Denver Nuggets Blog – Roundball Mining Company

This was one of Gallo’s best games on the season. He was efficient and played excellent defense, evident by his four blocks on the night. He also hit countless big shot, four of which came from downtown with a hand in his face. I’ve often said one of the true marks of a star is his ability to hit tough shots with consistency; and while Gallo is by no means a star, he’s hitting tougher shots with more frequency as the season progresses. If nothing else, he’s the Nuggets star at the moment.

This was weird. I was watching Faried all game. He was playing with high energy, as usual. He was getting to the line and scored a bucket here and there. Then all of a sudden I looked up and he had 19 points. I couldn’t figure it out. I guess it goes to show just how effective he can be when he brings it on a consistent basis and doesn’t back down.

Koufos was pretty standard. He came in when the Nuggets needed a defensive presence up front and did his job.

Lawson was incredibly passive for three quarters of the game. He wasn’t driving or shooting with the type of confidence we’ve seen of late, yet he still managed to finish the game with 16 points. It wasn’t his best outing, but he was influential late in the game when the Nuggets rallied for a huge fourth quarter lead.

Take away the six missed 3-pointers and Iguodala has another excellent outing. His defense on Harden was great — that’s to be expected — and for most of the game he played well on offense. But there was a stretch where he took one three after another, all of which clanked hard against the rim and had no chance of going in. Just to clarify: Iguodala is shooting .312 percent from downtown on the season. It would be nice to see him ease up on the long-distance shots every now and then.

Brewer had a rough night shooting but his defense and energy was there. That’s about all you can ask for. He did a nice job of getting out on the break too.

I continue to be amazed at the phenomenon that is Timofey Mozgov. He’s been in the league for three years now, yet often looks like he arrived last week. He’ll go from shooting an air ball to knocking down a nothing-but-net 10-foot jumper in the span of a few plays. He’s improved, but he’s also remained inept in more ways than one. Nevertheless, he sets solid picks and plays the best man defense of any big on the Nuggets roster. That’s worth something. Let’s just hope another team realizes this so that he can get to playing and Anthony Randolph can get to being the rightful backup power forward on the Nuggets roster — like he deserves to be.

Miller drives me up a wall; yet I love his game so much. This is the story of my grading experience with him. Against the Rockets he sagged off his opponent way too much and played lazy defense in general, but he also had 12 huge points and controlled the offense like the true veteran that he is. Did I mention his 12 buckets were big?

If we know anything about Wilson Chandler it’s this: He’s a good rebounder, he plays hard on defense and he also takes one too many awful shots. I love his tenacity on defense and the way he goes after loose balls, but somebody has to take him aside and teach him the art of shooting in rhythm and in the flow of the offense.

I will continue to stand by my mantra: winning matters most. I don’t care how it happens. The fact is, at the end of the game you either win or you lose and right now the Nuggets are winning. I did not understand why they decided to switch on defense. That was a game-plan that clearly backfired. Also, the Nuggets defense in general was bad. Giving up 110 points to anybody is unacceptable. But Karl clearly got to his team before the fourth quarter started because the Nuggets came out with a vengeance and energy that we’ve only seen the likes of several times this season. If the Nuggets play more consistent on defense and don’t switch as much, Karl would likely be getting an A here.

As has become the norm for Gallo, he exploded in the second half after being mostly invisible for the first half; as he tallied 19 points an assist, and a rebound in the games final two stanzas. He also provided some physicality that the Nuggets needed in the fourth quarter. On the downside though, Gallo gave up a big offensive rebound to David West in the fourth and got his final shot blocked with under 30 seconds left in the game. As with many of the Nuggets late game possessions this year Gallo went on an iso and took an ill advised shot as he fell down, over the outstretched extendo-arms of Paul George. Luckily for the Nuggets the wasted possession turned out not to hurt them but it did knock Gallo’s grade down a half a grade.

Faried was flat out awful for the mass majority of the twelve minutes he played on Monday. He was limited to only 4 first half minutes because he picked up three fouls, two of which were incredibly boneheaded and when he was in the game he was picked apart by David West. In a game that the Nuggets played without their normal backup power forward and center Faried needed to provide plenty of important minutes and he did just the opposite. A really bad night for the Manimal.

Kosta had his moments in this one, two big time blocks on back-to-back possessions that both led to fast break buckets for the Nuggets were the highlights, but the long range hook shot he took was one of the low lights. After Faried got in early foul trouble the Nuggets needed more minutes than Koufos normally gives them, as they were also minus Chandler and McGee, and Kosta was up to the task. Along with Mozgov, Koufos brought a lot of physicality to the Pepsi Center on Monday, something that the Nuggets desperately needed against a tough Indiana team.

During stretches of the game Lawson was the best player on the floor Monday, as he flew around the court on defense and got into the paint at will on offense, creating opportunities for himself and his teammates. But with the Nuggets late game offense floundering someone needed to take control and Lawson was unable, or unwilling, to do so. That is a problem now, and will only get worse as the season goes on if Lawson continues to be unable to help the Nuggets offense run smoothly late in games.

