Style matters to the Nuggets, and we’re not talking the latest pair of skinny jeans.
At issue: Should the Nuggets be a running team? Are they even equipped to be?
The short answer is, no, they aren’t.
Not in the way they were two seasons ago. It’s not possible with this configuration of players, especially given the health issues of some of them. The speed of the athletes isn’t as fast; it’s really not even close to that team two years ago. The hands to dig out steals haven’t been as quick and harassing.
It’s an identity that should be put to bed — at least for this season.
And for those on the inside, it essentially has been shelved. The coaching staff doesn’t have a romanticized view of running teams off the court in the way fans and media who have watched this team for the last decade still cling to.
This team is in style limbo. It’s a mix between those fast-paced Nuggets and a slower, more half court-oriented team. It’s the reason they can, on occasion, get out and be effective in the fast break. But it’s also the reason they can’t sustain that for a full game or, say, three games during a typical NBA week.
And it’s OK.
Running can work for the Nuggets if they are opportunistic on the break and continue to improve offensively and in their half-court defense. Get used to fast-break points averaging around 15, rather than the 19 of a couple of seasons ago. These Nuggets still get a ton of possessions per game, so they’ve been able to keep the pace high even if those possessions aren’t the result of traps and steals and fast-break layups and dunks.
Missing from the Nuggets is the hit-ahead pass, a delivery made to appear easy by Andre Miller.
Also missing are a few of the devastating athletes who were explosive to the rim and finished with dunks. Andre Iguodala and Corey Brewer were at the head of this class, and when you combined them with Kenneth Faried filling the lane and a lighter — and healthier — JaVale McGee, you had overwhelming speed in the open court. Even center Kosta Koufos was good at running the court.
Not only does this team lack that overall speed, but with the exception of Faried, the players who have speed are dealing with ailments that are robbing them of some of it. Ty Lawson is still plenty fast. But compare video of him in 2012 to now, and you’ll see a distinct difference. The assortment of nagging lower-body ailments he is playing through has had an impact.
And for Lawson, this time around, there’s no role reversal. He was a huge part of the running in the past because he was able to leak out himself — especially in lineups with Miller — fill a lane and finish at the rim. And no one, but no one, could keep up with Lawson in the open court.
Now, that has completely changed. He’s the trigger man, a big difference in responsibility, which has stripped some of the “beep beep” out of his game. The flip side is he’s also a smarter player, knows his way around an offensive set better and knows how best to set up his teammates.
But the future roster question facing the Nuggets is this: Do they get back into finding “run” athletes and teach those players to also play solid half-court offense? Or do they abandon that plan completely and stockpile athletes who can get out and run but are more adept at half-court play?
Style is at stake.
Christopher Dempsey: cdempsey@denverpost.com or
