The Denver Nuggets were fed with a harsh reality sandwich on Tuesday night. A sandwich topped with some powerful horseradish and mixed with some ghost pepper sauce. What was billed as a Western Conference showdown between the Nuggets and the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday was nothing more than a one-sided stomping, as the Warriors thumped the Nuggets by a score of 142-111.
Golden State hung 51 points on Denver in the first quarter, and by halftime, the Dubs were up 79-60. The Warriors then proceeded to outscore the Nuggets 63-51 in the second half.
Oh, and this was at the Pepsi Center, by the way, where Denver had been 18-3 before Golden State came into the arena and laid some lumber.
If you thought the Nuggets had a legitimate shot of making it out of the West this year, you were proven wrong on Tuesday evening. Sorry, but it's the truth.
I also don't want to hear any of these”it's just one game” platitudes. It's not like the Nuggets went and lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder. They lost to a proven Warriors team that was obviously looking to send a message, not just to the Nuggets, but to the entire NBA.
Golden State showed Denver that the Dubs are still the top dogs in the Western Conference (and the league as a whole) and that the Nuggets are very, very far away from seriously challenging them in a seven-game playoff series.
So, now, the Nuggets must ask themselves a question: do they want to contend for a championship this year? Or are they content merely having a very good season and then looking to build on that and push for a title in another year or two?
If the answer is that they want to contend right now, then Denver needs to make a trade or two.
Why? Well, first of all, the Nuggets clearly have a dire need in terms of perimeter shooting.
Jamal Murray and Gary Harris—the Nuggets' starting backcourt—are both shooting under 34 percent from three-point range this season. Paul Millsap is shooting 33.8 percent. Nikola Jokic is hitting threes at a 32.2 percent clip. Torrey Craig is connecting on just 28.4 percent of his treys.
Yes; Juan Hernangomez, Monte Morris and Malik Beasley are all shooting over 40 percent from distance, but Denver's core is simply not making enough threes, as the Nuggets also rank 18th in makes.
If you want to compete with Warriors, you need shooters. Period. Look at how the Houston Rockets built their team last year. They loaded up on shooters to try and hang with Golden State. You aren't going to beat the Dubs at their game, but you at least need to try and keep up in the midst of their three-point barrages.
As explosive as the Nuggets can be offensively, their lack of perimeter shooting is a major flaw, and it is an easy one to expose in the postseason.
Another reason why Denver needs to make some moves is because it is not a great defensive ballclub.
The Nuggets started out the year fine in that regard, but they have dipped to 12th in the league in defensive efficiency, and that was on full display on Tuesday evening.
Denver's interior defense in particular is an area that needs help.
Millsap is really the Nuggets' only good defender up front, possessing the ability to switch out on the perimeter and guard multiple positions. The problem is, Millsap is not the same player he was a couple of years ago, as he has clearly lost a step on both ends of the floor.
As far as Jokic? He is not a bad defender, as he knows where to position himself and has a high IQ, but he is just very limited athletically. He is not quick enough to switch on to guards out by the three-point line, allowing opponents to exploit him in pick-and-rolls.
With Draymond Green and Kevin Durant up front and Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in the backcourt, the Warriors can abuse the Nuggets all day, all night on pick-and-rolls and pick-and-pops throughout a seven-game series.
Let's also remember that DeMarcus Cousins is coming back, so if he is right and is able to acclimate himself into Golden State's offense, he will represent another pick-and-roll weapon that the Nuggets will have to deal with.
Finally, Denver is just too young. It needs some veterans.
Millsap and Isaiah Thomas (who is still sidelined with no real timetable) are the only guys on this Nuggets team with any worthwhile playoff experience. Denver can march its way to 55-60 wins without a cast of veterans, but in the playoffs? Things get much tougher.
If you don't think playoff experience plays a significant role, you are incorrect.
Let's say the Warriors and Nuggets are in a close game. Who are you going to trust to execute down the stretch? Obviously, you would say the Dubs.
The good news for Denver is that there should be a solid number of veterans available at next month's trade deadline, so the Nuggets should have the opportunity to add a couple of guys to help their young locker room.
This Denver team is certainly good and has a very bright future. In a couple of years, the Nuggets might be the team to beat in the West, as the Warriors should be on their way down at that point and there really are no other Western Conference ballclubs—save for the Sacramento Kings—who appear to really be on the rise.
Denver's time will come. It's just not going to come in 2019.
But, if the Nuggets really want to try and raise a banner this season, then they need to heed the advice above and address their weaknesses. If they don't, the Warriors will have a field day in a potential playoff meeting.
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