That resulted in a lot of different players scoring points for Denver and naturally with that plenty of assists, as the Nuggets finished third in the league at 24.4 assists per game, just .1 worse than second place Atlanta and less than a full assist behind top ranked San Antonio.

Most of those assists came from three players; Ty Lawson, Andre Miller and Andre Iguodala averaged 6.9, 5.9 and 5.4 assists per game respectively.

I decided to delve a little deeper into those assist numbers using the awesome assist charts at the great new site hotshotcharts.com.

Before I start throwing the charts at you, here is a quick primer on how to read them. The blue bar is how many total assists the player had. So the bigger the bar the more assists a player had. The yellow paths show how many assists a player had to and from a teammate. The thicker the bar leaving a teammate the more assists he had to whichever player it leads too, and the thinner the bar the lower the amount.

So now to look at some charts.

First up is Andre Miller.

What surprised me most about Miller’s assist breakdown is that the majority of them came to Corey Brewer and not JaVale McGee. Two main reasons stick out for this. Brewer gets plenty of his buckets in fast break situations, something that tends to happen a lot less when Miller is running the show. Secondly, Miller loves to throw his oops to JaVale. Like to an unhealthy point. The other thing that should be taken from the chart his how little Miller helps non-McGee bigs. After JaVale the last remaining player that Miller assists to a significant degree more than other teammates is Andre Iguodala. It makes a bit of sense in that Miller tends to pound the ball into the ground in the post. From there if things break down the ball ends up getting kicked to either Brewer or Iggy on the perimeter or Iggy makes a cut and thanks to his fantastic finishing ability he bailed out Miller.

Next up is Lawson, the team leader in assists.

Lawson’s breakdown is interesting. His most commonly assisted teammate is Danilo Gallinari, second is Andre Iguodala, third Kenneth Faried, fourth Corey Brewer and fifth Wilson Chandler. So, in his top five only one of those players is a big compared to four primarily perimeter players. It makes sense when you look at Lawson’s game. Typically when he attacks the paint he looks to score. If he cannot, dropping a pass to his bigs is a bit tough for someone of such small stature. Instead turning and tossing a pass to an open, spotting up player in the corners or on the wings is much easier.

What the chart of the two Nuggets point guards have in common is a bit startling. Neither player tends to assist most of the big men on the team that often. That becomes a bigger problem when none of those bigs can create their own shot.

As we look at the third and final chart, Andre Iguodala’s, we see just how that can be a big problem next season if Iggy decides not to play in Denver.

As you can see in the chart the top two players that Iguodala assisted this season were Kosta Koufos and Kenneth Faried. This was on result that didn’t surprise me at all. Iguodala was terrific at driving into the paint and throwing dump-off passes to his bigs, letting them finish relatively unbothered. In fact I would venture to gain if the two bigs finished a bit better that Iggy would have ended up being closer to Lawson’s assist numbers than Miller’s, as it seemed like no Nugget had assists lost for him more this year than Iguodala. Iguodala was clearly the best secondary creator on the Nuggets this year, able to take advantage of the lanes a Lawson drive opened up to get a good shot for someone else after a kick out and also being able to help run the break for Denver.

The biggest thing to take away from theses charts is the importance of Iguodala to the offense of the Nuggets starting big men. If he does walk someone will have to step up and create easy looks for Koufos and Faried or their production could drop dramatically. It often got lost in how good defensively he was and how much he struggled shooting the ball, but Andre Iguodala was probably the second most important Nugget offensively this year. His loss could impact the offense as almost as much as it does the defense.

9. Re-sign Julyan Stone

Stone has been a member of the Nuggets for two years now, yet he’s more known for his injuries than his play on the floor. Since joining the Nuggets back in 2011 Stone has played in 27 games, only four of which came this season. Still, he’s renowned for his hustle, defensive intensity and court vision, all of which leave Nuggets fans salivating for more. Stone hasn’t had a fair shot at playing in a Nuggets uniform so there’s no way of telling just how good he can be. The Nuggets need defenders, especially at the point guard position, so it would seem quite futile to let him walk for nothing after already investing two years of money into him. At the very least the Nuggets should try and re-sign him to a one-year contract and free up some playing time to see what he’s made of.

8. Let Corey Brewer walk

This one is tough. And I hate saying this. HATE. Hatehatehatehate. Brewer should be a Nugget for a while. He fits the system perfectly, plays phenomenal defense, gives 110 percent almost every night and improved more in two years in Denver than he did his entire career elsewhere. If the Nuggets are able to make a trade and free up a few rosters spots then re-signing Brewer should be a top priority. But if not, it’s likely in the Nuggets best interest to let him walk. Unfortunately the Nuggets are just too stacked at the wing position right now. Guys like Jordan Hamilton and Quincy Miller — who could be studs for all we know — need the opportunity to grow and they’re not gonna find it with Brewer on the roster. Ideally, the Nuggets find a way to move several pieces, re-sign Brewer at a cheap rate and let all the wings duke it out at training camp in hopes that the best man wins.

7. Let Timofey Mozgov walk

Ujiri has gone on record as saying he wants to try and retain Mozgov or at least match whatever he fetches on the open market, but that seems more of a polite gesture than a beneficial basketball move. Mozgov isn’t a high commodity in the NBA and Ujiri has already placed him on the trading block once, making it all the more illogical for him to go out of his way to try and match an incredibly modest offer he’ll likely receive elsewhere. Even if Ujiri does intend to match it’s hard to imagine him getting anything of substance from his potential suitor other than a few bucks cash or a late pick in a very, very distant draft.

