Denver Nuggets: Nuggets Transform For Winning Streak
Just 13 days ago the Denver Nuggets looked destined to compete with only for last place in the Western Conference, and calls for a complete overhaul of the team were loud from fans who wanted the coach, general manager, and roster all gone–shipped out of Denver.
The Nuggets only won one out of their seven games, while shooting just 41.8 percent from the floor, and losing by an average of 11.5 points a game after the home loss to Portland on Nov. 12.
My, what a difference 13 days can make in the NBA!
The Denver Nuggets are now winners in five out of their last six games, they’re winning by an average of 12.8 points a game, and shooting 46 percent from the floor in their last six games. After their overtime win against Los Angeles on Sunday, the team is back to just one game under .500.
In fact, they hardly look recognizable compared to the Nuggets we all witnessed in the first seven games. Currently, the Nuggets are this seasons version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Here’s hoping good Dr. Jekyll decides to stay around awhile! Because in the four-game winning streak, the Nuggets have been SPECTACULAR. Seriously, they’ve been “we have a real chance at the playoffs in the West” good, and after their ugly Mr. Hyde start, it’s pretty crazy to witness.
In the current four-game winning streak, the Denver Nuggets offense ranks fifth in the league in points per game at 107.8 a game. Likewise, The Nuggets defense ranks 13th in the league in opponents points per game at 97, which represents a sharp increase in defensive efficiency, because they rank 26th in the league for the whole season.
More from Hoops Habit
- The 5 most dominant NBA players who never won a championship
- 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
- Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
- Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
- Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
The team is shooting 46.6 percent from the floor (despite a less than 40 percent game in L.A.), and that change represents a 4.8 percent point increase over the losing streak.
This all amounts to the Nuggets winning games by an average of 10.8 points a game instead of losing by more than 10 points a game during the losing streak.
The players themselves also went through a Dr. Jekyll type transformation in the past six games. They actually seem to be enjoying themselves and supporting their teammates after stringing together a couple of games and getting close to .500 again. It appears as though the entire Nuggets core has finally returned to form.
Danilo Gallinari (17 pts on 71.4 percent shooting vs. New Orleans), Kenneth Faried (19 pts, 8 rebs vs. New Orleans), Wilson Chandler (15 pts, 9 rbs vs Oklahoma City), Arron Afflalo (23 pts, 4 rbs, 3 ast vs Cleveland), JaVale McGee (14 pts, 8 rebs vs New Orleans), and even Ty Lawson (24 pts, 12 rebs vs Oklahoma City/All of them) had their best games this season during the streak.
Each looks like they understand how the others are playing now, and the Nuggets are fun to watch again because of it.
Even the amount of times Brian Shaw mentioned “effort” in his press conferences has decreased tenfold (OK, I made that one up), but his job appears to be safe once again.
Hard to imagine the coach getting fired so quickly, but Nuggets were suffering through the first seven games of the season. Nuggets fans were praying that things would turn around so the team would at least be watchable, and the prayers have been answered.
In the last six games (besides an ugly second quarter against the New York Knicks) the Denver Nuggetslook more than watchable – they look like a playoff team.
Take the two games against the Cleveland Cavaliers for example. In the Mr. Hyde days, the Nuggets only led once, 2-0 at home. After the transformation, however, they built a lead to as many as 16 in Cleveland. My, what a difference 15 days can make in the NBA.