The Nuggets returned from a long road trip with an unhappy homecoming Friday at Ball Arena.
Denver committed numerous costly turnovers and allowed the New Orleans Pelicans to shoot 56% in a 113-105 Nuggets defeat. Late heroics from Nikola Jokic with 10 fourth-quarter points weren’t enough to mask the mistakes. Denver (28-24) will aim to end its current three-game slide Sunday against the visiting Brooklyn Nets.
“Just (bad) defense in general,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “In the third quarter they shot 65 (percent) and in the fourth quarter 73 (percent). Those are embarrassing numbers. Thatap not even remotely close to being a team that is giving forth the necessary effort on defense. When you do that and then turn it over, you’re not going to win.”
Denver and New Orleans entered the fourth tied, 82-82, with a packed but nervous Ball Arena crowd hopeful for a turning point. Jokic, back in the lineup after resting Wednesday at Utah, connected on multiple 3-pointers to keep the Nuggets in contention. But Denver’s sloppiness with seven turnovers in the final quarter sunk its chances. Three Pelicans finished with 20-plus points — Herbert Jones (25), Brandon Ingram (23) and Jaxson Hayes (22).
Jokic recorded a double-double with 25 points and 12 rebounds. The Nuggets’ scoring efforts were rounded out by Monte Morris (19) and Will Barton (17). Reserve forward Zeke Nnaji performed well off the bench with eight points, six rebounds and two blocks.
Denver returned to Ball Arena on Friday after the completion of a six-game road trip (finishing 4-2). Coming back to high altitude might have taken its toll early in the night. Denver maintained a slim advantage through halftime, 52-51, but fumbled away six turnovers in the process. New Orleans had zero trouble getting to the rim with 28 points in the paint at the break.
“Everybody says we have this Mile-High advantage with the altitude,” Malone said before the game. “But with as much as we’ve been out of town, there is no advantage with that. We’ll be gassed just like New Orleans. Hopefully, we can get readjusted and reacclimated to that as quickly as possible.”
The Nuggets did well to limit the scoring production of Ingram with Davon Reed given the main defensive assignment. Ingram shot 3 of 11 in the first half. But Denver proved helpless against Hayes — who made all nine of his shot attempts on the night.
The Nuggets were without injured power forward Aaron Gordon (hamstring). Reserve center DeMarcus Cousins (foot) was listed as active but did not play. JaMychal Green — with four fouls in 13 minutes — was Denver’s last big man off the bench.
“I not comfortable playing (Cousins) just yet,” Malone said. “I’m making sure he’s fully healthy and ready to go.”
The Ball Arena crowd included new Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett and offensive coordinator Justin Outten. The pair sat behind the Nuggets bench and received a large ovation when shown on the arena’s videoboard at halftime.
“We’re just going to tear it up,” Hackett told the crowd from behind a microphone. “Itap that simple.”
Outten added: “We’re going to score a lot of points.”
Impromptu videoboard halftime interview with Broncos HC Nathaniel Hackett and OC Justin Outten (Nuggets lead 52-51)
“We’re just going to tear it up. Itap that simple.”
“We’re going to score a lot of points.”
— Kyle Fredrickson (@kylefredrickson)
