Throughout an NBA season, it can occasionally be beneficial to encounter a set of back-to-back games.
For the Denver Nuggets, a quick return home Saturday should be a nice opportunity to bounce back following a tough 127-120 loss to the Utah Jazz Friday. Although Nikola Jokić (24) and Michael Porter Jr. (31) combined for 55 points, Utah shot 21-of-46 from beyond the arc and was led by Bojan Bogdanovic, who poured in a career-high 48 points.
Denver (44-23) must quickly shift its focus to the Brooklyn Nets, who await them at Ball Arena Saturday night.
Brooklyn (43-24) has struggled as of late, losing its past four games. The Nets continue to navigate without James Harden, all while continuing to reintegrate Kevin Durant following his lengthy absence.
The Nets have certainly won with offense this season, as they rank 23rd in defensive rating throughout the season.
Brooklyn won the first meeting of the season between the two teams, a 122-116 victory back on Jan. 12.
Projected starters: Facundo Campazzo, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, Paul Millsap, Nikola Jokić
TUNE-IN: 8 p.m. MT, Altitude 2 and NBATV, 92.5FM
Key matchup: Michael Porter Jr. vs. Kevin Durant
For the first time in his career, Porter Jr. will match up against a player many have compared him to.
With Durant missing the 2019-20 season and Porter Jr. missing the Jan. 12 meeting this season, the dynamic scoring forwards will finally share the court.
To his credit, Porter Jr. has been giving his best Durant impression as of late, averaging 22.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game on 56.8 percent shooting from the field since the All-Star break.
Meanwhile, Durant has returned from his Achilles injury to perform at an MVP level. The 2013-14 MVP has averaged 28 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game on 53.8 percent shooting from the field this season. Had he not missed most of the season due to injury, Durant would certainly have a strong case for MVP this season.
Attack the glass
Although the Nets have been an elite team this season, they certainly have weaknesses that Denver can look to exploit Saturday, starting with the matchup on the boards.
On the season, Brooklyn ranks 20th in offensive rebound percentage and 23rd in opponent offensive rebound percentage. On the other end, the Nuggets rank second and sixth, respectively, in those two categories.
If shots aren’t falling for Denver Saturday, gaining an edge on the boards can go a long way in securing a big win over Brooklyn, especially if the Nets’ high-powered offense is hitting shots. The Nets tend to rely on small-ball lineups regularly, which may encounter some issues against Denver’s size in the frontcourt.
Get Jokić going early
Speaking of going small, good luck doing that against Jokić. Brooklyn has more traditional big men like DeAndre Jordan and Nicolas Claxton to try and make life difficult for the Serbian big man, but Jokić should still get to his spots on the floor against any of the Nets big men.
In the first meeting back on Jan. 12, Jokić finished with 23 points, 11 assists, eight rebounds, and a career-high seven steals. If Brooklyn does go to smaller lineups with Blake Griffin or Jeff Green at center, the Nuggets should be aggressive in getting Jokić going in the post, which will likely lead to double-teams and open shots for Denver’s supporting cast.
One other way Jokić can make his presence felt is on the glass. With a size advantage against Brooklyn’s smaller big men, the Serbian can create second-chance opportunities for himself and his teammates regularly Saturday night if he is active on the boards.
Statistics as of May 6.