Matt Moore here, the host of the daily Locked On Nuggets podcast, with your daily Locked On Nuggets newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Nuggets and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Why The Nuggets Bounceback Mattered
Nov 19, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) reacts after a basket during the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images|Petre Thomas/Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
The Nuggets got a much needed win Tuesday vs. the Memphis Grizzlies without Nikola Jokic. Jamal Murray looked sharp and scored, Michael Porter dominated and Dario Saric is back in the rotation. It’s all looking up.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets are headed home for a big game Friday; Michael Malone can become the winningest coach in franchise history and there’s a good chance Nikola Jokic may return to the lineup.
But before we turn the page, here’s what we thought was most important from the Nuggets win on Tuesday:
On Jamal Murray’s Performance Ryan Blackburn: “I saw some resilience that I had not seen before. And that’s the word that I’m going to use for him. He started this game pretty badly. Like there were some missed shots. There were a couple of turnovers. There was some hesitation. There were some decisions that I didn’t agree with. And he just kind of fought through it, man. That’s something that you haven’t really seen from him much this season.”
Matt Moore: “The twenty shots were just as important as the twenty-seven points to me. You need somebody to take responsibility for this group while Jokic is not out there. And I thought that he did a great job of that tonight and made some big plays on the fly.”
On Michael Porter Jr.’s Impact
Ryan Blackburn: “Would you say that this was a very physical game, Matt? If there was one thing that we had a concern about for Michael Porter, like in his career...it was the physicality and being able to deal with that, being able to combat that. And he handled it like a charm tonight. Like, it was awesome. He started the game ten of ten from two. That’s just bonkers.”
Matt Moore: “His shot-making was tremendous. The ability to operate and drive and leverage his outside shooting...He’s finishing stronger because he’s bigger and more coordinated. I thought his work on help defense was also really great too in this game.”
On the Nuggets’ Defensive Efforts
Matt Moore: “Memphis struggled a lot scoring in this game. No Ja Morant for them. Jaren Jackson Jr. goes seven of seventeen from the field for nineteen. Seven turnovers for him. Desmond Bane goes one of ten...The Grizzlies shoot forty percent from the field and twenty-four percent from three-point range. Just sixty-one percent from the line on top of it. They had twenty-two turnovers. The Nuggets scored twenty-six points off of those.”
Ryan Blackburn: “Nuggets had the edge at fast break points. Twenty-eight to seventeen. Like they out-hustled, outworked, and out-executed Memphis. This was a complete team win without Joker.”
On Dario Šarić’s Contribution
Matt Moore: “It took everything, despite the fact that Denver had done most of their work up until that point. It also took a major Dario Šarić three, like a massive, massive play from him. I thought that Jamal didn’t necessarily handle the physicality extremely well at the end of that game, but it was a great time for Dario to hit that three right at the top of the key off the kick-out from Jamal.”
Ryan Blackburn: “The contest too on the inside. That was huge. Like, Dario made all of the winning plays down the stretch. It was absolutely huge.”
On the Bigger Picture
Matt Moore: “Everyone was frustrated that they were so uncompetitive without Joker, and now they beat a team that just beat them. And even that season series, it’s one-one. That’s big.”
Ryan Blackburn: “There’s been a lot of noise, man. We’ve been chirping. Everybody’s been talking...But I do think that the team needed that kind of win. They needed that kind of resilience showing.”
A refrain I’ve increasingly heard from casuals, like the talking heads on the NBA’s biggest broadcast partners, is that the league is too homogenous these days, that every team just goes out there and chucks up threes. Every game is the same.
Leaving aside the shortsightedness of famous, influential media analysts dumping on their own product, it’s a common enough complaint that I felt an urge to investigate. My eyeballs tell me the league’s never been more diverse and fun, thanks largely to the absurd wealth of stars today with skill sets as bespoke as their draft night suits. Jokic’s Nuggets look nothing like Tatum’s Celtics look nothing like Brunson’s Knicks, and to suggest otherwise is willful ignorance.
As I wrote about for Basketball Poetry yesterday, the current top five offenses are Boston, Cleveland, New York, the Lakers, and Dallas. Those five teams rank first, 14th, 17th, 24th, and 21st, respectively, in share of shots that are triples. You certainly don’t need to launch a million threes relative to your peers to score the basketball successfully.
Of course, that’s a rather superficial analysis. Regardless of rank, what if the absolute numbers are all getting closer together? That would represent a growing sameness.
I looked at shot data from this season, a decade ago, and 20 years ago to see how much the share of three-pointers had changed.
Mike Shearer (@bballispoetry) has written about the NBA full-time since 2021 at various and sundry places. For more from Mike, check out his Substack bestseller, Basketball Poetry, where he uses unnecessary metaphors and the occasional haiku to discuss the NBA’s happenings with an analytical lens.
Home and Away
Stat Owen Phillips of The F5 looks at how often centers defend guards, how often perimeter players are involuntarily guarded by centers (aka the Tony Allen effect), and much more in his analytical newsletter.
Analysis Jared Dubin of Last Night, In Basketball discusses something related: what kind of players are guarding point guards these days?
Must Read Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic talks about the NBA’s increasing difficulty for defensive-minded, older players, but the real story is that Draymond Green claims to have started lifting just four years ago.
Personnel The NBA has made an announcement regarding Russell Westbrook’s technical foul during the game against the Grizzlies. The decision might impact his availability in upcoming matches. The league’s statement clarifies the situation. (Sports Illustrated)
Injury Coach Michael Malone commented on Nikola Jokic’s absence, emphasizing the team’s struggle without their star player. Malone’s statement underscores Jokic’s pivotal role in the Nuggets’ performance. (Sports Illustrated)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
The Randomness Of Fantasy Basketball On A Wednesday In The NBA
Nov 20, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) drives to the basket as Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells (0) defends during the first half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images|Petre Thomas/Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Top Five Fantasy Takeaways from Wednesday’s Games
1. Paul George’s Knee Injury Concerns
Paul George’s knee hyperextension during the 76ers vs. Grizzlies game is a significant concern for fantasy managers. While initial reports suggest no structural damage, his availability in the coming games is uncertain. This situation could open up opportunities for other players on the 76ers to step up, making it crucial to monitor updates closely.
2. Unpredictable Pelicans vs. Cavaliers Game
The Pelicans vs. Cavaliers matchup was a bizarre affair, with unexpected lineups and performances. Elfrid Payton started for the Pelicans, and Jaylon Tyson shone for the Cavs, but these anomalies are unlikely to have long-term fantasy implications. Managers should view this game as an outlier and avoid making hasty roster changes based on these performances.
3. Pacers’ Struggles and Tyrese Haliburton’s Slump
The Pacers are facing challenges, particularly with Tyrese Haliburton’s shooting woes. His road performance has been notably poor, possibly due to lingering back issues. Despite this, Haliburton’s track record suggests a turnaround is likely, making him a prime buy-low candidate for managers willing to take a risk on his recovery.
Click the button below to see how Norman Powell’s injury could open up opportunities for the Clippers, and a top 50 player returns to action.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Nuggets podcasts.
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