Denver Nuggets Struggle in Back to Back game in Utah
Dec 3, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) tries to get past Utah Jazz forward Joe Ingles (2) and guard Dante Exum (11) in the second quarter at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
The Nuggets have their issues and it is quite evident as their inconsistencies throughout games continue as they lose 3rd straight game in Utah.
The Nuggets had a solid first half performance, staying close with the Jazz, but the third quarter proved the Nuggets need changes and those changes need to come fast. The Nuggets came into the night after a tough loss on national TV yesterday vs the Rockets. The first half showed they were motivated for a win after the tough loss, but again their issues were evident. The Jazz were able to outplay the Nuggets on their first of a six game road trip.
The Nuggets were yet again led by Wilson Chandler and after missing some time and struggling in his return, Will Barton also contributed in the loss. Both Chandler and Barton added 20 points and 5 rebounds while combining for 7 assists and both finished with a positive +/-. Wilson Chandler has continued his solid play and has been clear and away the leader of this team through its first 19 games.
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Michael Malone needs to figure out and find a lineup that can be relied upon. Through the Nuggets first 19 games, some of the losses fall on the inconsistency of the rotations used by Malone. Although some of the younger players on the Nugget’s roster have been inconsistent to start to the year, Malone can still find a good mix of players to rely upon.
After Jamal Murray went off for a span of quite a few games, he has fallen into a slump. After only scoring a couple of points against Houston, Murray followed up with a performance shooting 0 of 4 and not scoring. It is understandable that he is a rookie and can go through struggles, but Murray hasn’t shot well from anywhere on the floor his past few games. Hopefully Murray can bounce back against a span of teams under .500.
Dec 3, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler (21) looks to get past Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum (11) in the second quarter at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
The Studs
Wilson Chandler
After struggling in the first couple of games, Wilson Chandler has proved to be the best player on the Nuggets. His consistency has kept the Nuggets in games throughout the year including tonight against a very tough Jazz team. Chandler ended the game with 20 points on 8-14 shooting, but he did not eclipse his 7.7 rebounds per game as he ended with a mere 5 boards. Chandler was a key part for Denver’s late game near comeback. He played 41 minutes.
Will Barton
Tonight’s performance really showed that Barton has returned to the form he started the season with. After hurting his ankle and struggling in the games he has played, Barton played like a healthy player tonight and alongside Chandler, they tried to lead the comeback, but ultimately fell short. Barton got the start with Harris still out, and he excelled. He had 20 points on 3-4 from deep and shot 8-15 overall.
Nov 23, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) grabs a high pass in the second quarter against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
The Duds
Jamal Murray
Jamal Murray is in another slump and he’s struggling a lot. His shot has been off the past few games and that continued tonight even though he only had 4 field goal attempts. He finished with 0 points and had 3 turnovers in what was a forgettable night. The rookie has still shown flashes of greatness and these struggles are expected.
Danilo Gallinari
Gallinari didn’t play bad but his presence in the game can sometimes affect things for the worse. His defense has not been good the past couple of games and tonight he ended up shooting a terrible 3/11 from the field. Even though he played alright, 3/11 shooting for one of the Nuggets best players isn’t very good.
The Nuggets started the first game of a 6 game road trip tonight and from here on out all of the games are very winnable for the Nuggets. The Nuggets will need to win at least 4 to keep their playoff hope alive. Hopefully the upcoming stretch can increase the confidence for the team.
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