6. Find a defensive specialist taller than 6-10

The Nuggets have quite a few players who specialize in defense: Iguodala, Brewer, Chandler, Stone — even Gallinari is underrated in this sense. But once you get past Gallinari, the Nuggets have nobody who can lock people down at the power forward and center positions. Koufos did a fine job all year doing what he was told to do and playing fundamental defense; but if you think Koufos is the answer to the Nuggets’ defensive woes up front, then you either didn’t watch the playoffs or you’re the biggest Kosta Koufos fan ever. If we learned anything in the playoffs it’s that the Nuggets frontcourt — either due to a lack of athleticism, brainpower or a combination of the two — simply cannot defend against intricate offensive onslaughts from their opponent. Finding a big man who can be relied upon in big games to set rock-hard picks, hedge like a mad man and not fall for every pump fake sent his way is one of the more underrated moves being talked about in Nuggets Nation right now. Of course, a really good defensive-minded coach could always fix this issue as well…

5. Trade depth for star power

Ever since the Nuggets traded Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks for every last significant asset on their roster, Denver has been overwrought with fringe All-Stars and really talented role players. At some point the Nuggets have to find a way to parlay that talent into a single star player — sort of repeating the circle set forth by Carmelo Anthony. Players like Pau Gasol and Kevin Love pique Nuggets fans’ interest most, but even a minor upgrade at a certain position would do. Because the Nuggets absolutely have to open up some roster space this summer so guys like Fournier, Hamilton and Miller can get a shot at competing for playing time. That’s three incredibly talented youngsters who have yet to get a real crack at playing significant minutes and that’s not even including the Nuggets rookie this year who could be better than all three! If the Nuggets can’t make a move for a star they’re likely going to see a trend where several of the team’s younger and more promising assets walk for nothing without having had a chance to compete in city where they were drafted.

4. Sign a shooter

It’s been clear for quite some time that the Nuggets need a legitimate outside threat, someone who specializes in 3-pointers and does nothing else at a more high rate. Last year the Nuggets had two of the better outside shooters in the league in Arron Afflalo and Al Harrington, but when Ujiri sent them to Orlando last summer for Iguodala the Nuggets took a hit to their outside shooting that they have yet to recover from. Jordan Hamilton is likely the Nuggets best shooter from downtown yet there’s no telling just how deep he is in Karl’s doghouse. With guys like Chase Budinger, Mike Dunleavy Jr., James Jones, J.J. Redick, Gary Neal, Jodie Meeks, Marco Belinelli, O.J. Mayo, Kyle Korver, Ben Gordon and Mo Williams on the open market, it’s hard to imagine the Nuggets not finding a deadly outside shooter this summer. If Ujiri is really savvy (which, by all indications, he clearly is) he’ll find a way to free up enough cap space and roster room to not only sign one of the better 3-point shooters in this class, but essentially assure him a spot in the rotation next year as well.

3. Get rid of Andre Miller

You see how I say “get rid of” instead of “trade”? That’s because finding a way to jettison Andre Miller is so critical, simply trading him won’t cut it. The Nuggets need to do whatever they can to sever ties with him — end of story. What’s really sad is that this is the second year in a row Miller has made this list (top five both years!) for the exact same reason. It’s also sad to consider that if not for two of the Nuggets most valuable assets being free agents this summer (Ujiri and Iguodala), finding a way to dump Andre Miller would be the No. 1 priority on this list. That’s how bad it’s gotten. And you can say what you want about Karl’s ability to grind out wins in the regular season but his eye for talent and blind loyalty to players he considers his friends is just flat-out ghastly. If Miller isn’t let go, Karl will likely over rely on him yet again next year when he’s one year older, one year slower and one more year closer to being completely incapable of playing anything that even remotely resembles defense in the NBA. The only thing Andre Miller is good for at this point in time is offense, and that’s the last thing the Nuggets need. In addition to Stone, there are also several point guards in the upcoming draft worth considering, as well as free agents who actually fit the Nuggets run-and-gun system rather than walk the ball up the court while the rest of the team runs their asses off.

2. Re-sign Andre Iguodala

Iguodala has a player option on his current contract for one year at a little over $16 million. In an ideal, Nuggets-centric world, Iguodala would re-sign longterm for about half that per season. The problem? Iguodala can probably get more on the open market. He could also probably take his $16 million player option for next year and still find a contract at more than what the Nuggets would feel comfortable paying him. Like it or not, Iguodala is a unique player in today’s NBA. He’s unselfish to a fault, is perhaps the most intelligent and willing defender in the league and has no real glaring weakness in his game (though his jump shot could use some improvement). Guys like him don’t just fall of trees. The Nuggets know this and so does everyone else in the league. If Iguodala likes Denver and wants to be there then the Nuggets are in good shape, but Ujiri still needs to find a way for Iguodala to take a massive pay cut either way. However, if Iguodala is truly set on testing the waters like he says he is, the Nuggets could very well find themselves in a tough spot as the team already has over $50 million locked up for next season. Ujiri has done an outstanding job retaining free agents in the past, but this is without question his biggest challenge to date. If Iguodala walks, the Nuggets essentially traded a first-round draft pick and Arron Afflalo for nothing.

