Denver Nuggets: What To Watch For In The Last 10 Games
The Denver Nuggets might be eliminated from the playoffs, but there are still plenty of things to watch for in the team’s last 10 games.
Sitting at 30-42 and in 10th place in the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets‘ season is relatively over with just 10 games left and an unrealistic margin of five games behind current eighth seed, the Houston Rockets. However, the final 10 games of the season still present plenty of things to watch for.
One last shot vs. Kobe:
Friday night closes a chapter of torment and heartache for the Nuggets in the final game against a Kobe Bryant-led Los Angeles Lakers team. The Nuggets already had their Kobe farewell tour moment back on Mar. 2 at the Pepsi Center during a 117-107 victory.
The game in Los Angeles tonight presents the Nuggets with one last opportunity to play against a player who has been regarded by many of the league’s elite as the current generation’s Michael Jordan. Any game against Kobe Bryant in the final weeks of his final season is a must-see.
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Will the Nuggets continue to value character building wins over a high lottery draft pick?
Entering Friday’s showdown with the Lakers, Denver has won six out of its last 10 games, putting what was a 44 percent chance at a top-three pick in jeopardy. According to CBSSports.com, the wins just may cost the Nuggets a franchise altering player the likes of Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram. Denver, as it stands, has just a three percent chance at the top pick in this year’s draft.
How does a more controlled Emmanuel Mudiay matchup with Russell Westbrook?
Emmanuel Mudiay has shown improvement each month of his rookie season. In his first two games against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Mudiay shot just 8-for-28 and had an assist/turnover ratio of 2.0.
Mudiay has seen continual improvement of his field goal percentage, shooting 40 percent in March. It will be a good test for the 20-year-old, sort of like a final exam against one of the league’s best in Westbrook, a triple-double machine. The teams square off Apr. 5.
How well can Jusuf Nurkic and Nikola Jokic play together?
This is a lineup that is intriguing on many fronts, but because of Nurkic’s injury concerns this season and coach Michael Malone’s rotation patterns, fans have not seen much of it. Nurkic jumped on the scene last season with an All-Rookie performance. He averaged 13.9 points and 12.5 rebounds per 36 minutes, garnering All-Rookie Second Team honors.
This season, Jokic has followed suit as a steal of an overseas find for a Nuggets franchise trying to establish an identity. Jokic is averaging 17.4 points and 11.2 rebounds per 36 minutes. Nurkic has played just 25 games this season, but with 10 games left the opportunity has presented itself for these two young bigs to showcase their skills together. This past Monday the two played seven minutes together against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
According to Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post, “the pair combined to score 11 points on 4-of-9 from the field, 0-of-1 from the 3-point line and 3-of-3 from the free throw line. They grabbed a total of five rebounds.”
Of course, the Cavs are a much better team than the Nuggets, which factors into the production of the two bigs together. The potential is there and we should see more of them in the lineup together. Also, Jokic struggled to defend stretch-4s on the perimeter while in the game with Nurkic.
The Nuggets can play spoilers:
Division rival Utah Jazz pays a visit to the Pepsi Center on Apr. 10. Right now, Utah sits on the outside of the playoffs with a 35-37 record, tied with the Rockets. If the Nuggets can deny the Jazz a playoff spot, rest assured they will go for it.
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This season for the Nuggets has been about shifting the culture and finding an identity to build around.
Denver Nuggets Remaining Schedule:
- Friday, Mar. 25 at Los Angeles Lakers
- Sunday, Mar. 27 at Los Angeles Clippers
- Monday, Mar. 28 vs. Dallas Mavericks
- Wednesday, Mar. 30 at Memphis Grizzlies
- Thursday, Mar. 31 at New Orleans Pelicans
- Saturday, Apr. 2 vs. Sacremento Kings
- Tuesday, Apr. 5 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
- Friday, Apr. 8 vs. San Antonio Spurs
- Sunday, Apr. 10 vs. Utah Jazz
- Wednesday, Apr. 13 at Portland Trail Blazers