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Behind The Nuggets’ Wild First Win
Oct 28, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) dribbles the ball against the Toronto Raptors during the first half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images|John E. Sokolowski/John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
The Nuggets 10-piece is the 10 things you need to know from every Denver Nuggets game from Locked On Nuggets. Here are the 10 things you need to know from the Nuggets’ first win of the season over the Toronto Raptors on Monday night…
Everyone, Take A Breath: Denver got the win and prevented a disaster loss to a rebuilding Raptors team, but it took overtime, a late comeback and an incredible drifting reverse from Jamal Murray to force OT, along with ho-hum 40-10-4 from Nikola Jokic.
Extra Effort: Denver had to really push themselves just to force overtime, and it took missed free throws from a young Raptors team. But the Nuggets absolutely played with the kind of urgency they needed to avoid a disastrous 0-3 start.
This Is 40: Jokic with another 40-piece, this time a flat 40 on 18-of-27 from the field. Joker was constantly aggressive at the rim. He took five shots outside the paint, they were all threes, he hit three of them. Just another monster performance from the MVP that will probably get lost to time but the kind of game that represents how he can take games over with scoring.
Dari-Oh-No: Dario Saric’s early season struggles continued, playing just under five minutes while the Nuggets had a 27.3 offensive rating with him on the floor. (That’s very bad.) It was so bad Malone went to Aaron Gordon at the five. In Game 3. Vs. Toronto. Yikes.
Home Cooking: Jamal Murray’s shooting line was awful, 6-of-20, but the Nuggets don’t win the game without his reverse layup or determination in overtime including a tip in and some great drives to set up Jokic. A great close better than the box for Murray back home.
Poutine Chippy: There was some unfriendly discussions in this one. Russell Westbrook gave Scottie Barnes a hard foul in transition and the two exchanged words with AG getting in the middle for a small kerfuffle.
Unfortunate: Raptors star Scottie Barnes caught an inadvertent elbow from Jokic on a rebound attempt and had to leave the game. A bummer as Barnes had 21-12-9.
Lost Battles, Won War: Denver was outscored on second-chance points, points off turnovers, points in the paint, and fastbreak points. Oh, and Toronto made one more three.
Christian’s Edge: CB continued his great start to the season with 17 points, tied for second-most on Denver with Murray, on 6-of-11 shooting and a plus-8. Denver misses KCP, but not because of CB’s play, which has been tremendous on both ends.
Bad Spot: The Nuggets have their first back-to-back on Wednesday vs. the Nets. Brooklyn’s been peskier than expected, and teams who go to overtime and play back-to-back are just 8-27 in the second game since 2014.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) shoots the ball while being defended by New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (2) and New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during the second half at Madison Square Garden|Photo by John Jones-Imagn Images
Darius Garland in the Garden, it has a nice ring to it. Less than ringing though, the dominant sounds in the Cavs win last night against the Knicks were thuds, the deep resonance of bodies colliding in motion and feet, seconds before airborne, hitting the floor.
Garland welcomed contact all game but stepped it up in the fourth quarter, picking a Jalen Brunson dead set on steamrolling to the basket up at mid-court and forcing Brunson to slow through him. Garland stripped the ball by making Brunson absolutely stuck, deceleration via sucking all the momentum out of him. Garland used it at both ends, this method of forcing the tempo to control the game. Went downhill offensively, tip-toeing to the baseline for an off-balance layup or shouldering though defenders, drawing them close, just to snap the ball backward to Jarrett Allen now with a clean runway to the rim.
You’re likely familiar with Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the concept that to achieve self-actualization people must have their basic needs met first. Carl Rogers put a light spin on the theory, arguing instead that humans innately hold the tendency toward self-actualization, but that their environment dictates whether or not they’ll realize it. I’ll admit that my perspective of the Cavs has long been biased — I am embarrassingly fond of Jarrett Allen, and have been since he and Caris LeVert created identity out of nothing for the Nets — but what we’re seeing now through the first four games of this season, this fleet-footed dominance, this assurance through deep skill, was not gifted by gaining Donovan Mitchell, but has been here all along.
Without a doubt, Mitchell nudged something in Cleveland. Athletes with the star quality of Mitchell tend to move like self-contained environments (sometimes universes), and the people around necessarily adapt. This is where Rogers’ theory kicks in. What the Cavs had pre-Mitchell were the same hard-fought talents, perhaps a little more raw, less controlled, the same belief that they were good enough to not just be hanging around at the top by fluke but securing their spot up there. Mitchell brought with him from Utah an environment of self-actualization and it fit perfectly with what the Cavs already created: tight-knit trust in each other, quiet confidence, never the loudest or flashiest but emphatic in their actions.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Analysis The Nuggets won, but Mile High Sports is still tense. Simply put: nothing is going to come easy for this team this season.
Roster Nikola Jokic can do it all. That includes making one minor change that could change the direction of the team in a positive way. (Nugg Love)
Fantasy Basketball Impact Of Taylor Hendricks’ Injury
Utah Jazz forward Taylor Hendricks (0) is taken off the court after suffering a leg injury during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center.|Photo by Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
NBA Fantasy Insights: Injury Woes and Lineup Shifts
The NBA landscape is ever-changing, and today was no exception with 11 games on the slate. The most significant development was the devastating injury to Taylor Hendricks. The young Utah Jazz player suffered a fractured fibula and dislocated ankle, effectively ending his season. This injury is a massive blow, not just for Hendricks but for the Jazz, who will now need to adjust their lineup significantly. John Collins is expected to step up, likely taking on more minutes at the power forward position. Cody Williams might also see increased usage, although his impact remains to be seen.
Golden State Warriors’ Injury Concerns
The Golden State Warriors are facing their own set of challenges with Steph Curry and De’Anthony Melton sidelined for the next two games. Andrew Wiggins is also questionable with a back problem, which could further deplete their roster. This situation opens up opportunities for players like Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Green to step up. The Warriors’ rotation is shrinking, and it’s crucial for fantasy managers to keep an eye on these developments. The absence of key players might also mean more playing time for lesser-known names like Lindy Waters and Reece Beekman, who could be worth a speculative add in deeper leagues.
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