Denver Nuggets: Buy or sell on the 34-foot, four-inch-tall starting lineup?

The verdict

Offensively, this lineup has its perks, but if Denver shoots poorly from deep over an extended stretch, they’ll struggle to keep opponents honest on the perimeter and will find themselves facing an unnecessarily clogged paint. We haven’t seen anything to indicate that Grant and Millsap can maintain their shooting percentages on increased volume from deep, and don’t know enough about Bol to definitively say that this lineup can produce enough on offense to come away with the victory.

Defensively, their combined height and wingspan offer a lot in the way of disrupting passing lanes and contesting shots, however, it remains to be seen how they’d fare against the likes of the L.A. Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, or Houston Rockets; teams that each feature excellent perimeter shooters and multiple elite shot-creators who can pose challenges in terms of exploiting gaps in the zone.

Conversely, against a team like the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, or Memphis Grizzlies who attempt the third, fourth and sixth-fewest 3-pointers per game respectively, the Nuggets may be able to condense the zone to eliminate mid-range gaps and force opponents to beat them from a spot where they aren’t as comfortable.

For now, the positives of the lineup are mostly theoretical, while the downsides are more immediately apparent upon examination. Despite the lineup’s 1-0 record, it currently lands on the sell list. Given its upside, however, it should be watched closely for a potential boom, especially when the Nuggets face specific, favorable matchups.