Smash---- You owe me a beer

[thebigabd]

Denver Nuggets starting Nurkic and Jokic, as predicted. They should also be 2-0, but they absolutely gave a game to the Blazers away last night. Blazers had no business winning that game.

• Nurkic is averaging 17.5 points and 9 rebounds per game in 24 minutes.
• Jokic is averaging 14 points and 12 rebounds per game in 27 minutes.

To be fair, while they start together the Nuggets throw a lot of looks out there. For example, Nurkic had 23/9 and didn't play any in the 4th quarter the other night. They move Gallo around, bring in Faried, slide Jokic to center, etc. They switch from Twin Towers to Small Ball and back and forth throughout the game so far.

Point guard is killing this team.. Mudiay is so horrible it's not even funny. He was statistically, the worst starting PG in the NBA last year, and I don't know that changes this year.

Like last year, his stat line does not tell the story. He is a turnover machine, averaging more turnovers than assists, he's shooting 30% from the field, which is horrible. He rebounds well and shoots free throws well, but just can't finish, can't shoot, and can't stop turning the ball over.

With Gallo, Jokic, Nurkic, Harris, and Barton this team doesn't need Mudiay.. They don't need that "style" of player. Too bad Harris can't run the point. Surely he wouldn't be worse than Mudiay.

If Denver had a rock solid, not star, but rock solid point guard like a Goran Dragic kinda guy they would be in much better shape.

 

[Smash Williams]

I thought I just argued that it wouldn't be a great fit.

Jokic and Nurkic have played 28 minutes together. Denver has a 100.3 offensive rating and 111.5 defensive rating in those minutes. Minuscule sample size with a ton of noise, but it also doesn't refute my argument.

I think Malone is a good coach, but I don't think it's an optimal pairing. At the very least, I would minimize the number of minutes they play together.

As bad as Mudiay has been, you have to live with it. Short-term they would be better off with a more reliable PG, but long-term the Nuggets desperately need a star. Mudiay has a higher ceiling than anyone else on the roster, so they have to give him every chance to play through growing pains.

 

[thebigabd]

I thought I just argued that it wouldn't be a great fit.

Jokic and Nurkic have played 28 minutes together. Denver has a 100.3 offensive rating and 111.5 defensive rating in those minutes. Minuscule sample size with a ton of noise, but it also doesn't refute my argument.

I think Malone is a good coach, but I don't think it's an optimal pairing. At the very least, I would minimize the number of minutes they play together.

As bad as Mudiay has been, you have to live with it. Short-term they would be better off with a more reliable PG, but long-term the Nuggets desperately need a star. Mudiay has a higher ceiling than anyone else on the roster, so they have to give him every chance to play through growing pains.

I agree with you on the lineup.. its unfortunate, but both players play their best when they are the "5"... Jokic didn't produce a ton until they slid him to the 5 the other night and had Nurkic on the bench, then he came up with 23/17... But Nurkic is capable of similar numbers.

Not sure who you trade to get better at other positions if they can't play together. Could they work some kind of deal to trade Nurkic somewhere for a high level PF to play alongside Jokic. I assume they would decide to keep Jokic and trade Nurkic in that scenario.

 

[Smash Williams]

I don't know what they could get for Nurkic. As talented as he is, centers don't have as much trade value as they did several years ago, unless they're freak athletes--or at least athletic enough to switch onto smaller players--or can pass and shoot at a high level. Traditional centers still get monster contracts because teams have to spend that money on something since there's a salary floor, but they don't fetch as much in trades because there's simply less demand for that type of player.

Given that Nurkic is only in his third year, there shouldn't be an urgency to move him now. Experimenting with Jokic-Nurkic lineups this year is fine--even if it costs you a few games--if it helps you evaluate whether or not that pairing can work in the long run. If it doesn't appear to be the case, then you trade him next summer--a year before he becomes a restricted FA.