NBA Power Rankings week 11: OKC Thunder continues hot streak
73. . 24-11. Previous: 3rd. Denver Nuggets. 6. team
Denver Nuggets:
Offense: (110.4) 8th
Defense: (106.4) 11th
Net: (plus +4.0) 8th
Games Week 11 (1-2): Won vs. Pacers: 124-116, Lost to Rockets: 104-130, Wizards: 114-128
Games Week 12 (4 games): Mon at Hawks | Weds at Mavericks | Sat vs Cavaliers | Sun vs Clippers
Denver head coach Mike Malone provided the quote of the year following the Nuggets New Year’s Eve loss to the Rockets.
Malone was speaking about the regression of the defense and noting how the offense improved but the defense which last season boasted the best fourth quarter defense has vanished. Specifically, Malone said:
“As the offense has picked up, the defense is on a milk carton somewhere.”
To his point, stats master John Schuhmann points to how rapidly the Nuggets have fallen off defensively since Christmas:
On Christmas morning, the Nuggets ranked 2nd defensively. Over the 11 days since, they've dropped to 12th.https://t.co/UABOaXDhI6
— John Schuhmann (@johnschuhmann) January 5, 2020
Malone went on to cite several areas within the defense that regressed and didn’t leave much out pointing to man on man coverage, help and perimeter defense all lacking.
Week 12 will offer up four games with two against sub .500 teams to refocus (Hawks/Cavaliers) and two tests against elite squads with quality offense (Mavericks) and two-way potential (Clippers).
Let’s see if Malone’s speech sparks the Nuggets removing themselves from the milk carton (love that quote).