The post-Carmelo Denver Nuggets have a chance to make one of the most important statements about NBA basketball in decades. Sure, the 2004 Detroit Pistons proved you don’t need a superstar to win a championship, but the Pistons played an unsightly style of basketball in which they limited possessions and maximized the defensive dominance of Ben Wallace.
Had the Pistons model caught on, the game would have taken a huge step back.
The Nuggets don’t have a stout shot-blocking presence like Wallace, but they have 10 guys capable of moving their feet and contesting shots. The Nuggets play physical, but they don’t need to muck the game up with overt holding. Their success on defense, with athleticism and cohesion, is the same reason they have success on offense.
They don’t have a player who can consistently create his own shot, but they have 10 who are capable of making the correct offensive play off penetration. And while Raymond Felton and Ty Lawson aren’t great passers, they consistently beat their defenders off the dribble and in pick and rolls. With a plethora of slashers and shooters, it’s apparent that the Nuggets’ success and style of play can be sustained through the playoffs.
Reach the Nuggets hopeful at nick.ruland@asu.edu