1. Re-sign Masai Ujiri

All the above moves would be great and all, but without Ujiri their chances of being complete diminishes greatly. There is no other way to put it: Masai Ujiri is the single most important asset the Denver Nuggets have at the moment. In fact, he’s one of the single most important assets the Nuggets have ever possessed in team history! Two other times has a Nuggets general manager won Executive of the Year yet neither possessed the type of innate, visionary talent that Ujiri has. He’s been on the job for only three years yet he’s already overcome the biggest hurdle a franchise can face (Melo) and been deemed the best general manager in the league shortly thereafter. I’ve always thought the true sign of a good general manager was how well they draft and in this case Ujiri is better than anybody in the league — bar none. Even other great general managers like Sam Presti in Oklahoma City or R.C. Buford in San Antonio have made pretty unforgivable mistakes in the draft recently, whereas Ujiri’s hit on every pick he’s been presented (Turkyilmaz: TBD). For once the Nuggets appear to be in position to be really good for a really long time, but unless they sign Ujiri, their hopes of winning a championship just aren’t very realistic.

Follow me on Twitter

Members of the All-Defensive First Team include: LeBron James, Serge Ibaka, Tyson Chandler, Joakim Noah, Tony Allen and Chris Paul. Members of the All-Defensive Second Team include: Tim Duncan, Paul George, Marc Gasol (even though he won Defensive Player of the Year), Avery Bradley and Mike Conley.

A little over a week ago the Nuggets season came to a disappointing end in a Game 6 loss to the Golden State Warriors.

Over that time I have thought a lot about how to classify the Nuggets season.

Was it a success or failure? How much can be built on and how much should the team get away from? Can this roster compete for a title with a few tweaks or is there a major change that has to happen?

And finally after watching the Warriors continue their, to steal a term from Matt Moore, nova shooting against the Spurs things started to become much clearer to me.

The season as a whole was a great success for the Nuggets, even despite a disappointing ending.

Before we get to that disappointing ending it only seems right to look back on the regular season.

Things started rough for the Nuggets as they had a brutal early season schedule filled with road games, not the best thing for a team trying to incorporate a new starter with the role Andre Iguodala had as defensive stopper, part creator, part rebound, and really basically part everything.

But eventually things started to work out for the Nuggets and everything turned around once they got home. Everything came together perfectly though and the Nuggets reeled off a fifteen game winning streak that got lost in the historic 27 game streak the Heat had at the same time.

It all resulted in a 57 win season and the three seed in the West, an amazing accomplishment for a team like the Nuggets.

You see, I have been saying lately something that was creeping up in the back of my mind as we got ready for the playoffs here at RMC but I always pushed it to the back of my head figuring I was overreacting a bit. The Nuggets roster, as great as it is set up for the future, had some significant flaws.

The Nuggets couldn’t shoot. They couldn’t defend the three point line. They had a backup point guard who didn’t fit the rest of the team but was given an incredible amount of leeway from the coaching staff. They had three bigs who all did one thing very well and a lot of things average or below. They really had three above average defenders on the roster and one of them was injured late in the season.

But they made it work. They made it work to the tune of 57 wins and that I believed would carry to the playoffs; that they would win a series and push the Spurs in round two.

Then the series started and things became problematic.  It quickly became apparent that the Nuggets ran into the worst possible matchup for them, and then David Lee got hurt and it became worse. Even worse, that horrific matchup shot the ball like they were playing NBA Jam and everyone was on fire.

The Nuggets didn’t shoot well from three in the series. They didn’t defend the three point line well. Andre Miller came in, slowed the game down, played hero ball, missed a lot, got killed on defense and yet was rewarded with more minutes than he should have played. The three bigs all did their one thing well; Kosta Koufos making rotations, Kenneth Faried rebounding, JaVale playing with energy and dunking. But they also did those things they didn’t do well. Koufos playing physical, Faried generating offense or making proper defensive rotations, JaVale playing the pick-and-roll well, none happened, just like for most of the year they didn’t happen. Finally, defensively the Nuggets had no answer for the Warriors perimeter players. Andre Iguodala took turns slowing down one Warrior just so another could pick on Ty Lawson or Andre Miller or Corey Brewer and get hot. Wilson Chandler did all he could to contain players from Andrew Bogut to Steph Curry.

It was a series Danilo Gallinari would have made a huge impact in. The shooting, the defense, the rebounding he would have brought would have made life much easier on Ty Lawson and Andre Iguodala, the two Nuggets who consistently showed up in the series.

But fate intervened and decided it was one of those what if questions that the Nuggets and their fans would have to deal with for the rest of the year. What if Gallo was healthy, would it have mattered? Could this team have gone to the finals, especially now that Russell Westbrook is out?

In the end it doesn’t matter because the injury happened.

But there are questions to be asked, questions that will have plenty of different answers.

What do you take from this Nuggets season? Was the season a success?

To me the answer is clear.

Yes, the season was a success.

The Nuggets started something that seems to have a bright future. They took a team that had significant flaws, flaws that were obvious all season and won 57 games, including 15 in a row. They posted the best home record in the league and did it in a fun way.

They did it because the team played hard night after night, because the team understood its limits and played within them, because the team generally seemed to enjoy playing with each other.

Take it from someone who roots for a team that fails on every one of those points. The Nuggets have something special.

Sure the playoffs ended things on a sour note but most of it wasn’t the Nuggets fault.

They played for the three seed figuring that it would leave them against a Houston team that they would have matched up well with and probably dismissed easily. Instead the Rockets collapsed and the Nuggets worst nightmare wound up in the sixth seed.

Then the Warriors went on a video game like shooting spree and the wounded Nuggets had no answer for it.

But there is incredible hope. The roster has clear building blocks in Ty Lawson and Gallo. If Iguodala returns they would have the best three players on the team locked up for years, and a front office that sure seems to be one you can put faith in.

