Will the Denver Nuggets Still Win the West?

About a month ago, I debuted this blog. The vast majority of my views on that day and for many days following were focused on a post I titled, “Why the Denver Nuggets Will Win the West”. Today, I am seemingly the laughing stock of the world as the Nuggets sit with a 10-10 record (on pace for an even 41-41 record for those of you who couldn’t do the math) and have played overwhelmingly average. They are 7^th in the Western Conference standings and are already 5½ games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Midwest Division, while allowing an astoundingly high 100.5 points per game.

George Karl with a familiar look of disappointment

Yes, there is reason for alarm at this current time but let me say this: I AM NOT BACKING DOWN FROM MY INITIAL STATEMENT!! I believe with all my heart that the Denver Nuggets will still win the Western Conference. Remember, I never said that the Nuggets would be 1^st place in the Western Conference at the end of the season. But I do believe they will be representing the West in the NBA Finals.

Any fan of basketball has to know that it is a game of runs. The Denver season has been evident of that, seemingly being a string of terrible games and then a string of great games. I still feel like the Nuggets’ big run is in the works and will begin late in the season.

What I will do is list my top 3 reasons that have led Denver to be in the position that they are in now. But before I begin I have one last thing to say.

Any of you idiots who have uttered the words in life, on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, or whatever, “George Karl sux” or “Fire George Karl” need to sit down. Where were you last season during the playoffs when the Nuggets were taking the Lakers to Game 7? All you fair weather fans need to realize that just because everything isn’t going YOUR way you are not justified in all of a sudden deeming yourself the smartest basketball fan and call for someone to lose their job. I don’t hear ANY of the players even remotely hinting at any discomfort with George Karl’s coaching and if anyone were to be vocal about it, it’d be the players.

Top 3 Reason the Nuggets are Struggling

#1) Danilo Gallinari- In hindsight, Gallinari’s stats have been what Denver expected. 15.2 points per game, 6.1 rebounds per game, and 2.8 assists per game. But taking a closer look in how he is getting those points is a little alarming. Gallo is putting up about 13 shots per game, while only making around 5. His FG% this season is an abysmal .375, and from 3-point range he is even more dreadful (.286). The stats are impressive, but the efficiency is lacking.

#2) Ty Lawson- Much like Gallinari, Lawson received a huge contract right before the season began and he is now underperforming. The stats are there (13.8 points per game, 7.0 assists per game, 2.5 rebounds per game, 2.0 steals per game) but the efficiency is not. Lawson is shooting .413 from the field while putting up 13 shots per game and his free throw percentage is a pathetic .603. He is often struggling to get into the paint and finish his layups, which I find to be completely mental. If you received a $48 million contract, I think you’d feel a little pressure too.

Lawson has struggled thus far

#3) The Nuggets can’t close out games on the road. Denver is an impressive 5-1 at the Pepsi Center with that one loss being a nail-biter (98-93 finish) against the defending champs, the Miami Heat. But on the road, the Nuggets are a very below average 5-9. Other than the embarrassing blowouts against the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio, Denver is losing road games by an average of 6 points per game. The inability to close out these very necessary and winnable games is a little alarming. What may be more alarming is that the Nuggets did in fact lose to San Antonio by 26 and LA by 19. Those teams are the teams that I am claiming Denver will beat in the playoffs, and unfortunately not all playoff games are going to be played in the Pepsi Center.

The Nuggets can still rise above the early struggles

Do I believe that the Denver Nuggets can right the ship? Absolutely. Our bench has looked promising all season long. JaVale McGee has shown signs of being an absolute monster. Iguodala is still just learning the ropes in Denver and has still been impressive at most times. Kenneth Faried is beginning to emerge as an All-Star in the NBA. And Wilson Chandler, a potent scoring option with height, has dealt with a hip injury all season long. Things still look promising for this young team. Don’t give up on them yet. They will win the West!