Following an eventful Thursday full of trades across the NBA (of which the Denver Nuggets were an active participant), the focus shifts back to the stretch run of the 2020-21 regular season.
For the Nuggets (26-18), that begins with an opportunity to bounce back against a surging New Orleans Pelicans team.
Although Denver’s squad will look slightly different Friday in New Orleans following the trades on Thursday that will see Aaron Gordon, JaVale McGee, and Gary Clark eventually join the Nuggets, the task at hand is still the focus, with Denver having the chance to secure a winning road trip.
These two teams are no stranger to one another, having just played Sunday at Ball Arena. In that contest, the Pelicans (19-24) built an early advantage on the glass and inside the paint and held on for a 113-108 victory.
Projected starters: Jamal Murray, Will Barton III, Michael Porter Jr., Paul Millsap, Nikola Jokić
TUNE-IN: 6 p.m. MT, Altitude TV and 92.5FM.
Key matchup: Michael Porter Jr. vs. Brandon Ingram
Quietly, Porter Jr. has ascended to another level throughout March, comfortably placing him as the third option behind Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray in Denver’s offense.
Across 11 contests this month, the 22-year-old forward has averaged 19.7 points and 9.2 rebounds on 59.2 percent shooting from the field, including 49.2 percent from beyond the arc. As expected, it had taken some time for Porter Jr. to integrate himself into Denver’s offense, but now that he has found a rhythm, Denver’s offense has reached new heights.
Meanwhile, Ingram has continued to produce at a near All-Star level this season, with averages of 24.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game, all while knocking down 38.1 percent of his attempts from downtown.
Ingram torched Denver to the tune of 30 points and eight assists back on March 21, so limiting his effectiveness will be key for Porter Jr. and the Nuggets on Friday.
Hold up on the defensive glass
As mentioned earlier, the Pelicans jumped out to a fast start in the last matchup between these two teams, especially on the offensive glass. Steven Adams grabbed four offensive rebounds in the first quarter alone and New Orleans held a 30-15 rebounding advantage at the half.
The Pelicans finished the game with a 55-42 advantage on the glass, which included a 14-10 advantage on the offensive glass in particular.
This has been a key strength for New Orleans this season, as it ranks first in the league in offensive rebound percentage. For Denver, crashing the boards on defense must be a priority on Friday, especially as the Nuggets have slipped to 15th in opponent offensive rebound percentage on the season.
Find the open shooters beyond the arc
The Pelicans have struggled on the defensive end of the season this season. That is no secret, especially considering that the Pelicans are just 19-24 despite having the seventh-ranked offense.
When looking deeper into the numbers behind those struggles on the defensive end, it’s clear that an inability to force turnovers coupled with impressive opponent shooting has sunk New Orleans on that end of the floor, despite being above-average on the defensive glass and doing a solid job of avoiding fouls.
Where the Pelicans are most vulnerable is from downtown. New Orleans ranks 28th in opponent frequency of 3-point attempts, as teams have taken 41.9 percent of their total shot attempts from beyond the arc (the league average is 36.4 percent).
Furthermore, when teams get those 3-point attempts off, they’re hitting at an elite clip against the Pelicans. Opponents have connected on 39.3 percent of their 3-point attempts, which places New Orleans 30th in the league.
For a Nuggets team that currently ranks seventh in 3-point percentage this season at 38.7 percent, that should be music to their ears. If the Nuggets get hot from beyond the arc early, that could sink the Pelicans’ defense in Friday’s contest.