| 29 December 2009
(Denver-CO) The Denver Nuggets managed to score more than 100 points on the road for the first time since mid November, but the results weren’t favorable as they fell to the Sacramento Kings, 106-101, in dog fight. Both teams enjoyed decent sized leads in the first half, but after countless lead changes in the second half Denver didn’t have the execution down the stretch to put away the Sacramento Kings. With their 12th loss of the season, Denver has now lost three consecutive games for the first time this year and are on a six game road losing streak dating back to December 8th.
What’s there to say about a team that continually lets the opposition jump out to an early start right out of the gate? The Nuggets more often than not fall behind by about seven to ten points in the opening quarter and did so last night to the Kings, 9-2, in the first three minutes of last night’s game. Is it because their pre game warm-up isn’t sufficing them the preparation needed for the when the ball is put in play or are the players just not getting after it until they have the sense of urgency that seeing an early deficit on the scoreboard brings? Either way, this trend is becoming a problem for Denver because even though the game is just barely underway those points have to been made up over the course of the game and can never be taken back off the board once they go up.
Thankfully, Denver did counter (once they were ready to play) with a 9-0 run to take the lead back from the Kings and built their own eleven-point lead with two minutes remaining in the first before heading into the second up, 32-26. The Nuggets would stay one step ahead of the Kings until the five minute mark when the game tied at 40 all and the dog fight ensued.
From that that point through the conclusion of this contest there were ten lead changes and countless ties as both teams battled valiantly. Neither team extended farther than a few baskets ahead of the other for the entire duration of the game, but each time the Nuggets would pull ahead the Kings would answer with momentum swinging shots from behind the arch to stay tethered. Late in the third quarter it was Andres Nocioni who broke a, 68-68, tie with a three. Nocioni would hit another trey midway through the fourth quarter to extend Sacramento’s lead to six and Omri Casspi’s three at the two minute mark was a backbreaking blow that changed the lead for the final time due to the Nuggets stalling offensively down the stretch.
It’s during crunch time that the Denver Nuggets miss Chauncey Billups the most. It was painfully clear that when the Nuggets fell behind on the aforementioned three by Casspi that the Nuggets didn’t have any other game plan other than to give the ball to Carmelo Anthony. Subsequently, Sacramento was all over this game plan and would immediately send a hard double-team Anthony’s way forcing him to give up the ball and the rest of the Nuggets were clearly not prepared to step up and make a play. In fact, Carmelo was the only Nugget to take a shot while the Nuggets were still one possession away from tying or taking the lead and by the time Ty Lawson and Anthony Carter scored concession baskets in the final ten seconds of regulation Sacramento was up by more than one score and was kind enough to allow those buckets.
The Nuggets’ defense of the pick and roll is still maddening to watch. Last night, even Altitude’s commentators mentioned that there is no set way the Nuggets are trying to defend basketball’s most common offensive scheme and the results were deadly for Sacramento’s shooters. Andres Nocioni led the Kings with a team-high 21 points on a very economical 6-7 from the field that included 4-5 from downtown off the bench and starters Beno Udrih and Donte Green each finished with 17 points on a combined 13-26 from the field due to enjoying open shots all night long.
Another area that is sorely lacking when Chauncey Billups is not available to play is the Nuggets’ assist total. In the five games that Chauncey has missed, Denver has only reached 20 assists twice while posting games of 14, 17, and 18 assists and have lost all five games.
My hat is off to the Kings. After looking the Sacramento Kings Schedule, it is clear this team is not the laughing stock they were last year (they only won eleven game) and appeared to be after starting the year 0-3. As for the Nuggets, they need to find a way to win games without their full compliment of starters and desperately need to find their winning way again on the road.
What’s there to say about a team that continually lets the opposition jump out to an early start right out of the gate? The Nuggets more often than not fall behind by about seven to ten points in the opening quarter and did so last night to the Kings, 9-2, in the first three minutes of last night’s game. Is it because their pre game warm-up isn’t sufficing them the preparation needed for the when the ball is put in play or are the players just not getting after it until they have the sense of urgency that seeing an early deficit on the scoreboard brings? Either way, this trend is becoming a problem for Denver because even though the game is just barely underway those points have to been made up over the course of the game and can never be taken back off the board once they go up.
Thankfully, Denver did counter (once they were ready to play) with a 9-0 run to take the lead back from the Kings and built their own eleven-point lead with two minutes remaining in the first before heading into the second up, 32-26. The Nuggets would stay one step ahead of the Kings until the five minute mark when the game tied at 40 all and the dog fight ensued.
From that that point through the conclusion of this contest there were ten lead changes and countless ties as both teams battled valiantly. Neither team extended farther than a few baskets ahead of the other for the entire duration of the game, but each time the Nuggets would pull ahead the Kings would answer with momentum swinging shots from behind the arch to stay tethered. Late in the third quarter it was Andres Nocioni who broke a, 68-68, tie with a three. Nocioni would hit another trey midway through the fourth quarter to extend Sacramento’s lead to six and Omri Casspi’s three at the two minute mark was a backbreaking blow that changed the lead for the final time due to the Nuggets stalling offensively down the stretch.
It’s during crunch time that the Denver Nuggets miss Chauncey Billups the most. It was painfully clear that when the Nuggets fell behind on the aforementioned three by Casspi that the Nuggets didn’t have any other game plan other than to give the ball to Carmelo Anthony. Subsequently, Sacramento was all over this game plan and would immediately send a hard double-team Anthony’s way forcing him to give up the ball and the rest of the Nuggets were clearly not prepared to step up and make a play. In fact, Carmelo was the only Nugget to take a shot while the Nuggets were still one possession away from tying or taking the lead and by the time Ty Lawson and Anthony Carter scored concession baskets in the final ten seconds of regulation Sacramento was up by more than one score and was kind enough to allow those buckets.
The Nuggets’ defense of the pick and roll is still maddening to watch. Last night, even Altitude’s commentators mentioned that there is no set way the Nuggets are trying to defend basketball’s most common offensive scheme and the results were deadly for Sacramento’s shooters. Andres Nocioni led the Kings with a team-high 21 points on a very economical 6-7 from the field that included 4-5 from downtown off the bench and starters Beno Udrih and Donte Green each finished with 17 points on a combined 13-26 from the field due to enjoying open shots all night long.
Another area that is sorely lacking when Chauncey Billups is not available to play is the Nuggets’ assist total. In the five games that Chauncey has missed, Denver has only reached 20 assists twice while posting games of 14, 17, and 18 assists and have lost all five games.
My hat is off to the Kings. After looking the Sacramento Kings Schedule, it is clear this team is not the laughing stock they were last year (they only won eleven game) and appeared to be after starting the year 0-3. As for the Nuggets, they need to find a way to win games without their full compliment of starters and desperately need to find their winning way again on the road.
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