The Nuggets are 2-2 through four preseason games, and Wednesday’s 12-point loss to the Clippers gave David Adelman a clear read on where his team stands right now.
The big takeaway from Adelman was simple: the Nuggets are creating good looks. Even after the loss, he pointed to shot quality as a real positive, while also noting that the team got careless with the ball and still has work to do in transition defense.
"We took care of the ball up until tonight. We were really sloppy tonight passing the ball.
First unit, second unit, it didn't really matter," Adelman answered. "But again, I'm very impressed with the shot quality.
The shots we got in the first half were great shots. Then I just think the transition defense is still a work in progress.
But yeah, I thought tonight was good."
That shot quality fits the Nuggets’ DNA. With three-time MVP Nikola Jokic on the floor, bad shots are usually hard to come by, and Jamal Murray has long been one of the league’s more efficient shot-makers when it comes to choosing his spots. That part of the formula appears intact.
The bigger question is whether those clean looks start falling at the same rate. The starting lineup went just 13-29 from the field and 4-12 from three against the Clippers. Last season, Denver finished second in the NBA in field goal percentage and first in three-point percentage, so that kind of efficiency is a standard the group has already shown it can meet.
Adelman also has reason to like what he has seen from the younger end of the roster. Trevon Brazile, Cam Whitmore, Bryce Hopkins, and Ryan Nembhard have all made plays during the preseason, and for a team whose depth has been a question mark, that matters.
What didn’t go well Wednesday was the ball security. Denver finished with 17 turnovers, and those mistakes turned into 27 points for the Clippers. That stands out because last season only Boston and Oklahoma City turned it over fewer times than the Nuggets, and that clean handling was a major part of what made them so effective.
The other issue Adelman flagged was transition defense, another area that has shown up as a concern early. Denver is generally viewed as a below-average defensive team, and that includes getting back in transition.
The Nuggets did add some defense-minded athletes this offseason, and Adelman will have to find a way to give those players real chances. The rotation already looks crowded, but getting minutes for the guys who want to defend and run could end up being important.
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Nuggets Suddenly Have A Julian Strawther Problem They Didn't Want
The Nuggets preseason loss to the Clippers was already the kind of October result teams mostly file away and move past, but the sight of Julian Strawther leaving after a third-quarter knee injury changed the tone quickly. Strawther has been part of Denvers effort to build out its depth, and any issue involving a rotation player this early in camp tends to land harder because it interrupts the work of sorting out roles and finding rhythm.
Trevon Brazile gave Denver something more encouraging off the bench in the same game, which is a small preseason bright spot the Nuggets can point to while they wait for clarity on Strawther. For now, though, the injury is the part hanging over everything, and the lack of an official report only adds to the uncertainty as Denver moves deeper into preseason without a clear read on how serious it might be. [Read more 🡒]
Julian Strawther Injury Scare Clouds A Crucial Nuggets Opportunity
Julian Strawthers night against the Clippers had an encouraging start before it turned tense, with the second-year wing leaving Denvers preseason game after a lower-body injury and not returning. Strawther had given the Nuggets useful minutes before the exit, finishing with 11 points, two rebounds and two turnovers in 19 minutes as Denver fell 122-110.
For a team trying to sort out its rotation and lean on young depth, any setback in the preseason carries extra weight. Strawther has been in the mix for a more meaningful role, and the Nuggets will now be waiting to see how serious the injury is before they can know whether this was just a scare or something that could slow his push for a bigger opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Rookie Is Suddenly Forcing A Real Bench Debate
The Nuggets may have found a little more summer intrigue than they expected in Trevon Brazile, the rookie second-round pick who looked anything but tentative in a preseason game against the Clippers. He was the first man off the bench, played with obvious confidence, and brought the kind of athletic pop Denver can always use, finishing with 22 points while flashing impact on both ends of the floor.
There were still the usual rookie rough edges, especially a few defensive lapses, but Braziles overall showing gave the Nuggets something to think about as the rotation starts to take shape. For head coach David Adelman, the question is no longer just whether Brazile can hold his own in preseason minutes, but whether a real bench role is beginning to open up in front of him. [Read more 🡒]