The Nuggets rallied back from a 20-point deficit but couldn’t seal a win in their preseason opener as they lost 107-105 on the road against the Warriors. Despite the result, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone and his staff will have plenty to be encouraged by after overcoming a slow start.
"My goal going into tonight wasn't necessarily to win or to lose, [it] was to find a way to get better," Malone said after the game. "Although we lost the game, I thought we were able to take some positives out of it." Nikola Jokić picked up where he left off in the postseason, dropping an impressive double-double in just 23 minutes of action, posting a double-double comprised of 26 points and 10 rebounds on a sizzling 81.8 percent shooting. Golden State was led by Kent Bazemore, who had 13 points and five rebounds. The Nuggets will now play their first true home game in over nine months when they host the first of a back-to-back at Ball Arena against the Portland Trail Blazers Wednesday at 7 p.m. MT. Here are the takeaways: Nikola Jokic in mid-season form It was an uneven performance by the Nuggets, as to be expected in preseason, but the team has to be happy with the assertive showing by their franchise star. Jokić dominated from tipoff, wrapping up a dominant first half with 14 points, seven boards and three assists. Save for a few missed easy opportunities by his teammates and the Serbian big man could have easily doubled his assist tally in the opening 24 minutes. Equally as impressive might have been his trips to the free-throw line. The Nuggets, as a team, made 14 free throws, Jokić hit seven of those attempts. Although it is just preseason, Jokić’s strong start could be a sign of good things to come.
"I feel good, am I in the best shape ever? I don't know. I don't think so," Jokić replied to a question about his conditioning. "Right now I feel good, my body feels good. I had a little bit of time to relax. I feel good."
That much was clear on the court Saturday.
G-MONEY Another bright spot was the all-around play of Gary Harris, who made key plays on both ends of the floor throughout his 24 minutes of action. The Nuggets’ shooting guard finished with 11 points, three assists and two steals in 24 minutes. In his training camp interview earlier this week, Harris insisted he wasn’t thinking about the injuries he’s dealt with over the last two seasons. That was evident against the Warriors on Saturday.
Harris displayed a lot of fluidity in his movement and showed some encouraging signs on the offensive end. Harris’ impact on defensive is well-known, but it could be pivotal for the Nuggets if he can recapture his best on the other side of the court.
"I've played with Gary for a long time, so I know what he can do," Jokić said of Harris' performance. "He's working really well, he's working hard." Bench redeems itself It was ugly. There is no better way to describe the Nuggets’ second-unit’s play in the first half than that. During the first 18 minutes of the game, the group was outscored 23-7 by their counterparts. With the Nuggets trying to integrate seven new players into the fold, the lack of chemistry clearly played a role in their early struggles. The group turned it around in the second half and a lot of credit has to go to Argentine playmaker Facundo “Facu” Campazzo. The point guard failed to have a single positive stat in the first half, but he more than made up for it in the second half. Facu was a sparkplug on both ends in the final two quarters of the game, wrapping an impressive preseason debut with eight points, three assists and unofficially took at least two game-changing charges that shifted the momentum.
"It was amazing, it was a dream come true for me," Campazzo said of his debut. "I was waiting for this time my entire life so I enjoyed it." As good as Campazzo was, he wasn’t a solo act on the reserve unit. Monte Morris was solid on the offensive end, adding 10 points on 5-of-11 shooting and Isaiah Hartenstein showed he could be a strong addition as the Nuggets backup center, adding nine points and four boards on 60 percent shooting.
"The biggest thing for me is coming out and playing hard," Hartenstein said. "I've been in the system now for a week so I'm getting used to it. I think after a while it will get better and better."