The foundation is there. Now add a few shooters, a big man who can score a bit besides at the rim, a backup point guard who fits the roster better and a 57 win team gets clearly better.

Success has been tasted by those building blocks and they will be striving for it again. And maybe next year the Nuggets don’t have the injuries late in the year, maybe they get a favorable matchup.

Whatever happens, one thing seems clear. The Nuggets have something special building, and if it continues we all may look back on this year as the start of it all.

In the end this year may be a success to everyone, not just the few that it seems that way to so soon after a disappointing ending.

Please follow me on Twitter.

Those are going to be the words that Nuggets fans hear a lot between now and Game 5, between the end of the season and the draft.

The truth is this was another year in the process. The process of moving on from Carmelo Anthony and the idea of a singular superstar and towards a team oriented approach built around above-average, not quite superstar level players like Ty Lawson, Danilo Gallinari and Andre Iguodala.

The truth is the Nuggets probably did overachieve this year. Because when you look at this roster a bit more closely there are still some big flaws.

The Nuggets struggled all year to shoot the ball, relying on opponent’s turnovers and a terrific transition game to score a massive amount of points in the paint. The problem just became worse when they lost their undisputed best shooter in Gallinari late in the season.

All year the Nuggets struggled to make the proper defensive rotations, leaving teams open for wide open spot up three point attempts. The problem got worse in the playoffs as the one Nugget big who could be relied on to make proper rotations, Kosta Koufos, became a shell of himself and virtually unplayable.

All year the Nuggets big men struggled in general to defend anyone one-on-one, whether it was the undersized Kenneth Faried, the outmuscled Kosta Koufos, or the undisciplined JaVale McGee. In the playoffs it has hurt them as Carl Landry and Andrew Bogut have had stretches of dominance in the post, in pick-and-rolls and as shooters.

And all year the Nuggets were stuck with a backup point guard that didn’t fit the roster but was given heavy minutes on a nightly basis. Andre Miller slowed the Nuggets offense down to a halt, and refused to give effort on defense. Yet Karl trusted him, trusted him to run the offense and to the team for important moments. In the playoffs he has won the Nuggets their only game but cost them in the three losses.

Unfortunately for the Nuggets they ran into a team that could exploit all of those flaws for the playoffs; unfortunately for the Nuggets that team also had one of the best shooting series of all time.

Game 4 was no different. The Warriors took an early lead as Kenneth Faried struggled to make his rotations once Wilson Chandler left Andrew Bogut to double Stephen Curry. It led to open shots from the other Warriors perimeter players.

Then JaVale McGee entered and the Warriors attacked him the best way that any team can, a pick-and-roll. Bogut posterized McGee and set the tone, if it wasn’t already set.

The Nuggets went down early, and as with most games they just couldn’t shoot themselves back into the game. That was until Ty Lawson immediately got hot at the start of the third quarter. Lawson willed the Nuggets back into the game, clawing them to within four points by attacking the rim and finishing or dumping passes off to teammates for easy finishes.

Then Miller entered. And not only did Miller enter; he somehow improbably ended up defending Stephen Curry. And Curry took advantage, ending the quarter 8-11 from the field for 22 points, 5-7 from behind the line thanks to the defense of Miller and the gambling of Corey Brewer that left him wide open.

The dagger finally came at the end of the third when Curry pulled up between three Nuggets from the top of the key and drilled his final three. The game was over then, even with a quarter to play, as the fire storm from the perimeter that had troubled the Nuggets all series hit its apex.

From there the discussion inevitably turned to the big question.

Do Nugget fans still trust the process, or is it time for a new process and with it a new leader?

I think the answer is to trust Masai Ujiri and let him continue to tinker the roster to let it reach their full potential.

Take away Karl’s crutch in Miller. Find a backup point guard able to push the tempo and defend. Find big men that can make the right defensive rotations or one that can create some form of offense besides dunking and layups. Find shooters to run the wings next to Lawson and the should be re-signed Andre Iguodala.

There are players on the roster that can be part of the future. Iguodala showed how valuable he can be as he helped transform a group of mediocre defenders into an above average group. Lawson is a great point guard, capable of getting to the rim almost at will and create looks for others. Gallo is a dangerous shooter that showed greater defensive ability than most realize. And Faried is an elite rebounder and great energy player that would flourish even more if he could slide into a bench role and not have to worry as much about those defensive rotations or his lack of real offensive ability in a bit fewer minutes. Evan Fournier looks like he has a ton of offensive talent as a slasher.

Even if some do want to get rid of Karl, and there will be a group of people that possibly includes some of the other writers on this site that want to do so, try and see that there are some things in this series that the Nuggets couldn’t possibly control.

As I said on Twitter during the game, this series has gotten to the point where the Nuggets just can’t do anything about it. They got caught in a shooting stretch that seems unfathomable. Sure some looks were open but the Warriors have made a ton of tough shots and should be commended for it. And once the Nuggets went down so much they didn’t have the shooting to get back into a game quickly. Not without Gallo.

So now the talks will turn to the next step.

To the process. And with that people will have to see where they land.

Because in the end, this season, whenever it ends, was a big step that may have even come quicker than some expected and given a lot of people hope.

So is it time to continue this process or start a new one?

Please follow me on Twitter. 

