Denver Nuggets Continue to Struggle Losing to NOLA

The Denver Nuggets held on in a tough one, losing by 10 but not playing as poorly as that suggests.

Anthony Davis made up for missing the last game with an impressive 40 points in Saturday night’s win over the Denver Nuggets.  Maybe it’s less impressive if you hear actually 20 points and far too many trips to the free throw line. He went 20 for 21 at the line and that was just him.  The Pelicans went 31 of 34 for free throws.  That only sounds slightly absurd until you hear the Nuggets were 8 of 13.

Yes those numbers are correct.

It’s very difficult to look at a disparity in numbers like that and not feel like it was unfair. The Nuggets did not play their best but they didn’t play bad enough to lose by 10 in that game.

Nikola Jokic scored 25 points and had 10 rebounds and Gary Harris was good for 20 points as well.  Juan Hernangomez scored 20 with 11 rebounds.  Monte Morris and Jamal Murray scored 13 and 11 respectively.  So why did the Nuggets lose by 10?

I believe the answer lies in the whistle being blown at both ends, every possession.  I don’t think you should complain about officiating when you lose.  I hate flopping and still believe in good sportsmanship.  However 30 more attempts is far too many to seem reasonable.

I watched the game.  It was ridiculous.  It was difficult to discern where infractions could have even possibly happened.  The referees certainly didn’t have as keen an eye when looking at the Nuggets. There were many missed calls that would have been part of it all if it wasn’t swinging back towards New Orleans so heavily.

This was a heartbreaking start to a tough three-game road trip.  The Nuggets will face Milwaukee on Monday, November 19 and Wednesday means the T’Wolves in Minnesota. Unfortunately, this Pelicans game was meant to communicate something.  It did but it was the wrong message.

Game info for Monday as follows:

Denver Nuggets at Milwaukee Bucks

Monday, Nov. 19, 2018 • 8:00 PM ET
Fiserv Forum • Milwaukee, WI
Local TV: ALT, FSWIS
Radio: KKSE-FM 92.5, 620 AM/103.3 FM WTMJ