Deadly Nuggets flaw that needs to be addressed following the 2024 NBA All-Star break
Even though the Denver Nuggets aren’t winning the regular season right now, this does not indicate a weakness on their part. The Western Conference’s fourth-place team at the moment is the defending champions, ahead of a few rising clubs. That being said, nobody can really count out the champions despite this position. The previous season demonstrated their ability to improve seemingly overnight.
However, the Nuggets aren’t perfect, just like most teams. Even though they’re a fairly well-rounded team overall, there are still a few significant holes that need to be filled. Even though these weaknesses are only “minors,” they have the potential to compound and seriously harm Denver’s chances of winning the championship throughout the season.
After the NBA’s All-Star break, what is the Nuggets’ fatal flaw that needs to be addressed?
The season of the nuggets
The 2023–24 Denver Nuggets season unfolded akin to a Nikola Jokic season. It’s not particularly remarkable, but it’s still very good. They have a 38-19 record and have won two-thirds of the games they have played. They are only a few games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves for third place, where they are tied with the raging Los Angeles Clippers.
Jokic is the one in charge of the Nuggets’ operations, of course. Jokic’s efficiency from the field allows him to score a ridiculous 26 points per game, but he’s not exactly playing at an MVP level. Oh, and he’s also
The Nuggets have performed admirably on both ends of the court overall. Their offensive rating is 12th in the league, while their defensive rating is 11th. They have, for the most part, done a pretty decent job of winning big games against the league’s top teams and defeating opponents they should beat. So, precisely where does Denver’s issue lie?
The fatal flaw in Nuggets: Bench unit
The Nuggets’ supporters really have nothing significant to be concerned about. Being honest, all we’re going to do is pick apart Denver’s meagre weaknesses. Nevertheless, the team still needs to deal with it at some point during the season. It might come back to haunt the team later on.
It’s true that the Nuggets struggle with consistency on both the offensive and defensive ends. Sometimes they can be a little slow, which lets weaker teams win games for far too long. Jokic’s engine isn’t operating as effectively as it usually is. Nevertheless, all of this might just be Denver waiting things out. They are currently competing for a postseason spot, much like the previous Warriors teams. We are aware that Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Malone are capable of applying more pressure when necessary.
However, the Nuggets’ weak bench is a bigger concern. Bruce Brown, who had an incredible impact off the bench last season, was a key component of their championship run. It was very helpful that he could play guard and still be a big man. Uncle Jeff Green was holding the position, and Christian Braun was emerging as a sparkplug off the bench as well.
However, they have a completely depleted bench lineup this year. In free agency, Brown left the team to join the Indiana Pacers. Braun was given the role of sixth man, and he hasn’t fully settled into it yet. Reggie Jackson is at least a reliable hand, but Zeke Nnaji hasn’t made the progress they had hoped for. Nevertheless, this season’s bench play has been, at best, unimpressive and, at worst, uninspired.