Usually after games we do Rapid Reactions. This gives us a good idea about which players performed well and which didn’t. That is unnecessary in this situation. Here’s what you need to know about player performances this game:

• Iguodala came out hot then promptly fizzled off into no-man’s land offensively. He still had one of the better overall performances from any Nugget.
• Ty Lawson had a good game. He finished with 19 and 12 and was really the only Nugget who played at a high level all game long.
• Brewer, Chandler and Miller all finished in double digits but their impact on the game was hardly felt. None played particularly well.
• Everyone else played bad, for the most part. Faried was a ghost. He was slow, lost, and ineffective in every way. Koufos could not defend anyone and had his worst game in a long series of bad games dating back to March. He finished with zero points and two rebounds in 14 minutes. Randolph provided a brief spark in the fourth quarter and McGee played only 14 minutes despite Koufos’ ineptitude. This was most likely due to the fact he couldn’t defend the pick-and-roll if his life depended on it.

As for the rest of the game, know this:

We haven’t seen a performance from the Nuggets this abysmal since they lost to the Hornets a little over a month ago by 26 points. But that wasn’t as bad as this game. It wasn’t the playoffs. It was on the road. And quite frankly, it just didn’t matter that much. This game was entirely different. This game was the playoffs. It was at home. And it mattered.

It’s difficult to quantify just how poorly the Nuggets played this evening. Looking at the box score will tell you a lot though. The Nuggets gave up 131 points in the playoffs — at home. At the beginning of the game guys were trying. But screen after screen, 3-pointer after 3-pointer, the Nuggets eventually broke. That was what this game was about: The Nuggets were not prepared to defend the Warriors the way they needed to be in order to win this series. And George Karl is largely to blame for that.

All season long we’ve given Karl one A grade after another in our Rapid Reactions. In Game 1 of the Warriors-Nuggets series Matt gave him another A. We’ve praised him for his coaching and even voted for him in our ESPN Coach of the Year ballots. Often, people say you can’t blame the coach for losing and not reward him for winning. In this case, it’s quite the opposite. Here are RMC, nobody is a sacred cow. We feel people should always be held accountable no matter who they are. Most importantly, we judge each game on an exclusive basis. Tuesday night against the Warriors, Karl was not an A coach. Here are some reasons why:

• Defense. It did not exist. There was no structure, no communication, no strategy — at least none that was visible. In the beginning, players were being beat on an individual basis; the entire Warriors team was outplaying the Nuggets. But as the game progressed it became clear that Karl’s defensive scheme was not nearly as sophisticated as Jackson’s. After Karl’s players got beat, he decided to start switching, which was the lazy way out and only compounded the Nuggets problems more. Jackson, on the other hand, simply didn’t allow for his players to be beat. His guys — none of whom are considered elite defenders by any measure — moved their feet fast, dictated where they wanted the Nuggets to go and played with a higher level of defensive energy all night long. Every single player. Not just one. Everyone. If only several Nuggets players were being “out-defended” it would have been one thing, but everyone was being out-defended. Once that occurs, it’s no longer on the players; it’s on the coach. Players don’t get together at half and form a pact to not defend. It happens as a result of being ill-prepared for your opponent.
• Picks. During a timeout TNT caught audio of Mark Jackson imploring his players to set hard picks. His players obeyed. The Warriors were in motion all night. Players were running across the court finding picks to utilize, setting picks for each other and completely dominating the Nuggets physically in the process. After 48 minutes of picks like those, I’d venture to say the Nuggets might have some sore shoulders tomorrow morning. During the game we saw Iguodala take a pick to the back (set by Bogut) that gave him whiplash and forced him to exit the game briefly. The Nuggets clearly were not ready for this type of physicality; nor were they ready for the implications that would follow in the form of 3-pointers galore. Below are several videos that will give you a good idea of what I’m talking about…

• Pick-and-roll. This ties into the above bullet point. The Nuggets have struggled throughout the season with defending the pick-and-roll. The Warriors thrived off this elementary play the entire game. It seemed as though every offensive possession they had started with a strong pick-and-roll, then if they didn’t score immediately they’d present another series of firm picks that the Nuggets refused to fight through, which freed their shooters, who then converted from behind the 3-point line. This happened over and over the entire game. For some reason the Nuggets then decided to trap, but they did it passively which is basically committing defensive suicide as it repeatedly left a wide open man and forced the Nuggets to scramble to make up for their lost gamble. McGee was particularly bad in defending the pick-and-roll, as were nearly all of the Nuggets’ bigs.
• Lane clogging. Mark Jackson knows who the Nuggets are and he’s not going to be beat by refusing to acknowledge it. He knows the Nuggets thrive in the paint, so he’s cutting it off by having his players sag into the middle once any Nugget attempts to drive. He doesn’t care about 3-point shooting, because he knows the Nuggets aren’t very good at it. He keeps Bogut within five feet of the rim at all times because he knows he’s an elite shot blocker and that none of the Nuggets big men can stretch the floor. All of these elements are giving him a huge advantage in the series thus far. The Warriors know who the Nuggets are and they know the Nuggets aren’t going to change their identity 83 games into the season. With a few minor adjustments, the Warriors have already put a restriction on how the Nuggets can succeed offensively.

