Appreciate the thoughtful essay. I’m not much of an X’s and O’s person, so I’m dying for someone to do a detailed video breakdown of the Nuggets’ defense. Illustrate the difference between stretches where they defend well vs when they stink. Talk about what exactly it is that makes it so difficult — or even impossible? — for them to muster the necessary effort consistently. (I hear it said a lot that the way they play defense is too tiring for 48 minutes a night all season long, but I don’t understand why that is.)
Anyway, I realize this is a big request that would entail a lot of work, but the defense seems to be the thing that defines what the team will achieve in a given season these days. Studying it and explaining it strikes me as a worthy endeavor.
I’m not sure which is the bigger issue right now for the Nuggets: The physical exhaustion, or the mental one. I’d argue for the latter, since they’ve had so, so many breakdowns in communication. that compounds already limited defensive personnel. More effort and focus would help, without a doubt, but it’s just not coming from this roster right now.
What frustrates fans is that we’ve seen the core four (yes even MPJ at times) play elite defense, fly around, be on a string. We’ve maybe seen it a handful of times this season. And with AG unable to get healthy for any extended stretch, I doubt we’ll see it the rest of the year
Appreciate the thoughtful essay. I’m not much of an X’s and O’s person, so I’m dying for someone to do a detailed video breakdown of the Nuggets’ defense. Illustrate the difference between stretches where they defend well vs when they stink. Talk about what exactly it is that makes it so difficult — or even impossible? — for them to muster the necessary effort consistently. (I hear it said a lot that the way they play defense is too tiring for 48 minutes a night all season long, but I don’t understand why that is.)
Anyway, I realize this is a big request that would entail a lot of work, but the defense seems to be the thing that defines what the team will achieve in a given season these days. Studying it and explaining it strikes me as a worthy endeavor.
I’m not sure which is the bigger issue right now for the Nuggets: The physical exhaustion, or the mental one. I’d argue for the latter, since they’ve had so, so many breakdowns in communication. that compounds already limited defensive personnel. More effort and focus would help, without a doubt, but it’s just not coming from this roster right now.
What frustrates fans is that we’ve seen the core four (yes even MPJ at times) play elite defense, fly around, be on a string. We’ve maybe seen it a handful of times this season. And with AG unable to get healthy for any extended stretch, I doubt we’ll see it the rest of the year