By Chris Marlowe
Before the Nuggets season started, someone asked me how this year’s squad would do. I told him: “The Nuggets are going to be a very good team this season—I’m just not sure when.”
Well, it’s time! I’m highly optimistic things will continue to improve for the Mile High Crew and its fans in 2015.
With four straight wins, the Nuggets are starting to play the kind of basketball Coach Brian Shaw has advocated. Namely, during the win streak, the offense is averaging 108 points per game and the defense is allowing just 96 points per game.
In case you missed it, the “speedy one” has declared that he will shoot the basketball more. No longer will he pass up makeable shots, and defenders going under screens will pay a heavy price!
As a result, Ty has scored 20+ in four of his last five games.
Arron spent the first half of this season trying to fit in—learn about his teammates - be the good soldier. Lately, he’s looked more like the physical scoring machine we were hoping for when he resigned with the Nuggets.
So far this January, AAA is averaging 23 points per game on 55% shooting, and is hitting 42% from downtown. He’s also making 88.5% from the free throw line (23 of 26). Maybe Afflalo made a New Year’s resolution he didn’t tell us about!
This athletic, young center has breathed a breath of fresh Bosnian air into the Denver Nuggets organization and, in short order, established himself as a major building block for this team in 2015 and beyond.
We have been shocked and excited by his skills. Jusuf can score, rebound his position, pass well out of the post, defend the pick and roll and block shots.
But it’s not just his skill level that delights us; it’s the fact Nurkić has made the game fun again for the Denver Nuggets.
He plays the game with joy, a smile on his face, a certain élan. He will dive on the floor for loose balls and serenade the crowd when he gets a big ovation at Pepsi!
He also has a nasty side that I love!
What other rookie center in recent memory would trash talk NBA stars Marc Gasol and DeMarcus Cousins? The “Nurk” showed no interest in kowtowing to either player.
After the win in Sacramento, a fan came up to me and told me that he had “never seen anyone back down DeMarcus Cousins in the post.” I told him: “Times are changing!”
By the way, in the Denver pipeline, there are two other European big-men making waves overseas. One is Joffrey Lauvergne (55th overall/2013 draft), currently playing for a Russian club team. This 6’11” French power forward is physical, athletic and can run the floor.
I’m also told another Nuggets prospect, Serbian Nikola Jokic, is drawing rave reviews in Europe. The nineteen-year-old 7 footer was a 2014 second round draft pick (41st overall) who can shoot the lights out.
One other note, by virtue of the 2011 Carmelo Anthony trade, the Nuggets will once again have the right to exchange first round picks with the New York Knicks in 2016! It’s the gift that just keeps on giving.
Call me an optimist, but I still think the Nuggets can make the playoffs.
And with the “Bosnian Beast” on board, the future looks bright.