And now it’s Karl’s turn. Karl has to match the chess moves made by Jackson. That’s what playoff coaching is all about: the ability to adapt. We know the Warriors will rely on setting a multitude of picks to free up their shooters, now Karl has to figure out a way to prevent those picks from having the effect they did in Game 2. This is going to require communication on defense, and more importantly, players who are willing to put in the effort on defense. Completely losing your man after the first pick you see in an offensive set isn’t going to cut it. Players will need to communicate with one another to let them know where the next pick is coming from and how they can position their body to prevent the pick from having its desired effect. Switching and trapping will not only require communication, but a maximum effort in order to be successful. These two tactics can only be employed if the Nuggets are committed to the defensive side of the ball. And in general, guys must be willing to move their feet faster, close out more quickly and put more pressure on the ball than their counterparts. This will then lead to more fastbreak opportunities (which the Nuggets are getting none of right now) and a better overall attack on offense — which at this point is stale as a 100-year-old box of Cracker Jacks.

People will likely overreact to this loss. They shouldn’t. The Nuggets have been a resilient team all year long. Theoretically they could bounce back and win the next three games and take this series in five. They certainly have the talent. And perhaps, this is why this loss surprised me. The Nuggets are a better team than the Warriors. They have more talent. They have a much better record. They usually play better defense. So it was a bit of a shock they played this way. But when you look back on the way the Nuggets have typically performed in the playoffs under George Karl, that’s when this loss becomes less surprising. Because the fact is, the Nuggets have not been a good playoff team over the last eight years with Karl at the helm. Just a fact; not an opinion.

Follow me on Twitter

As a look ahead for Game 2, I went back to Game 1 and took a look at all of Steph Curry’s shots to see if what the Nuggets did was replicable or if it was more of a matter of Curry just missing open shots. Below is a short breakdown of each shot.

Shot 1: Missed Off Balance Runner from outside paint

The Nuggets trapped a high pick-and-roll on this play forcing the shot clock down a bit and Curry into a tough shot. Good Job by Denver.

Shot 2: Missed Runner from the middle of the lane

The Nuggets switched a dribble handoff between Curry and Jarrett Jack leaving Andre Miller a step behind Curry. But Wilson Chandler was in the area and rotated properly contesting the runner Curry attempted.  Good Job for Denver.

Shot 3: Missed 3 from right wing

Curry shook away from Ty Lawson off the ball and caught a pass on the right wing. Kosta Koufos rotated off his man who threw the pass and semi contested the shot. Ok Job by Denver.

Shot 4: Missed 3 from right wing.

Andre Miller was trailing Curry through a screen and thanks to a bit of a bad pass was able to give a decent contest to the shot that missed long. Ok Job by Denver.

Shot 5: Missed jumper from left elbow

Curry caught the ball after coming off a Bogut screen and immediately used a screen from Carl Landry. But Anthony Randolph was there to contest the shot. Good job by the Nuggets.

Shot 6: Missed stepback jumper from left wing

Lawson stayed with Curry well inside the arc, forcing Curry to try a stepback jumper that he missed. Good Job by Denver.  

Shot 7: Miss 3 from the left corner

Curry caught the ball in the left corner free in transition. After a pump fake sent Corey Brewer flying by, Curry got off a wide open three. Denver got lucky.

Shot 8: Stepback 3 from top of the key

Curry caught Lawson leaning and pulled a nice through the legs stepback but Lawson was able to recover and contest the shot. Good job by Denver.

Shot 9: Missed runner from right side of lane.

Curry tried to use a pick from David Lee and was hounded by Lawson. He eventually got by Ty but Chandler stepped in and helped, forcing Curry to take the runner over his outstretched arms. Good job by Denver.

Shot 10: Made 3 from left corner

The Nuggets got hit with the elevator screen play and Curry got wide open in the left corner. Corey Brewer made an effort to contest but it was way too late. Bad Job by Denver.

Shot 11: Made 3 from left corner

Curry started the play with the ball before giving it up and going to set a screen for Klay Thompson in the corner. Ty Lawson switched the screen and trailed Thompson to the block but Evan Fournier stayed with Thompson leaving Curry wide open for the three.  Bad Job by Denver.

Shot 12: Made 3 from right wing.

Curry dribbled around for a while in transition before launching a jumper over the outstretched arms of Iguodala, who picked him up mid play. Good Job by Denver.

Shot 13: Made floater from in front of rim

Lawson let Curry catch the ball in the left corner after penetration from Jack and closed out a bit too hard. Curry took advantage driving to the middle of the floor and beating Wilson Chandler before lofting a floater that he swished. Bad Job by Denver.

Shot 14: Made 3 from right wing

Curry broke down Corey Brewer after a gorgeous behind the back dribble and nailed the wide open three. Bad Job by Denver.

Shot 15: Missed floater in middle of lane

Curry got Lawson on a switched pick-and-roll and broke him down into the paint. But Kosta Koufos rotated up and contested the Curry floater. Good Job by Denver.

Shot 16: Made layup

After a missed Brewer three Curry ran out and got a wide open transition layup when Denver didn’t balance the floor. Bad Job by Denver.

Shot 17: Missed floater from right side of lane coming middle

Curry got Chandler on him after a switch and was able to beat him but Koufos came over in time to make Curry have to settle for a tough floater.Good Job by Denver.

Shot 18: Pull-up jumper in transition.

Curry pulled-up and shot a three over Wilson Chandler in transition. Chandler did well to not get caught backing up and was able to contest the shot. Good Job by Denver.

Shot 19: Missed 3 from right wing.

Curry came off a double screen and got a pretty good look on the three. The Nuggets switched the initial screen leaving Chandler on Curry and tried to switch the second to have Iguodala pick him up. But Iggy got stuck in the screens and Curry got a semi-clean look. Ok Job by Denver.

