Stan

@Johnny142504 Include the medical staff as well. How does a team suffer so many major long term injuries in a span of a season?

Denver’s season did not end simply because Jamal Murray had a bad game. Yes, Murray struggled badly. Jaden McDaniels basically took him out of rhythm, and Denver needed much more from its second option. But to me, the bigger issue was the coaching staff. Minnesota was missing Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo, Ayo Dosunmu and Kyle Anderson, and still eliminated Denver. How? Energy, physicality, second chances, and attacking Denver’s weak defensive structure. The Timberwolves shot only 24.1% from three. And they still won by 12. Why? Because they grabbed 19 offensive rebounds. Denver had only 6. That is the game. That is the series. This was a classic “second-chance points beat you” game. If Denver secures the defensive glass, a lot of those possessions are gone. Instead, Minnesota kept extending possessions, kept attacking the paint, and kept turning hustle into offense. I know many people will blame Murray. I get it. But Denver’s problem was bigger than one cold-shooting guard. Their first line of defense was bad all series. Jaden McDaniels said it before, and he was right. Denver’s defense was vulnerable. Tonight McDaniels scored 32, and Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 24 in a surprise start. That should not happen to a team trying to survive an elimination game. And this is why I am disappointed in Denver’s coaching staff. They never seriously tried a bigger lineup. They never really tried to protect Jokic with another big next to him. Double-big lineups are not dead in today’s NBA. OKC has Chet and Hartenstein. San Antonio has Wembanyama and Kornet. New York can play KAT with Mitchell Robinson. Orlando often has multiple 6’10-plus players on the floor. It does not have to be your main system. But in a series where your first line of defense keeps breaking, Jokic keeps getting pulled into actions, and you are getting destroyed on the glass, you have to at least try something bigger. Denver had options. Jonas Valančiūnas was on the bench. Zeke Nnaji was on the bench. But the Nuggets kept leaning into smaller lineups with wings and guards around Jokic, hoping offense would solve everything. It did not. Minnesota won this game with offensive rebounds, paint pressure, physicality and second chances. Denver lost because it never truly solved the defensive and rebounding problem. Murray was bad. But the bigger failure was Denver’s staff refusing to seriously address the paint. That is why their season is over.

@CelaMortadela @DOC323123 I like donovon

@DOC323123 Billy Donovan or Tom Thibodeau, maybe Mike Budenholzer

I think Frank Vogel should be a real candidate for the Nuggets job innovative defensive coach. A vet who is good at setting the floor for a team. And I think a guy with something to prove and would be happy to coach a guy like Jokic after being scapegoated for 2 failed big 3s

@AndrewDBailey Removing malone is still the right call, but replacing him with DA is definitely a downgrade. They should have searched outside the organization instead of promoting from within.

I still think you can defend the Michael Porter Jr.-Cameron Johnson trade (maybe not easily, but still). The Nuggets canning Michael Malone (instead of just Calvin Booth) and turning their noses up at Russell Westbrook looks terrible today.

@rxmart2 This has been going on for years. Den's championship chances cannot be solely based on ducking the wolves. If anything, figuring out the wolves will bring them back to that championship level.

I think this is an overreaction to a series where the opponent is tailor-made to defend you and you're missing the two guys who can break that on both ends. When AG was healthy these weren't issues, not even in this series.

@philfanacc Until denver figures out the wolves, i believe this statement as well

now that the series over I can say for a fact Denver only got a ring in 2023 cus Naz wrist was broke n Jaden hand was broke. who can tell me different lmfao

@dbarrett24 I blame the coaching staff. Nobody can ever be developed in denver. They want all player to play only a certain way. That is why many den players thrive after leaving the nuggets.

If Jokic had athletes like the Wolves around him...can you imagine the dimes, the cuts, the leak outs??! The motion. And the no one popping the paint bubble, and if they are Jokic has help D? Ah Tim why couldn't you build that here? Why did you get Facu Campazzo?

