There are several ways the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers first round playoff series is expected to be one of the best in the NBA this year.
First is the star power. You have Nikola Jokic three-time MVP on one team, along with the primary core of a championship team from 2023. On the other team? Playoff performer but often injured Kawhi Leonard plus often healthy but playoff dropper James Harden. All have something to gain from a playoff series win, and all are expected to show out in this situation against a comparable squad.
Next is the drama. The Nuggets just fired their head coach and general manager. Josh Kroenke spoke to local media on Monday and had plenty to say about the situation. One of those things was that Kroenke still held belief in this current iteration of the Nuggets to make some noise in the playoffs this year. The hope was that removing distraction (and reported toxicity) would jumpstart Denver a bit, and they went 3-0 in the final games of the year to earn a 50-win season.
The Clippers drama is less straightforward. There are some elements of the squad from the 2020 playoff bubble that are still around (Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac, and Amir Coffey) but it’s less about what they were before and more about what they’ve turned into after Paul George departed in free agency. The team hasn’t missed a beat, and they’re looking to prove that they can go just as far without George in the fold.
Finally, the tactics. This is the most compelling tactical series to many neutral observers, and the way the Nuggets and Clippers will be forced to adapt to each other’s strengths and weaknesses in real time will be very interesting to watch.
Here’s what Nuggets fans need to know about the Clippers and why they’re not to be trifled with:
Three Scoring Creators
The Nuggets faced the Clippers in four separate matchups before Kawhi Leonard returned to the floor. In each of them, James Harden and Norman Powell were dynamic is their own ways.
Powell was the real surprise against Denver and a major surprise around the NBA this year, averaging nearly 28 points per game on 70% True Shooting in four regular season matchups against the Nuggets. He was somewhat of an afterthought in Denver’s first two matchups, and Powell burned sloppy defense repeatedly.
Harden was someone the Nuggets respected a lot, and they doubled him and hedged high up the floor consistently, forcing weak side defensive rotations that just weren’t very good. They did lock in a bit on Harden’s passing, allowing 9.3 assists but forcing 6.5 turnovers per game across those same four matchups. Denver can absolutely live with that if their defense is active and flying around. If it’s not, Harden will pick them apart.
Harden’s skill set forces opponents to make choices, and the Nuggets wanted to take away Harden’s scoring in the regular season. That’s all well and good if other Clippers aren’t making their shots, but that doesn’t take into account, well, Kawhi.
Kawhi Leonard, long time elite playoff player and isolation scorer/defender, is back to being awesome. Since March 1st, Leonard is averaging 25.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game on 52.6/42.9/83.3 shooting splits. Oh, and he’s averaging 36 minutes a night. Apparently, he looks and feels pretty healthy, and that’s not a great sign for a Nuggets squad that hasn’t dealt with him at all.
Elite Defense
The Clippers, according to Cleaning the Glass, were the third ranked defense this season behind only the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Orlando Magic. Led by Ivica Zubac on the interior and Kris Dunn on the perimeter, the Clippers have found the right mix of technically sound, athletic, and cerebral defenders that can find success on that end of the floor. In addition, Kawhi has always been a fantastic defender and gives them another element to mix in at the forward spot against most teams.
It seems straightforward that the Clippers will use Zubac to guard Nikola Jokic and Dunn to guard Jamal Murray. That leaves one of Harden, Powell, or Leonard to chase around Michael Porter Jr. on the perimeter, battle with Aaron Gordon’s inside-out game, and keep an eye on Christian Braun in transition and cutting often.
Denver’s first pressure point is to force the Clippers to commit more than Zubac and Dunn to guarding Jokic and Murray. They can do that through elite execution of the two-man game, using off-ball actions to switch the matchups, and by getting those defenders into foul trouble.
Off the bench, Derrick Jones Jr. is another capable defender who will spend time on Murray trying to close the airspace he generates on his dribble moves. Nicolas Batum is a versatile veteran that can mix and match. He will be paramount to LA’s success in certain instances.
If the Nuggets can score on an elite defense, it lessens the pain of them likely struggling to contain the Clippers three scorers consistently.
If Denver CAN’T score consistently, this will be a short series.
Uncharted Territory
The Clippers are the perfect first round matchup for the Nuggets because it should let them figure out who they are and what they can trust fairly quickly. The Clippers aren’t going to overwhelm the Nuggets physically but will instead try to outmaneuver them tactically by getting players in foul trouble, picking on individual weaknesses, and playing a savvy game.
It’s a great opportunity (or a potential pitfall) for the Nuggets to figure out how best to use their bench. Russell Westbrook is a pretty straightforward piece in how best to use in this series. It’s a revenge opportunity for him, facing the team that traded him for scraps this offseason. If Westbrook can avoid taking things too personally and apply the tactical plan the Nuggets need, he could still fill the Bruce Brown role the Nuggets have long needed as another ball handler that can hit the occasional big shot, set the table for teammates, and play with attitude and controlled aggression.
If it’s not Westbrook, it better be third-year wing Peyton Watson, who has been waiting for an opportunity just like this one to shine on a big stage with a big role. The Nuggets may need to put Michael Porter Jr. on the bench at times to add another defender to the mix. Can Watson play a mature enough game to handle the pressures of a playoff environment? Can he defend James Harden and Kawhi Leonard without fouling? That’s a tall task, but if Watson is serious about the opportunity, he will take it and run.
How David Adelman deploys the starters, staggers lineups, picks and chooses which bench guys to trust, and manages the pressure of coaching will be very interesting to see. It will be Adelman’s first time in this environment with his hands on the wheel, going against Ty Lue, a notoriously great coach at in-game adjustments and tactical advantages.
The Nuggets can’t just rely on Jokic and Murray to get them through. They have to take some risks with the rest of their squad. If those risks pay off, then Denver can win this series. If they backfire, Denver loses, or Jokic simply averages 44 minutes per game. It’s that simple.
Whatever the case, the Clippers are a stellar first round opponent to have to face. They’re really good. Some have called them the second best team in the West with how they’ve handled the end of the year. If Denver can get through them, it would inevitably set them up for a matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the next round.
One series, one game, one quarter, at a time.
Nuggets matchup with Los Angeles Clippers will test Denver early Mile High Sports.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Nuggets matchup with Los Angeles Clippers will test Denver early )
Also on site :