Denver Nuggets: 3 takeaways from big Game 7 win vs. Spurs

3. Early lead calms the jitters

In a game of this magnitude in front of their home fans, the Nuggets certainly wanted to get off to a great start in order to maintain the energy in the building. With a 23-13 first quarter advantage, they did exactly that, building up a lead San Antonio fought all game long to come back from.

As has been mentioned several times before by nearly every NBA media person, Denver’s core group of players isn’t exactly loaded with playoff-tested veterans. Only two of its five leaders in minutes per game — Paul Millsap and Will Barton — have ever tasted postseason basketball prior to this season. That lack of knowing what it takes is what had many pegging the Spurs to pull off the upset in this series.

Had the Nuggets gotten off to a slow start or even fallen behind in Game 7, there might not have been anything readily available to pull them out. Their lack of experience could’ve sent them into a frenzy of forced shots and careless turnovers.

Luckily for both the team and its fans, Denver was able to play with a lead from the beginning of the game. This kept the energy at a manageable level and allowed the guys to play with a greater sense of ease and much more freedom at both ends of the court.