Denver Nuggets: Which players can take the Nuggets to the next level?

The Denver Nuggets’ season has proven inconsistent, thrilling at times while frustrating at others. Which element could boost Denver to the next level?

Which version best represents the 2019-20 Denver Nuggets?

Is it the group that toppled the Utah Jazz on the road with just seven healthy players? Or the lackluster bunch that sleep-walked into a home-court loss against the Western Conference-worst Golden State Warriors?

More from Hoops Habit

• 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
• Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
• Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
• Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
• NBA Trades: The Lakers bolster their frontcourt in this deal with the Pacers

Or is it a blend of both, a weird Jekyll/Hyde complex that no one – not even the team itself – can fully explain, leaving fiery head coach Michael Malone stomping up and down the sideline as his team refuses to handle business?

As a player, when your body is breaking, success has already been proven, and it’s time to kick the butt of a weaker team for your third game in four nights, it’s difficult to get fired up, supercharged with an overwhelming sense of energy and determination to beat the ever-lovin’ pulp out of the…Atlanta Hawks?

Fans don’t get it, and it’s extraordinarily frustrating from a distance. But the grind can be tough, especially when you’re good. Just ask great squads from recent years.

But what’s the toughest part of a long, grinding regular season? Is it watching a 3-point attempt splash all-net? Or is it getting down to guard a weaker team’s small forward – still an NBA player – when you’re just not feeling it?

Scoring is enjoyable, made shots are fun. Sometimes the element of fun is under-publicized in sports and life. When a person or group is tired, it’s far easier to persevere when joy is being had.

Herein lies the biggest difference between last year’s Denver Nuggets and this season’s version: The 2019-20 squad has lacked a sense of fun, especially in the late-February/early-March stage, right up until play was suspended.

While blips won’t be erased completely, and defense is still necessary, it’s important to ask what the squad could do to return to this fun, free-flowing feeling.

This presents an interesting hypothetical: What if Denver could really shoot the ball?

What if the team played off the strengths of its superstar, utilizing Nikola Jokic‘s stellar passing to create open 3-point looks – and then sunk these shots?

More from Denver Nuggets

• This overlooked skill proves that Nikola Jokic is underrated defensively
• Why the loss of impact players won’t damage Denver’s repeat title hopes
• Has Denver’s risky offseason hurt their repeat title hopes?
• The Nuggets’ sneaky great draft bolsters their championship roster
• Despite a short series, the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat saved the NBA

Why not maximize talent, work smart instead of hard? Isn’t it easier to breeze past poor teams with a slew of three-pointers generated by beautiful offense, opposed to engaging in a grinding, tiresome defensive slug-fest?

The superstar-and-shooters format has proven effective in recent years. Take LeBron James‘ teams, for example, namely the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavilers, who surrounded him with shooters and have championships to show for it.

Or the Dallas Mavericks of 2011, who complemented Dirk Nowitzki with shooters and won a championship.

The 2014 San Antonio Spurs also nabbed a championship with an awesome drive-kick-and-shoot format, as they used the deep ball to defeat LeBron’s Heat.

And the Golden State Warriors of 2015-2019 used a potent 3-ball attack, featuring two of the greatest all-time shooters in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, to become perhaps the scariest dynasty in NBA history.

The deep ball works. Even though the league has evolved, the importance of 3-point shooting remains. If anything, it’s only grown more important.

Unfortunately, the Denver Nuggets have been anything but deadly from the outside, as they’ve surrounded Jokic with clunky lineups.

Let’s examine their starting 1-3 slots:

PG: Jamal Murray (34.5 3-point percentage, 1.9 3-point makes per game)

SG: Gary Harris (33.3 3-point percentage, 1.3 3-point makes per game)

SF: Will Barton (37.5 3-point percentage, 1.9 3-point makes per game)

Herein lies the reason defenders guard Denver from a step back. And this shows in the team’s overall statistics also, as the Nuggets average just 10.9 3-point makes per game (25th overall in the NBA).

Change is needed in this regard. And this shift may not need to be drastic.

The centerpieces are already in place, as Jokic almost-always commands a double-team in the post. Murray’s ability to create his own shot renders him a solid number-two player worthy of defensive attention.

Already, many predict Michael Porter Jr. (42.2 3-point percentage) and Jerami Grant (40.0 3-point percentage) will start next year at the small and power forward slots, respectively. Right away, the Nuggets will have a sweet-shooting frontcourt capable of both percentage and volume to ease pressure off Jokic.

Now for the backcourt…

As a point guard, Murray has many responsibilities, but it’s time he re-focus on the deep ball. He was a 3-point assassin at the University of Kentucky, and most NBA defenses at least respect his distance shooting.

He’s a better shooter than the numbers show, and it’s time for him to hone his smooth-looking shot into a consistent 40+ percent mark.

Unfortunately, Gary Harris will probably need to be replaced in the starting lineup. His “slump” has lasted for a matter of years now, and he’s making too much money to clank 3-pointers for extended minutes every night. He’s limiting the squad’s offensive capabilities.

Barton’s probably not the guy to replace him either, as he’s a better multi-faceted bench scorer than a spot-up shooter. The Nuggets will likely need to look outside the organization for an efficient catch-and-shoot threat to fill the two-guard spot.

This will be an interesting off-season topic.

There’s much to like about the current Denver Nuggets, especially factoring their climb in the last few years, even despite some deficiencies. Let’s not lose sight of Denver’s quick ascension to the top ranks of the Western Conference.

However, offensive intelligence goes a long way with this group. The starters can no longer be handicapped by poor shooting. Especially for the purpose of consistently and effortlessly beating weaker teams throughout the long, grinding season.