Welcome to the Basketball Hangover. I write about what’s happening in the NBA daily, even when COVID has ravaged the league.
The Nuggets had to come back yet again to get a win.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Garrett Ellwood/Getty Images.)
The Nuggets have won 8 of 9 games and I felt like I didn’t give them enough praise previously when I was talking about the West. Against the Bulls, they showed their signature resiliency from last season when they came back from 14 down with 7 minutes and change left and forced overtime to win.
After Friday‘s games, the Nuggets are just a half-game behind #4 seed Clippers. They really haven’t been on that tier much this season as they had gotten off to a slow start. But I think everything’s coming together at seemingly the right time. The offense has always been there but their defense is starting to catch up, even if it didn’t show for most of the game against Chicago.
I also like that the team is getting better within. Nikola Jokic has been bandied about as MVP and he deserves to be in those talks. I think it finally clicked with him that he needed to score more for Denver to get to that next level. He went from 19.9 points last season to 27.0 this season.
Jamal Murray has been great since February. He averaged nearly 26 points that month and he came through in a big way against the Bulls. More on that later (or you can scroll down) but he is showing some signs of what made him nearly unstoppable in last summer’s bubble playoffs.
Michael Porter, Jr. has become that third option. Obviously, there is still a lot for him to work on (especially defensively) but he’s already getting scarier as a basketball player. And once he gets it, Denver gets to another level.
And they still have a great supporting cast. Monte Morris is hurt right now but he provides another nice option at the lead guard position. Will Barton has been steady in his Nuggets stint. Gary Harris has also been hurt but he gives Denver another nice defensive wing. JaMychal Green does all the little things. Paul Millsap is the veteran glue guy. So these guys will have to be kicked while they’re down to eliminate them. Even if you spot them by 15, they’ll still come at you. Multiple times. Even if it doesn’t seem like they’re doing it.
That Western Conference is stupid deep.
Bullet Passes
It’s already bad enough that Brad Stevens can’t get his Celtics to win this season but those Indiana University rumors have to be exhausting.
The Jazz needed that win to boost their confidence but, man, I just feel so bad for the Raptors right now.
No Stephen Curry so Andrew Wiggins drops 40 on the Grizzlies. And here’s Draymond Green with his unusual statline of 2-11-13.
And now we can safely say that C.J. McCollum is back after scoring 32 points against the Mavericks. Big win against them.
Speaking of the Mavs, though, look at this incredible pass by Luka Doncic.
(VIDEO CREDIT: MLG Highlights.)
Ridiculous.
The Houston Rockets may never win a game this season. That is 19 straight losses.
NBA Scoreboard
Mar. 19, 2021
Watch This Play
Jamal Murray’s 3 to send it to overtime!
(VIDEO CREDIT: House of Highlights.)
Denver Nuggets. Resilient.
Everyone, please take care of yourselves during this pandemic. And that goes for everyone involved with the NBA as well.
You can find Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
You can also check out Rey-Rey’s podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental, for more basketball content and, really, whatever else.
R.I.P. Nala.