2019 NBA Playoffs: Denver Nuggets vs. San Antonio Spurs preview

Key Question No. 1: Can the Spurs defense slow down the Nuggets’ offense?

Some have wondered whether the Nuggets’ style of basketball can work effectively in the playoffs, or if they would struggle when the way that teams defend against them changes. The Spurs are the best possible team for the Nuggets to draw in that sense, as their defensive rating slide all the way to 20th this year. Will the Spurs’ less than stellar defense be able to withstand Denver’s offense?

The Nuggets play on the offensive end of the floor is a result of playing effectively within their system. They don’t shoot a ton of 3-point shots or a crazy high percentage on them. They also don’t get to the line a ton. The Nuggets’ offense doesn’t do any one thing overly great, other than their system breaking opponents down better than most.

The Spurs rarely go and stay big, other than Aldridge, who is really a natural power forward. The Nuggets prefer to stay big with Jokic and Millsap, which will result in someone having a size mismatch, but the Nuggets need to focus on cutting off of Jokic at the elbow while their shooters test the perimeter to find open looks. The Nuggets are getting a tough test overall in round one, but whether the Spurs defense can hold up is a legitimate question.