It was a very up and down night for Iguodala and one that is hard to grade. One one hand he came up three assists shy of a triple-double and played terrific defense on Paul George, making George work for every catch and shot throughout the night. On the other hand were the late game free-throws and his shooting from the field. First came the foul that he committed on George as George hit a three, while the Pacers were in the middle of their run from 14 down to tie the game. Then he missed four free-throws in a row as the Nuggets allowed the Pacers to climb back and tie the game in the final minute plus. Finally, he got lucky when his late game steal of Paul George was deemed not a foul as the play could have gone either way. But he hit his biggest free-throw and was credited with the steal so his grade stays good, barely.

It was Randolph’s time to try and earn more playing time with the absences of JaVale McGee and Wilson Chandler and instead he just gave George Karl more reason to sit him on the bench. In four minutes Randolph took and missed 3 shots including a layup and his only rebound came on his own miss. On the other end of the court he was bullied into a foul nine seconds after he came into the game by David West. Not exactly the best way to seize an opportunity.

Another night and another important performance from Corey Brewer. Along with his typical energy and defense Brewer brought along some shooting to help spread the floor as he knocked down three three-pointers on the night, all of which looked very good from the moment they left his hand. He also helped make life tough on Paul George and George Hill, though he had a couple of bad gambles that lowered his grade from an A to an A minus. But all-in-all another great game from Brewer, who is forcing himself to the top of many 6th Man of the Year lists.

Thrust into duty due to injuries Mozgov played very well in 25 minutes. He finished in the paint on offense and battled Roy Hibbert all night on the other end of the floor making life tough for the Pacers center. While Mozzy could stand to improve his hands, the impact he had on the game is not shown in his numbers; without his contributions it is hard to imagine the Nuggets winning this game.

Yuck. Miller had a rough night on Monday as he struggled to really do anything well at all. He had five of the Nuggets 14 turnovers, got torched on the defensive end of the floor by Lance Stephenson, Orlando Johnson, and for some reason, Paul George and even his lob at the end to Andre Iguodala was not good, as it just missed sailing out of bounds without the great catch by Iggy. At least George Karl realized it enough to not go to the small lineup at the end of the game or who knows what the results could have been.

Karl made a couple of important in game adjustments that helped the Nuggets win the game, and drew up the lob play that gave Denver the win but the night was not all good for the Denver head coach. On the good side, despite being ready to play Anthony Randolph heavy minutes to replace McGee and Chandler, Karl went with what worked and played a lot of minutes with the ultra big Koufos/Mozgov front line and it payed off against a physical Pacers squad. Second sensing bad minutes from Andre Miller, Karl limited Miller’s minutes to only 17 and let Lawson, Iguodala and Brewer pick up the slack. But again the Nuggets late game offense broke down and almost cost them the game and at a certain point that falls on Karl and his staff. Clearly isolation plays to end games do not work with this roster, and Karl must recognize that and start using sets late in games to create movement and open looks. Also why in the world did Karl think Andre Miller could check Paul George as he asked him to for a bit in the first half?

This was a quiet but efficient game for Gallinari. He didn’t shoot particularly well, and even missed a dunk, but made a couple of three pointers and did a good job getting to the line. His passing and defense were also solid.

Kenneth played with his usual energy and effort. He was great on the glass and mostly made his shots. His defensive rotations seemed crisper than usual. His worst mistake was an out of control drive leading to a turnover.

Kosta Koufos rose to the occasion of defending DeMarcus Cousins for much of the night, limiting the Kings’ big man to 3 points and 2 rebounds. He stayed active in the paint, getting five shots at the rim and making them all. He had a little bit of trouble not fouling.

Ty was on fire tonight. He was hitting threes, getting good midrange looks, and getting to the rim. He also had several nice passes, with only one turnover in the first half. Defensively he had a few lapses, but also broke up two Kings fast breaks and had several steals.

Iguodala had a nice showing. He harassed the Kings into a couple of turnovers and a bunch of bad shots. He was also finding his teammates for great looks. A couple of his three point attempts were ill-advised, but most were good looks.

He made a couple of nice stops, including a big block on Thomas Robinson. He showed good energy with his rebounding. A big dunk put the Nuggets over the taco line for the game.

Shot selection continues to be an issue for Jordan Hamilton. He also continues to make positive plays in other ways, including a couple of good rebounds against bigger players and a big block that led to a layup on the other end.

Brewer made a couple of very nice passes and created some easy points off of steals. On the minus side, he took a couple of terrible long two point shots and made a couple of weak passes that led to easy points the other way.

He missed his only attempt in the paint, and for some inexplicable reason took two midrange jumpers and a corner three. He got outworked for rebounds by much smaller players.

