The Denver Nuggets have fared well in this year’s preseason giving hope to Nuggets fans that this will be the year the franchise sees their first playoff appearance since 2013. Tonight, the Nuggets face the Oklahoma City Thunder who acquired Paul George, and Carmelo Anthony over the summer forming their own super team, of sorts.
Anytime Melo is in town, the Nuggets’ home crowd is out for blood so even though it’s a preseason game this will be a fun game to see.
The Basics:
Who: Denver Nuggets (3-1) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (2-1)
Where: Pepsi Center, 1000 Chopper Circle Denver, CO
When: 7:00 pm MST
How to watch: NBA TV or Altitude TV
Three things to watch:
Who looks to be the front-runner for the point guard position?
Coach Mike Malone has stated that he has an idea of who will start at the point guard position, but who will come off the bench has yet to be determined. Emmanuel Mudiay had a pretty bad game against the Spurs, and while he shows glimmers of hope, he is still very inconsistent from one night to the next. This person who fills the #1 role will be in a unique situation playing with Nikola Jokic who is the Nuggets’ true point guard. As Malone said last week, he’s not just looking for the talent, but the right fit as well.
Poise against another super team
One of the biggest factors that will determine how the Nuggets fare this season will be their poise against the new super team conglomerates that have popped up all over the league. Denver held their own against the Golden State Warriors in their first game of the preseason, and also managed to bring it to Lonzo Ball and the gang in Los Angeles for two games in a row (even though the Lakers aren’t considered a super team). If the Nuggets can keep up with the Thunder tonight, we may just be able to tell what kind of team the Nuggets will be this season.
The bench
It’s still technically the preseason so it’s going to be hard to tell who Coach Malone will work into the regular roster, but keep your eyes peeled for standout performances from the newest recruits. With a few positions still up in the air, it won’t be far-fetched to see a rookie take a second string role if they play with the right enthusiasm, and if they complete the right fit with a favorable lineup.
Tonight is the last chance for everyone to earn their spot before the season begins so it should be a fun game to see.
