PHOENIX — Signs that it’s going to be a long night …
When there is a 22-4 run. When there is another 14-0 run after that.
When you shoot 1-of-14 from 3-point range to start a game.
When you have no assists in over 21 minutes of game time.
When you have “catch” responsibilities in pick-and-roll coverage and the guard blows by you to the rim for a layup anyway.
When one player, Eric Bledsoe, outscores your entire starting five through three quarters, 30-26.
The Nuggets’ 105-81 loss to Phoenix on Saturday at Talking Stick Resort Arena, snapping a three-game winning streak, was forgettable in a variety of areas. And, rest assured, the team will do its best to put it out of mind. Even Kenneth Faried was out for the entire second half becase of back spasms.
Still, Nuggets coach Michael Malone is sure to squeeze a lesson or two from it — and if he wants to hammer it, there is plenty to be learned.
The small sample size trend has to do with back-to-backs. This was the second one for the Nuggets this season, and the first half of both second legs went about the same.
The first was at Golden State on Nov. 6. In that first half, the Nuggets shot 15-of-44 from the field, including 3-of-11 from 3-point range. They were outrebounded by 18 and only had eight assists. They were down by 30 at the break, leading Malone to say he hated the way his team played that half.
Saturday was a replay. Worse in some respects.
The Nuggets were 11-of-50 from the field in the first half and 2-of-20 from 3-point range. They were outrebounded by 11 and had just one assist against 10 turnovers. And they trailed 60-28.
And though they played better offensively in the second half, defensively things remained porous and the game was never close.
The net effect is there is work to be done on the energy, and perhaps more importantly, the efficiency level, of the team on the second leg of back-to-backs. That work will immediately be put to the test in two days when the Nuggets have another back-to-back with the Pelicans and Spurs on consecutive nights.
Meanwhile, the Suns moved to 4-0 against teams playing the second of a back-to-back.
The Nuggets were led by Will Barton’s 19 points. Danilo Gallinari suffered through shooting struggles, scoring just eight points on 2-of-12 shooting. Emmanuel Mudiay added 13 points and Randy Foye 10.
Christopher Dempsey: cdempsey@denverpost.com or @dempseypost
