In a surprising turn of events, the Denver Nuggets fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Semifinals. Despite their strong performance during the regular season, the Nuggets faced a consistent issue in their losses: a lack of scoring.
Denver Nuggets: The Scoring Struggle
Critics and fans alike have speculated on the reasons behind the Denver Nuggets’ failure, but the key factor was undeniable. Even head coach Michael Malone couldn’t avoid the hard truth. “As I said all series long, are we going to be able to score enough in this series? Once again, in the four losses we couldn’t score,” Malone admitted.
A Tale of Two Halves
The scoring disparity was stark, with the Nuggets averaging around 85 points per game in their four losses compared to 115 in their three wins. Malone highlighted the shift in momentum during the games. “We had it going, Jamal had it going in the first half, we scored.
Obviously, at halftime they picked up their aggression, ran off of our misses, they became aggressive. In the second half, they totally dominated the glass,” Malone explained.
Game-by-Game Breakdown
Here’s a look at the Denver Nuggets’ scoring in each of their losses against the Timberwolves:
- Game 1: 99 points
- Game 2: 80 points
- Game 6: 70 points
- Game 7: 90 points
Role Players and Bench Depth
The root cause of these scoring struggles could be attributed to a combination of factors. Role players not showing up consistently and starters getting fatigued due to a lack of bench depth were significant issues. Malone and the Denver Nuggets will need to address these problems as they prepare for next season.
The Denver Nuggets‘ journey in the playoffs ended sooner than expected, but the lessons learned from their defeats will be crucial for their future success. With a focus on improving their scoring consistency and strengthening their bench, the Denver Nuggets aim to come back stronger next season.
