Detailed numbers can be added, but base statistics tell the story with the same accuracy.
Lately, that tale is of the Nuggets’ offense humming about as well as it has all season.
Getting right to the stats: In their past six games, the Nuggets have averaged a very 1980s Nuggets-like 112.5 points per game on 47.1 percent shooting (36 percent accuracy on 3-point attempts). Contrasting that with the team’s season numbers, they represent significant improvement. For the season the Nuggets (27-38) are averaging 101.9 points on 44 percent shooting (33.7 percent accuracy on 3-point attempts).
Advanced stats say the same — the Nuggets are rolling recently on the offensive end.
Why the improvement?
“Lately it’s the ability to value and share it,” coach Michael Malone said. “I think we’re doing a good job of playing with great pace. But when you don’t beat yourself, it’s amazing what can happen. Now, we’re attacking. The other thing I like is that we’re living in the paint, we’re getting a lot of points in the other team’s paint. We’re not settling.
“Obviously, all year long we have not been a great shooting team, we’ve been somewhat streaky. But don’t settle, attack, get to the basket, get to the foul line and continue to share the ball for the best shot. And I think we’ve been doing a pretty good job of that lately.”
Nuggets Mailbag:
There is one other eye-opening aspect to the Nuggets’ recent offensive surge: They have done all of this without injured leading scorer Danilo Gallinari.
“You look at our offensive numbers, I’d like to take a poll,” Malone said. “Who would have thought we’d put up the kind of numbers we’re putting up without Gallo in the lineup? And that just speaks to our running, our attacking, our defense and our valuing and sharing the basketball. We need to continue to do that regardless of where we play or who we play.”
The biggest beneficiaries of additional offensive opportunities appear to be rookie point guard Emmanuel Mudiay and second-year shooting guard Gary Harris. Mudiay is Denver’s top scorer in this stretch of games, with Harris close behind.
Mudiay is averaging 19.3 points on 44.8 percent shooting. Harris is tied with forward Kenneth Faried at 16.0 points per game in the past six. Harris is shooting a sizzling 50.7 percent from the field and 34.4 percent from 3-point range.
Harris sees a lot of what Malone sees in the Denver offense.
“I think we’re sharing the ball and getting stops on the defensive end, getting out and running and getting easy baskets,” he said.
Harris thinks the Nuggets’ gradual improvement is just the natural order of getting regular repetitions during the long NBA season. “It’s just all about progressing, just getting more comfortable and being more confident out there for sure,” Harris said. “I just sense that from everybody on the team right now.”
Christopher Dempsey: cdempsey@denverpost.com or @dempseypost
WASHINGTON AT DENVER 7:30 p.m., ALT; 950 AM
Spotlight on John Wall:
John Wall has again put together a solid season as leader of the Wizards, and in the last few weeks has turned up his play even more. Going into the Wizards game at Utah on Friday night, Wall had averaged 21.2 points, 9.9 assists, 6.2 rebounds and 1.7 steals in his previous 18 games. A consistent stat-stuffer, Wall has 14 games this season of at least 20 points, 10 assists and five rebounds.
NOTEBOOK
Nuggets:
The Nuggets come into Saturday night’s game looking to finish this seven-game homestand with a 5-2 record. “That would be completing our goal, 6-1 or 5-2,” shooting guard Gary Harris said. “We’ve just got to go out there and do it.”
Wizards:
It hasn’t been the kind of season the Wizards had hoped to have coming off one in which they advanced to the second round of the NBA playoffs. Washington, hurt by injuries and ineffectiveness, has struggled all season. This is the third and final game of this road trip for the Wizards, who played on Friday night at Utah. Washington is 5-9 in the second of back-to-backs this season. … J.J. Hickson returns to Denver with the Wizards. He was acquired by Washington after being waived by the Nuggets after the trade deadline.
Christopher Dempsey, The Denver Post
