Nuggets Disappointing Season Continues, Offseason Changes Needed
The Denver Nuggets have been a disappointment this season. Hopes of returning to the playoffs again this season have gone by the wayside. The team continues to lose on a regular basis and this season has turned into one to just forget.
The team lost a number of top players and its head coach during the offseason, but was expected to be highly competitive this season and qualify for one of the eight spots in the Western Conference for the postseason.
A number of odds makers had the club finishing as the No. 7 seed with a record of 42-40.
The West has proved too tough this season for the Nuggets and the losses of Head Coach George Karl and players Andre Iguodala, Kosta Koufos and Corey Brewer have affected the team more than anyone would have thought.
However, the biggest loss might be the injured Danilo Gallinari who has missed the entire season with a knee injury. His scoring ability would have kept Denver in close games and allowed them to open up games for easier wins against lesser quality opponents.
Denver currently is 27-34 and in the 11th spot in the conference standings 9 games out of the 8th and final spot. With 21 games to play, their chances of a postseason are next to impossible.
Last season the Nuggets played just one style and that was up-tempo, high-octane and up and down the court. They used that style to their advantage when playing at home in the high altitude.
Fast forward to this season and the new head coach has been talking a different style. Brian Shaw wants his Nuggets to play a half court offense and put more emphasis on the defense.
Shaw has also tried to push his authoritative style onto his players. However, that has rubbed a few the wrong way with the most notable being veteran Andre Miller.
It must be said however, that there are veterans playing for Denver that fully support their head coach.
Some who do not agree with Shaw and have struggled under his tutelage remain. One in particular is Kenneth Faried. The power forward has become a favorite of the fans and has a huge upside, as he is a tough rebounder and offensive force in the paint.
Besides the problems with the players adjusting to the style of play preferred by Shaw, the team has also suffered from the injury bug.
Gallinari as mentioned before has missed all season. JaVale McGee played just five games to start the season before being lost. McGee has not returned from a fractured left tibia, and Gallinari had an experimental ACL surgery that backfired, which caused him to have a second surgery.
Besides McGee and Gallinari, the Nuggets lost Nate Robinson to an ACL tear around mid season. Ty Lawson has had a series of different nagging injuries. He recently missed a handful games due to a rib problem.
The Nuggets need to overhaul their roster. The team needs to work on having a strong draft and attempt to sign some free agents. The Nuggets have the talented Faried, McGee or both whom could bring in great new talent if traded.
Regardless of how the team goes about making an overhaul, they must do so to move forward and become a legitimate contender for the NBA title.
