Denver Nuggets: 3 takeaways from Game 1 win vs. Blazers

2. Efficiency from beyond the arc

Over the course of the regular season, the Nuggets were a middle-of-the-pack 3-point shooting team at best. They ranked 18th in makes, 16th in attempts and 19th in percentage. In a 3-point heavy league, those numbers didn’t bode well for success in the postseason.

There wasn’t a reputable sniper among the bunch, only a collection of respective gunners capable of getting hot at any moment. In Game 1, just about everything clicked for Denver from beyond the arc, with 12 makes on 29 attempts for a 41.4 percent conversion rate.

The pairing of Jamal Murray and Gary Harris combined for five triples in 11 attempts and the seven-foot Jokic shot 3-of-5 from out there as well. When Denver’s getting contributions from nearly everyone who steps foot on the court, it’s a team that becomes very difficult to slow down offensively.

It wasn’t as if the Nuggets exploded past their season’s average in makes from downtown. The 12 3-pointers was only one above their mark during the regular season. However, the efficiency with which they hit those looks, as well as the all-around contributions, made their offense that much better and provided a much-needed boost to keep up with a highly potent Blazers offense.