Denver Nuggets: 2017-18 NBA season preview

Storyline 1: Can the Nuggets play enough defense?

For the past eight years, the Denver Nuggets have ranked in the bottom 10 in points allowed and over the past three seasons, posted the 26th, 24th and 27th ranked defensive ratings in the league.

Opponents faced little resistance from the Nuggets last season. Denver allowed the opposition to convert 47.7 percent of its attempts from the field, the second-highest rate in the league, and shoot 37.5 percent from 3-point range, the third-highest mark in the NBA.

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Even more daunting of a task is pressuring opposing ball-handlers. Denver forced only 12 turnovers a game, the fewest in the NBA, essentially giving the opposition free rein to navigate anywhere on the court.

The Nuggets forced a turnover just 10.9 times per 100 possessions, the fewest in the NBA.

The presence of Paul Millsap could play a major factor in clogging up passing lanes and transforming the defense.

Millsap posted 90 steals, the fourth-most among power forwards in the NBA. The 32-year-old forward has stolen the ball 90 or more times in each of the past seven years, while Gary Harris led Denver with 71 steals a season ago.

The Nuggets don’t need to become an elite defensive squad to climb rapidly in the Western Conference standings, just play at an average rate and the team can become extremely dangerous.