Shot 20: Made 3 from left corner

The Warriors tried the elevator doors screen again and Lawson did a good job to get through it. But when Jarrett Jack penetrated the middle Lawson got caught in no man’s land allowing the pass to Curry. He then compounded the issue by biting on the pump fake and gave up the made three. Bad Job by Denver.

The final numbers based on what I saw came in this way:

Good Job: 10

Ok Job: 3

Bad Job: 6

Lucky: 1

So the Nuggets did a pretty good job of making Curry’s life difficult in Game 1. Curry will eventually hit some contested jumpers but the Nuggets must make as many of his shots as possible contested. Their Game 1 effort is definitely replicable and they actually should improve a bit. Now that the Nuggets second toughest matchup in Lee is gone the series may very well come down to how Curry shoots.

 Follow me on Twitter.

And did he ever..

His career high 19 points in 21 minutes, his feisty defense, and a confident poise that went well beyond his young age were a revelation to Nuggets fans who hadn’t yet been given the chance to see him fully showcase his talent. In the following game against the Utah Jazz he scored 18, and two games later against the Houston Rockets 17 points, all at very efficient percentages. The message over this four game stretch was loud and clear:

Evan Fournier is the real deal, and he’s only going to get better.

In this latest installment of the Roundball Mining Company Film Room, I have set out to make nothing less than the definitive video chronicle of Fournier’s coming out party using clips from the three games cited above. As such, the video is longer than the usual Film Room fare. But Fournier’s breakout merits an in-depth analysis of the defensiive and offensive prowess of the Frenchman who has become many Nuggets fans’ new favorite player.

As a final note before we dive in, it should be pointed out that the purpose of this scouting report is to examine Fournier’s skill, aptitude and potentiality, or in other words to focus on his positives with an eye to upside. There will likely come a time for us to look more critically at some weaknesses and things he could do better, but that is outside the scope of this project.

So without further ado, the video, with analysis below:

DEFENSE

Man-to-man defense

• Not so much a lock down defender, but communicates well and plays to the strength of the team defense
• Sticks like glue to his assignment
• Funnels his man into the help defense and cuts off a direct line to the rim

The last bullet point there is probably Fournier’s greatest strength as a defender. I said above that he plays beyond his years, and nowhere is that more apparent than in his defensive awareness. He has a great sense of where to force his assignment to go, and where to prevent him from going. He knows where the help defense will be, and how to channel his man straight into its clutches. And he does a good job of communicating with his teammates to ensure they’re all on the same page. The maturity he displays in handling his defensive responsibilities is a testament not only to the quality of player he is, but also to the value of the experience he got as a professional baller in France.

Solid defensive fundamentals

• Fights through screens
• Stays with his man even through attempted misdirection
• Works hard to keep his assignments out of their preferred spots
• Applies pressure at the perimeter

It’s often said that simply putting in effort is a big part of playing good defense. Andre Miller has gotten a lot of criticism here at RMC for not trying hard enough defensively (see Matt’s analysis here), and the difference in defensive energy when Fournier comes in for him drives the point home further. The rookie is busting his tail pretty much every minute he’s out there, fighting through screens, chasing his assignment around the court, not quite as frenetic as Corey Brewer, but active the whole way.

But it’s not just that he works hard. He’s on a very fast learning curve, and understands the Nuggets’ fairly complicated defensive system very well for a player with his limited experience. He clearly went into Denver with solid defensive fundamentals already tucked under his belt, and his awareness not only of his own responsibilities but also how they fit into the larger context of the team defense is very impressive. Though he does have his lapses, with more time and experience he has the potential to be one of the league’s better defending guards.

Steals

• Very good sense of spacing and timing
• Great at reading opposing offenses and how the play will unfold
• Solid understanding of when he can or can’t afford to slag off his man reduces risk
• Always has an eye on the passing lanes
• Utilizes his length when trapping

Fournier has the fourth highest steal percentage on the Nuggets, edging out Lawson and Chandler, themselves no slouches in the pickpocket department. (Interesting side note: Anthony Randolph is second, trailing only Brewer. Andre Iguodala is third.) As you can see, effort once again comes into play as a good amount of Fournier’s steals result from chasing down the ball handler. But he also has good length and a knack for reading and anticipating the offense, which puts him in a good position to disrupt plays and pick off passing lanes.

Transition defense

• Consistently makes the effort to get back quickly and disrupt fast breaks
• Extremely adept at chasing down and stripping the ball handler
• Makes use of good speed to stay in front of the play
• Plays unselfishly. Uses his court vision to set his teammates up with easy scores off turnovers

Fournier’s transition defense may be one of the most valuable aspects of his game. He has the speed and will to get back fast enough to break up some fast breaks, shaving potential points off the opponent’s total. And with his court vision and playmaking skills, when the transition defense forces a turnover, he’s able to facilitate scoring plays the other way.

I haven’t mentioned the playoffs thus far, but against the Golden State Warriors in particular, this aspect of his game could really be a boon for the Nuggets. The Warriors absolutely love to shoot quick 3-pointers in transition – it’s their bread and butter – and denying them too many easy, high value shot attempts could be the difference between a win or loss, and by extension, the series.

OFFENSE

Driving and finishing

• Great vision and use of screens to find and create driving lanes
• Has the quickness to get past many defenders
• Splits defenders using clever, subtle ball handling and hesitation
• Knows how to finish and use his body to protect the ball

Driving and getting to the line

• Drives aggressively to keep defender backpedaling and draw contact
• Always going straight for the rim, good at not allowing the defender to veer him off course
• Completely fearless in taking it straight to the defense

At the risk of being a bit too repetitive I included a ton of Fournier drives in the video because, well, that’s just how he rolls. As Scott Hastings and Chris Marlowe like to point out, he goes north and south, not east and west. It’s almost as if the basket is a bathtub drain or gravity well. The most natural path Fournier can follow leads him directly to the rim.