@nuggetsfan9717 If the injury is the problem, then it is the coaching and medical staff's problem. Y get him back if he clearly is not good to go? It is either a convenient excuse for CB or bad decision making by the coach and medical staff. CB's strength is his hustle which is clearly gone

I kind of feel bad. He tore ligaments in his foot and should’ve been out for the season. Everyone blaming him and he’s honestly not the problem. Give him a summer to be healthy and he will be back. Go see pwats shooting coach too

@BobbyMlRE Jamal can still work and his contract honestly untradeable. Just have to get rid of the CB and zeke contract to give room for roster flexibility

tbh I dont really see us trading Jamal or anything crazy like that

@TEENSONACID @BrendanVogt Uhly truth is that jmac has jamal's number. It has been the case for 2-3years now. The only year the denver won it all was when twolves lost jmac and reid to injuries. Wolves are really the biggest denver obstacle every year.

@BrendanVogt he carried this team all damn year long. When he needed help the most, they let him down. My heart breaks for Jamal

Jamal Murray: “If I played a little better, I feel like we win that game...” “…l take accountability for it. It was a rough night.”

@CTFazio24 Totally agree. As good as the two man game is, they need other options as the two man game is much easier to cover when you know it is always coming. Having other options keeps the defenses guessing

My overarching takeaway is that the Nuggets two man game of Murray/Jokić is no longer potent enough to where the surrounding players need to fit in and play a role. The Nuggets need to find players willing to stand out, rather than be a contributor to the system

@13assan @JMurrayWrld It gives more motivation for guards and forwards to try to beat their man more when they know no one is waiting for them at the rim. Unlike wolves with rudy, denver guards are not as motivated to take it to the rim against the wolves.

@stan1128 @JMurrayWrld Can’t protect the rim if your guards give slashers free access to the paint 24/7.

Not a single adjustment to a Terrance Shannon HB dive the entire game. This is genuinely hilarious

@danman2_u @NuggetsLead Which is why he has to be paired witha rim protecting Center

@stan1128 @NuggetsLead He can't be all, rim protector, best assist maker, always scores 20+. He has no help from anyone. He's also 30+.

Who deserves the most blame for the uvgetd disappointing first round exit?

@desouzaa101 @SleeperNuggets I still like bruce, but not as a ball handler. He is a defensive specialist who occasionally gives you 5 to 10 pts. Which he has done all season. Only problem is DA loves the small ball lineup which puts bruce guarding bigger players

@SleeperNuggets Naaaah stand on it yall was hyping Bruce brown championship dna right 😂

Cb gotta go Bruce brown gotta go Big Val gotta go Zeke Nnaji will never go

@SleeperNuggets CB and zeke cause of their contracts. We got bruce cheap. And val was never really utilized well by DA. If anything fans raved about val in the start of the season when he got playing time.

@rio__suave @NuggetsLead ...gets to shout at refs and not get T'd up. But quiet players who suddenly complain will get T'd up. It's a reputation league, so joker better accept that calls won't go his way and learn to play thru that. Min knows that too well which is why they always get under his skin

@rio__suave @NuggetsLead I don't think he burned out. It's more his attitude trying to correct the calls of the referee. Nba is a reputation league. If you don't get the calls, you will never get the calls even if you whine. And players who get the calls will always get it. Same as techs, draymond...

@NuggetsLead ...needs to bring a rim protector alongside joker. It's easy for other teams to beat them now, beat the primary defender and you are free to go straight to the hoop. Which is why the wolves could survive even without 3 key players. Anyone in the wolves team can drive against den.

@NuggetsLead Everyone deserves blame. Braun has been non-existent. Jamal, as good as he was this season, is just not on the same level as all stars, nobody in the league should be able to stop you one on one in the nba if your are a superstar. Joker is not a rim protector so nuggets....

@VicLombardi Hard pill to swallow but Jamal has been afraid of Jmac since the denver got upset in the 2nd round 2 years ago. He doesn't have the same confidence playing jmac compared to him playing other defenders.

Jamal Murray not shooting when he turns the corner for some reason.