The NBA’s Jekyll and Hyde of the 2019-20 season is the Denver Nuggets. first, let’s clarify what a Jekyll and Hyde is. It would be a team that performs at a great level of performance at times. It seems when they are in Dr. Jekyll mode they can do no wrong. They hit their shots and they make it tough on the other team to hit theirs. When they are in Mr. Hyde mode, they can’t do anything right.
They could not hit the side of a barn at two feet with a rock When in this mode they leave the lane wide open for anyone and they make the average player look like an all-star. These are the two sides of the Denver Nuggets that make up the team that is in second place in the west.
Why the Jekyll mode?
The easy way to answer this would be to say they are young. The Denver Nuggets average age is just above 25 years old which puts them at the 11th youngest in the NBA. They are young but the core of them have now been together for years. Even Michael Porter Jr has been around the team for more than a year. Jerami Grant is the only real new guy and he seems to let the game come to him, he could fit in anywhere.
I had a chance to ask Nikola Jokic if they are still getting use to each other and he stated;
So the fact they are young is not a concern. Lack of playing together is not the case and does not seem to be a concern, at least to Jokic. So what makes them a team that when a bottom team comes into the Pepsi Center they fold up like a cheap blanket? We can throw in the fact that Malone does not have any real experience with running a good team.
Before he came to the Nuggets he had a losing record and the teams he had coached were not stacked with talent like this one. Just like players must learn how to win, so must a coach. This may be the biggest factor that made Phil Jackson so great. He knew how to win and he knew how to handle talent. Malone is still in that learning phase. I give him credit as he is doing a great job growing with the team, but he still is growing.
With his growing will be learning how to make a rotation and stay with that rotation. There are times when it seems he is in a panic and laces guys off his bench just because. Then he will see a guy is clearly struggling and he will leave him in way past his time. You need the stability of a solid rotation in order for the guys to get the feel for the game, to learn the moves of each other. Porter Jr is a clear example.
He has come along and is making great strides in his game. Still has a lot of trouble on the defensive side but shows he has the talent to pick that up. He comes in and can score in a hurry but still looks lost on offense at times. The issue is he will enter the game and get about 6 min and we don’t see him again till late fourth if at all. Give the kid the time and he will only get better and might be the piece you need in the playoffs.
All of this leads them to not have the killer instinct they need to take care of the below 500 teams. Playing down and up to their opponents will lead to a bad seen entering the playoffs. At least you do not see any below 500 teams in the playoffs.
The Mr. Hyde side.
This is when the Denver Nuggets are at their best. They play this way against the best in the NBA. With great chemistry and have an assist on almost every basket. They are in concentration mode and play to the ability of the good teams as well. So why can they play like this against the best in the game? They just want it, they are pushed hard and they play the way they are taught. It is what they can be at all times, the dominance they have when they are in this mode.
This is due to several factors. In these games, Jokic is a key factor. He starts the game running the show and all the plays run through him. He is a master at making the right call and getting the ball to the right guy. It is here where the difference comes in, When they are on, Harris and Murray are hitting their threes, Barton is getting to the hole at will. They are playing sticky defense and it leads to a lot of running buckets. The defense leads to good offense and they are one of the most unselfish teams around.
The rotation is set for the game and guys get into a grove and both units play to their abilities. The game just runs itself. So why do they play like that only at times and not always? Well, that is the question for a coach, that is why he gets paid the big bucks. I think it is lack of concentration and motivation. Lack of spirit and pride. After all, some of this must be placed on the player as well. They need to have that drive every game, not just the big ones.
Can the Nuggets win the west?
The simple answer is yes they can. To start if they stay as is they do have a great record against the best in the league. so they have that going for them. The thing they will get is that consistency. By the All-Star break, they need to have a real set rotation. Give MPJ more minutes as he could be that X factor in the playoffs that make a difference. He is big and can handle the ball and shoot. He is a matchup nightmare, KD like kind of guy, Well minus the defense Durrant gives.
What about a trade? Do the Nuggets need one? Who may be on the block? I do not believe the Nuggets need to add to the team. They have some issues with contracts and playing time that might lead to addition by subtraction. Getting Beasley’s contract away from the Nuggets would help in two ways. His contract is up and he has already turned the Nuggets down once on an extension. He wants more than they believe he is worth. It would also help by getting his minutes to MPJ. The more he plays the better for the team.
If they are bent on getting some help, a big man with an attitude and experience would be my vote. Adams from OKC or Smart from Boston would be the kind of guy they need. The type to come in and make them play on those nights they want to relax. A guy that can be physical for them in the playoffs. Plumlee type with more aggression. But more than that they need to play Nuggets basketball every night. Play hard defense that leads to easy offense, share the ball and rebound. They do this and they will be more than fine when playoffs come around.
The team that is the NBA’s Jekyll and Hyde is the Denver Nuggets. And they will win the West and play for a title. Might be too early to win it, but they will be in contention for many years to come as the core of this team is all under contract for many years. Watch out as the fun has just begun.
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