It’s this aspect of his game that has already earned him comparisons with Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker (in strictly stylistic terms – no grandiose claims are being made here… yet). Layups and free throws resulting from drives comprise the source of the bulk of his scoring.

Of course, it turns out that Masai Ujiri knew exactly what he was doing when he drafted Fournier. His skill set is a perfect match for Denver’s dribble-drive-motion offense, with his ability to penetrate and get to the line, or make the good pass if he gets cut off. And those skills are combined with an utterly fearless, confident mentality. When he sees an opportunity to take it to the rim, there is no hesitation. It’s on.

In the few games he’s played a big role in so far, there have been few opposing defenders he hasn’t been able to beat off the dribble. And once he’s got that step on his man, there’s a high probability he’ll either get to the rim and score, or the defense will have to foul him to prevent that from happening. Quickness, ball handling and some Euro-stepping craftiness combine in drives that consistently slice through the paint, and if the defense allows him to get to the rim, he knows how to finish.

Solid offensive fundamentals

• High basketball IQ
• Strong court awareness and sense of floor spacing
• Great off-the-ball movement
• Very good decision making, doesn’t force the bad play
• Excellent utilization of the baseline to get easy layups and open shots off curls

Decision making may be the most important area of improvement in Fournier’s game this season. Early on, he could get himself into trouble at times with some errant passing and poor shot selection (especially forcing up contested 3-pointers). We can see little of that now, which is an additional exhibit in the case for his high basketball IQ. He’s not without his flaws, but these days he makes very few of the brand of mistakes that would draw Karl’s ire.

One of the most enjoyable and interesting aspects of making this video was focusing on Fournier’s movement off the ball. When he is not the primary ball handler, more often than not he’ll drift down to the right corner. If the pass doesn’t come to him quickly, he’ll run the baseline (or more accurately, out of bounds behind the baseline), looking to open up a play by getting behind the defense. It’s an effective strategy, and using it he gets himself open for a good amount of easy shots at or near the basket.

Passing/Playmaking

• Draws in the defense on drives and creates easy baskets for the bigs
• Good awareness and anticipation of where his teammates are
• In transition, excellent court vision, quick decision making and passing accuracy

Initiating plays in half court sets is an aspect of his game I’d like to see Fournier develop more. It’s because this part of his playmaking is somewhat limited, I presume, that Karl has Iguodala run the point even when Fournier’s on the floor ostensibly as the 1. But that’s a discussion for another time.

For now, the two areas of passing where Fournier is very proficient are (you guessed it) off dribble penetration and in transition. The former will become increasingly important as opponents start elevating his importance on their scouting reports and make a more concerted effort to cut off his drives. But the good news is that he has already displayed a great deal of competence in finding the open man when he draws in the defense in the paint.

In transition, playmaking is all about quick decision making, court vision and accuracy. And Fournier has the complete package. Next season, when he gets the regular rotation spot he has earned by now, and with it more experience playing alongside Denver’s best transition players, it’s a safe bet that we will see him initiating some pretty special transition plays. In fact, we already have.

Range and form

• Fairly quick trigger off the catch-and-shoot, does not hesitate
• Good at finding open shots in spots he likes shooting from
• Solid, fundamentally sound shooting form
• Can pull up at the arc, but keeps it to a minimum (ie. understands and plays within his comfort zone)

When Fournier was originally drafted, his shooting percentages from his time in the French League were worrisome. But once again, Ujiri is smarter than… well, apparently everyone. His selection finished the regular season as Denver’s second best 3-point shooter (.407) after Wilson Chandler (.413). Anecdotal evidence from shootarounds has Nuggets announcers and beat reporters convinced that his long range shot is legit. And his shooting form, while perhaps not having that Ray Allen elegance (though whose does?) is solid, well-balanced, and he gets good lift on his jumpers.

In the regular season, 78.6 percent of Fournier’s 3-pointers were assisted, which basically amounts to four out of five of his threes coming off catch-and-shoots. The great thing about this, when combined with the fact that he doesn’t hesitate on his drives, is that he hardly ever slows down the offense. When he gets the ball at the arc, it’s go time, one way or the other. And one need look no further than his 40 percent 3-point percentage and 70 percent at-rim percentage for confirmation that even though he’s making quick decisions, it’s usually the correct decision.

Transition offense

• Always quick to run up court, good speed helps him get past or stay in front of defenses
• Can take it coast to coast
• Again, unselfish. Keeps his head up, looking to create for his teammates
• As on his half court drives, great at finishing in transition as well

The only thing to add here which hasn’t already been addressed above (after all, many of these categories overlap each other in reality) is Fournier’s speed in getting up the court. He’s not the fastest guy on the team, but when Lawson’s in the mix that’s not a diss. He runs the floor well, but perhaps more importantly than that he has great timing, and gets off to a quick start (this applies to the defensive end as well). His compatibility with a team built on speed is, yet again, more evidence that Ujiri didn’t just draft Fournier for a reason, but for all the right reasons.

In closing, I think it’s safe to say that Nuggets Nation has a lot to be excited about when it comes to Evan Fournier. The impact he’s already made, the contributions he may make this postseason, and what now appears to be an extraordinarily bright future ahead of him.

C’est magnifique!

Statistics from Basketball-Reference.com and HoopData.com.