Denver Nuggets Return Home for Four-Straight

The Denver Nuggets just finished their three game road trip, and they return home to host four-straight starting on Friday (11/20).

The Denver Nuggets embarked on a three game road trip after winning three-straight home games. With the three consecutive wins, the Nuggets’ record sat at 5-4 before they left for Phoenix to begin their trip. The Nuggets struggled to get anything going in their first game on the road, losing to the Phoenix Suns by a score of 105-81. Will Barton led the Nuggets in points (19), assists (four), and rebounds (12). With the Nuggets starting their road trip off on the wrong foot, they looked to improve in their next game.

After the blowout loss to the Phoenix Suns, the Denver Nuggets traveled to New Orleans to take on the struggling Pelicans. Before the matchup, the Pelicans won only one game and were losers of three straight. During the game, Anthony Davis left with an apparent shoulder injury, and he did not return to the court. The Nuggets took advantage of his absence, and they re-entered the win column after a disappointing start to their road trip. The Nuggets won 115-98 behind a strong performance for Danilo Gallinari. Gallinari posted team-highs in points (32), assists (eight), and rebounds (eight).

With the blowout win in New Orleans, the Denver Nuggets looked to carry that momentum into their final, of three, road game against the San Antonio Spurs. With the Nuggets entering the contest with a 6-5 record, that vaulted the team to seventh in the Western Conference; however, the Spurs proved to be too much for the young Nuggets squad. The Nuggets lost the game by a score of 109-98. Nikola Jokic came off the bench to provide a spark for the squad, registering 23 points and 12 rebounds; however, poor performances from Emmanuel Mudiay and Danilo Gallinari hurt the team dearly.

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The Denver Nuggets finished their road trip with a disappointing 1-2 record to fall back to .500 (6-6). Despite the poor showing on the road, the Denver Nuggets return home for four-straight games, starting with a rematch of the Phoenix Suns. The Suns blew out the Nuggets in their first matchup of the season, but the Nuggets look for revenge on Friday. Mudiay comes off of back-to-back poor shooting performances, and the team needs him to regain his stroke if they plan on being contenders for the duration of the season.

After Friday’s matchup against the Suns, the Denver Nuggets host the reigning NBA Champion Golden State Warriors. The Warriors are off to one of the best starts in history, sporting a 12-0 record thus far. The Nuggets will need to play flawless basketball to stand a chance at handing them their first loss. Stephen Curry started the season off on fire, and he looks to carry his team into Denver and take home the win. At nearly every position, the Warriors present matchup problems. Also, the Nuggets remain without two of their big men, Jusuf Nurkic and Joffrey Lauvergne. While the odds are not in the Nuggets’ favor, maybe they pull out a win at home.

The Denver Nuggets’ home stand does not get any easier after their matchup with the Warriors on Sunday (11/22). The Nuggets host the Los Angeles Clippers the following Tuesday (11/24), and the Clippers currently sit in fourth place in the Western Conference. With Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan, the Nuggets have a tough matchup on their hands and need their big men back healthy to provide depth against the Clippers’ starting frontcourt. While Chris Paul is among the NBA’s best point guard, Mudiay presents a tough matchup for Paul due to their difference in height and length.

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The last game of the Denver Nuggets’ home stand reveals the San Antonio Spurs coming to the Mile High City. With the Nuggets’ loss fresh on their mind, perhaps the team will have a better idea on how to approach their second matchup of the season. The matchup against the Spurs presents the third-straight tough matchup at home. The Nuggets need to find answers on how to approach the three-headed monster of LaMarcus Aldridge, Tim Duncan, and Kawhi Leonard. Hopefully, this time around, Gallinari and Mudiay put together better performances than the first go-round.

After playing four-straight at home, the Denver Nuggets hit the road again for a five game trip. While this home stand does not present a lot of favorable matchups, this home stand gives the Nuggets a test on what type of team they really are. Three of the four teams they face are guaranteed to make the playoffs, so if the Nuggets want to be a contender, the road to the playoffs runs through the better teams in the Western Conference. The Nuggets need strong performances across the board, especially from Kenneth Faried. Faried is the heart and soul of a young Nuggets team, and they rely on their All-Star big man for leadership.

Next: Denver Nuggets: Legitimate Playoff Contender?

Look for the Denver Nuggets to tipoff their four game home stand at 7pm (MST) on Friday (11/20) against the Suns. The Nuggets need to start their home stand off with a win to carry some momentum into their following three games. The Nuggets look better than advertised early on this season, but only time will tell if they are the real deal. The Nuggets will either sink or swim in these upcoming matchups. Be sure to pack the Pepsi Center and support your Denver Nuggets.

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