Nuggets Lose in Terrible Fashion, Remain Out of Eighth Seed

Dec 23, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Nikola Jokic (15) dives for a loose ball against Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) and forward Kris Humphries (43) in the second quarter at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Up there for the loss of the year, the Denver Nuggets held an 8 point lead with just over a minute left, only to choke it up and lose by one.

Denver Nuggets fans everywhere were just finally ready to put the close losses and bad late game situations behind them, when it happened again. Nikola Jokic started the game with two fouls and then picked up two more early in the third. With about a minute left in the game, Jokic fouled out. Jokic has been the key part of the Nuggets offense since the starting lineup change, and has been in foul trouble in all but one game. That game, he finished an assist shy of a triple-double. With Jokic out, the Nuggets were forced to turn to someone else in the waning moments. Wilson Chandler ended up with the ball in his hands and missed the game winner.

The Nuggets played sloppy from the start of the game, but the one thing that stood out was the ball movement. Ball movement has been great in general, and is even better with Jokic in the game. In the first half, all but a few baskets were made off of an assist. The Nuggets have played much better and been less selfish, but too many passes leads to turnovers, of which the Nuggets ended with 15.

The biggest problem of the Nuggets tonight, and lately, was free-throw shooting. Only two players (Gallinari and Mudiay) finished with a free throw percentage higher than 70%. The rest of the team has struggled mightily from the line and it is definitely something the Nuggets need to improve on if they want to be a playoff team. If any of the Nuggets who shot under 70% would have made one more free throw, it would have been an overtime game and the Nuggets would have had a much higher chance of winning.

The fouling needs to be improved as well. As a team, the Nuggets finished with 29 fouls, which led to 33 free throw attempts by the Hawks. Many of these fouls could be eliminated as a specific player, also known as Nikola Jokic, has committed way too many fouls that haven’t been necessary.

The Nuggets have the next two days off, then head back to LA to play the Clippers for the second time in the past three games. If the Nuggets want to be considered a playoff team, then games like this one and the next one, need to be won. The Nuggets have shown strong performances against good teams, but need to be more consistent and work their way into the playoff picture.