuggets center Kosta Koufos could be key if Denver plays Memphis in the first round of the NBA playoffs. (Photo by Howard Cheng/Creative Commons)
The seeding in the Western Conference playoffs could go down to the last day of the season with the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies all battling for home-court advantage and top-four seeds.
Currently, the Nuggets sit in the No. 3 spot with the Clippers and Grizzlies right behind. Los Angeles is guaranteed a top-four seed by winning the Pacific Division but are not guaranteed home court.
The Denver Nuggets, who have only been out of the first round once in the last nine years, feel a lot of pressure to succeed in this year’s playoffs. The team could end up breaking the team record for wins in a season and had a 15-game winning streak that catapulted them up the standings.
Ty Lawson and Danilo Gallinari being injured could change things for Denver, but no matter what the team is expected to get out of the first round, especially if games are played at the Pepsi Center. Gallinari suffered a torn ACL in the Thursday, April 4, win over the Dallas Mavericks that will force him out for the rest of the season.
The Denver Nuggets have shown they can beat anybody, except for the Miami Heat who they have lost to twice, in the NBA. Certain matchups will be easier for the Nuggets and some could cause a lot of problems,
Best
Golden State Warriors
This matchup seems the most likely at the moment. There will be no shortage of points between the two teams. The Warriors average 100.8 and the Nuggets average 105.7. Both teams play the same style of up-and-down basketball. Warriors guard Stephen Curry presents trouble for any team, but Andre Iguodala will draw the assignment of guarding him.
The Warriors could present a problem inside for the Nuggets. Golden State is second in the league in rebounding, an area Denver has struggled in. If the Nuggets give up a ton of offensive rebounds, that could spell trouble.
The Nuggets took three of the four meetings from the Warriors this season and the one loss was by one point when Iguodala hit a game-winner that was just after the buzzer. Denver can run with anybody and they would just have too much firepower for the Warriors. Many of the Nuggets are going into their third postseason with team, which gives them the experience edge. George Karl, despite not a great playoff record, holds the edge over Mark Jackson, who will be coaching in the postseason for the first time.
Houston Rockets
If these two teams played, there might be even more points than if the Nuggets and Warriors played. The Rockets are one of two teams in the league that score more than the Nuggets. They average 106 on the season. The bad news for the Rockets is they can’t really stop anybody.
Jeremy Lin can’t guard Lawson. James Harden is not known for his game on the defensive end. Harden has also shown frustration against the Nuggets by being locked down by Iguodala. Harden has only averaged 19.7 points against the Nuggets with one meeting remaining. That is six points lower than his season average. If the Nuggets shut down Harden, they win easy.
The Nuggets have beaten the Rockets all three times they have played. Denver has won two of those games on Houston’s home floor. This would be the best matchup for Denver as it could be a short series and could give some rest before a possible second-round series with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Worst
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies will batter and bruise teams until they can’t take anymore. That is their style. It is ugly and the score may be 85-80, but they have found a ton of success this season. The Nuggets own the tiebreaker by winning the season series. Nuggets would get the higher seed if the teams finish with the same record.
Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph give the Nuggets’ big guys fits. Kenneth Faried and JaVale McGee are a little more finesse and Randolph and Gasol are much more rugged. Kosta Koufos could be a key for the Nuggets. The starting center is a bit more of a banger than the other two and could provide valuable minutes.
This matchup is one that Lawson has to be as close to healthy as possible. Lawson helps the Nuggets create in the half-court game. Lawson’s speed makes the Nuggets’ offense run smoothly. Without Lawson, Denver could be in trouble.
This series would go seven games and the winner may be so exhausted they may get swept in the next round.
Los Angeles Clippers
If there is one team in the league that can run with the Nuggets, it is the Clippers. They have just as much speed, athleticism and talent as the Nuggets. Blake Griffin can be just as an exciting dunker as Faried and McGee. Chris Paul is a better point guard than Lawson. The is matchup is not ideal for Denver.
The Clippers, like the Grizzlies, play tough defense. For as run-and-gun the Clippers can be, they only allow just less than 95 points a game. DeAndre Jordan and Griffin can block shots and that will test the Nuggets, who always look to score in the paint.
This could be a nightmare matchup for the Nuggets. Home-court advantage would be a deciding factor and the Nuggets still have a chance to secure. If the Nuggets have hopes of getting out of the first round, the Clippers need to not be the opponent. Could the Nuggets beat the Clippers? Of course. But it would be another long series that could leave the teams exhausted.