You may as well get them too. Only had to put down $100 bucks a month to support the team.
I wonder, "What is the Denver Lineup for 2018?" The team really needs to clarify our pecking order.
2018 Goal: Win the Northwest Division
Nuggets will need to go on long win streaks during the season. This also speaks to coaching. Where are the 10 games winning streaks? Where is the 38-3 home record at Pepsi Center? Where are the 4-1 roadtrips? The answer is coaching.
We were 6-10 versus the Northwest Division last season. That speaks to poor coaching. Malone has absolutely got to improve this record in 2018. If we don't beat our own division, then how can we defeat the whole NBA? OKC had beat us 7 times in a row. Portland beat us 2-1 and finished one game ahead of us in the standings.
The best Nuggets teams have owned the Jazz and Timberwolves. Specifically Mason Plumblee has to play well versus Rudy Golbert, Karl Anthony Towns, Steven Adams and Jusef Nurkic.
Starting 5
Our starters are going to be fast tempo lineup offensively; featuring a defensive emphasis on steals and deflections. Do some reaching on drives, try to disrupt the crossover dribble 30 feet from the basket. Use their hands, long arms to fast break.
2nd unit features Mudiay, Gallo, Wilson and Farid. It is a more under control lineup. Runs more sets on offense leading to more spot-up 3point attempts. Our 2nd unit players are actually going to be paid higher salary than our starters. That should actually motivate this group to come off the bench. These players need to be the ones who are truly invested in clarifying our pecking order.
Jamal and Gary are our starting Guards -
Jamal Murray, PG - he is 6-1 as a starter in 2017. Very notable. Need to have high rebounds per games like Russell Westbrook. Stays healthy playing all 82 games as a rookie. Open up the games with his drives like Ty Lawson.
Gary Harris, SG - going to be the defensive ace. Spot up 3s and cutting.
Barton and Juancho are our starting wings. Synergy - Juancho's brother is named "Willy"
Will Barton, SF - Play Barton 39 minutes per game and challenge him to average 24 points per game as our 1-on-1 guy. Barton averaged 1.29 points per possession when he went iso, putting him in the 98th percentile in the league. Source Barton said a weird quote around game 70 when he was taken out of the lineup after losing to Portland: "We have to decide what kind of team we are going to be." Well Will, show us what Nuggets basketball is then. Barton wants to be our ironman in his contract year. Can you be better than CJ McCullem? Barton needs to be the Portland trade that we won, Tim Connelly.
Juancho Hernangomez, PF - Nuggets need to see him average 28 minutes per game in a Corey Brewer/Trevor Ariza roll. Expect him to make a big jump this season believing he is a starter at 22 years old. Going to have to get rebounds. Play defense on the Anthony Davis, Andrew Wiggins types. Last season he really struggled to bring it every night - almost like you could tell Juancho was a tourist when we were on roadtrips. He had games where he was not impacting the game coming off the bench, like play 8 minutes, 0 points, 0 rebounds. Instead I promote making him a starter. If he scores 17 points per game it will be better than if Gallo scored that many because Juancho has the athleticism to be more of a 2 way player.
Nikola Jokic, C - Our highest jersey seller #15. Needs to shoot more 18 foot jumpers like Dirk, not 3 pointers. He intends to get better conditioning and strength in 2018.
Bench Backcourt
Overall our team has very big guards, all 6'4" or taller.
Emmanuel Mudiay, Malik Beasley - This is our 2nd unit. Just like Manuel High school in Denver had to close down for one year to regroup (too many bad kids), Emmanuel had to regroup for one month last season (too many bad shots.) The starting guards are likely to get injured (being young ages) so these guys need to be prepared to start 20 games in 2018. Emmanuel is in a lot better physical shape. Needs to pattern his game after Jason Kidd type, meaning a "fill up the stat sheet" type. He needs to be really greedy about shooting a high free throw percentage and making open jumpshots.
Bench Wings
Danilo Gallinari - This season he is our 7th man. The reason our defense was ranked 29th in the NBA is because Gallo is literally the "Denver Stiff." The first word is "Denver" he is our Alpha leader. The 2nd word is Stiff because he can hardly move laterally. His game compares to Kyle Korver - spot up 3s off the bench. He is the focal point on offense from 3:00 minutes remaining in the 1st quarter to the 9:00 minutes mark in the 2nd quarter. Trying to get him 13 points per game with at least four 3point attempts per game. Sign him to an extension for the next 5 years until he is 33 years old. He knows how to show the young guys what Nuggets basketball is.
Wilson Chandler - Defensive stopper. Roll player.
Kenneth Farid - He is our 6th man. Get him in 6 minutes into the 1st quarter sub out Juancho. Kenneth and Gallo are going to play minutes together on the 2nd unit.
Petr Cornelie - PF a rookie from France
Bench Center
Mason Plumblee - Here for foul trouble. Here for size.
Bench Veterans
Jameer Nelson - scouting reports for the guards (at least he has tape of playing the whole league in 2017. So teach Mudiay and Murray how to approach all the opponents this season.
Mike Miller - shooting coach
Darrell Arthur - practice player. Work to improve Juancho.