In limited minutes, JaVale did something on almost every possession, sometimes good and sometimes bad. He altered several shots, but also allowed some easy layups and second chance opportunities for the Kings. On offense, he got to the rim and made his shots.

The oldest player on the roster used his veteran talents to find several open players, racking up nine assists and play worthy of a solid B before garbage time. Late in the game, he was tasked with leading the young guys, where his age really showed. On several plays, he simply gave up, including a few times where he remained on the defensive end of the court while his teammates played 4-on-5.

Evan Fournier was careless with the basketball, turning it over on two bad passes. He struggled to stay with his man on defense. Back-to-back three pointers marked his most significant contribution.

His rebounding and defense were solid. Offensively, he did very little with very few touches.

Gallinari might be the quietest 17 points-per-game scorer in the NBA. It seems like every time I turn around he’s scored in the high teens or low 20s, yet I never remember anything outside of a few threes, free throws and drives to the basket. His game has really evolved over the last month or so. What stood out most this game, however, was his three blocks. Gallinari’s defense continues to impress and shows he’s committed to his team, and not just himself.

Faried had a monster block and several big rebounds. Other than that he was nowhere to be found. Contrary to popular belief, Faried has been pretty inconsistent at times this season. He’s had plenty of games like this where he simply doesn’t show up. If he’s gonna be a big part of this team moving forward he needs to be held accountable like everybody else.

Where did he go? Koufos started off the game with a bang. He was active on the offensive glass and had multiple follow-ups and hook shots that were surprisingly well executed. Then, he just disappeared. It should also be noted that Koufos played strong man defense throughout the game.

This was one of Lawson’s best games of the year in terms of pushing the pace. He also shot the ball and attacked the rim with great confidence, which is something he has struggled with this season. In the second half (specifically the third quarter) Lawson utilized his speed to create for himself and his teammates in such a forceful manner that the Rockets defense simply broke down. He making himself look good, no doubt; but more importantly, he was making his teammates look even better.

Iguodala might very well be the most talented player on the Nuggets roster, but he’s had a difficult time realizing his abilities in George Karl’s offense. Every now and then we’ll see flashes, but often these acts of brilliance are watered down by what appears to be indecisiveness. I’d say without question Iguodala is the smartest player on the roster; however, his cerebral approach to the game can be more of a hindrance than an asset at times. Moving forward, it would be nice to see him handle the ball more and create for his teammates, as this would allow him to exercise his brain and help his team out in the process.

Incomplete.

Brewer was quiet for most of the game but played good defense, as usual. He also hit a big 3-pointer and did a solid job of getting out on the break. When Chandler, Iguodala and him are on the court together, playing lock-down defense, the Nuggets have a whole new dimension to their team — and one that’s a joy to watch.

If JaVale rebounds slightly better, he’d likely receive an A-plus for this game. This isn’t to say he wasn’t without mistakes. He took a few bad shots and did normal JaVale things that worry you, but overall he was quite effective. Aside from scoring at an incredibly high rate, he also ran the floor extremely well and was focused for most of the game. The biggest storyline of JaVale’s performance was an ally-oop he threw to himself, which I’m sure you’ll see on SportsCenter sometime over the next day or so. This was of course capped by an odd celebration in which JaVale ran down the court, eyes wide as can be, holding his index finger (with a handlebar mustache tattooed on the inside) up to his lip. Though he’s turning George Karl’s hair more grey by the minute, you simply have to admire his fun-loving approach to the game.

I’m surprised to see Miller had such a simplistic stat line. I though he played fairly decent for most of the night. He didn’t make much of an impact, but he always seemed to be in the right place to move the offense along.

This was Chandler’s best performance in a Nuggets uniform — at least, that I can remember. He started the game hoisting up jumpers but eventually they started to go in. Though his points are what might catch your eye, it was his defense and rebounding that were the story of the game. I cannot stress just how impressive his defense was. It was on par with what Brewer and Iguodala have been bringing all year. It was utterly fantastic. And the best part was how it immediately led to fast-break points. In the third quarter Chandler was wrecking havoc on the Rockets and was without question the catalyst that turned the game around for his team. If he plays with this type of defense effort every game, Nuggets fans are in for one hell of a treat the second half of the season.

I have no reason to give Karl anything but an A. For once the Nuggets came out prepared to play in the first quarter and never really hit any low points throughout the game. In fact, this was one of the first times all season that I actually remember being happy watching the Nuggets. (Sad, I know.) Their offense in the third quarter was a work of art. Ignited by Ty Lawson, the dribble-drive was in full effect and executed to perfection. At one point Nuggets broadcast announcer Chris Marlowe even emphatically stated, “That’s exactly what it’s supposed to look like!” I could not agree more. But of course, it was the defense that was the story of the game. The Nuggets were committed to this side of the floor for almost 48 minutes and played like they actually wanted to tear the Rockets up by stopping them, rather than shooting over them. This, to me, is how basketball should be played.