The reigning NBA champions Denver Nuggets are going through a lean patch where they have recorded 3-5 in their last eight games heading into this week. Many people feel that despite Nikola Jokic’s stellar performances, the results have not come due to star point guard Jamal Murray’s absence.
But according to Nuggets coach Mark Malone, his team has not played team-oriented offense. As per Sportskeeda journalist Mark Medina, Malone was asked about the recent misfortune ahead of the game against the Los Angeles Clippers. He highlighted how the teams’s offensive rating has been going down considerably even when they defeated the struggling San Antonio Spurs.
“The offense in the last five games, prior to the game last night against San Antonio, we had dropped down to 25th in offensive efficiency. We’re a team that’s usually top four in the NBA in offensive rating,” Malone said.
He added that the players have been very stagnant in offense making it much easier for their opponents to close out the space. “We’ve gotten away from attacking the paint, we’ve gotten away from moving the basketball,” Malone said.
“We became really easy to guard against good defensive teams like Orlando, like Houston, like the team we’re gonna play tonight.”
The Nuggets have struggled to win matches on the road. Ahead of their match against the Clippers, they have an 8-0 record at home and a 3-6 record on the road. There has been much scrutiny regarding their away form.
Following their win against the Spurs, Michael Porter Jr. was asked about their away form and even he was clueless as the players are growing frustrated with this record. “All of us are kind of frustrated trying to figure out why we play so different and so at a different pace,” Porter said. “We’re running more at home. I don’t know what it is, so I think we got to figure it out.”
The Nuggets also struggled on the road last season with a shocking away record of 19-22 while they won 34-7 at home. However it the end it didn’t matter much as they won the NBA Championship.
Fans will expect Nikola Jokic and his men to bounce back strongly and defend their NBA title this season.
