Game Preview: New Orleans Pelicans vs. Denver Nuggets
The New Orleans Pelicans look to continue their winning ways on Friday night in Denver when they meet up with the chaotic, under performing Denver Nuggets. New Orleans enters fresh off a win against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night in which a strong second half and Anthony Davis being a monster helped propel them to a 106-100 victory on the road on the second night of a back-to-back. Now the Pelicans start another back-to-back with a game in Utah tomorrow with a chance to get on a nice winning streak.
For New Orleans everything continues to be started, finished and led by Anthony Davis. Davis is making a claim to being the best player in the NBA right now with averages of 25.5 points, 11.4 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game this season. The points come from all over the floor and Davis has been a dominating help defender yet again this year, two things that should come very much in handy for the Pelicans in Denver. Jrue Holiday has started to play well lately and Tyreke Evans continues to attack the rim with reckless abandon to help Davis on the offensive end. It still remains to be seen in Omer Asik returns to action on Friday but it seems to be a game where no Asik shouldn’t be as big of a problem as the last two games.
Denver is trying to right the ship after starting the season 1-6, with six straight losses. The Nuggets have won two games in a row recently but there is still plenty that can go wrong for them on a nightly basis. Head coach Brian Shaw seems to have finally settled on a smaller, ten man, rotation for Denver but their depth caused rotation issues early. Even with a bunch of NBA caliber players on the roster the Nuggets are overly dependent on Ty Lawson to create offense for them. So far this season Lawson has 16.7 points and 9.1 assists and if he doesn’t play well the Nuggets typically lose.
When and where: The game will be played at 8 pm CT at the Pepsi Center in Denver.
How to watch: The game will be broadcast on Fox Spots New Orleans.
Injury report:
Denver: Randy Foye is probable with a knee injury. J.J. Hickson is probable after returning from ACL surgery. Danilo Gallinari is probable after returning from ACL surgery. Nate Robinson is probable after returning from ACL surgery.
New Orleans: Omer Asik is questionable with lower back soreness.
Probable starters:
Denver: PG Ty Lawson, SG Aaron Afflalo, SF Wilson Chandler, PF Kenneth Faried, C Timofey Mozgov
New Orleans: PG Jrue Holiday, SG Eric Gordon, SF Tyreke Evans, PF Anthony Davis, C Alexis Ajinca
Other players to watch:
Denver: Gallinari, Robinson, Foye, Jusuf Nurkic, Hickson, JaVale McGee
New Orleans: Ryan Anderson, Austin Rivers
Things to watch for:
Can New Orleans put this game away early?
The one constant as the Nuggets struggled early in the season was huge, early deficits, capped off by an 84 point first half by the Portland Trailblazers. If New Orleans can jump out to a quick start there is a chance that the Nuggets just pack things in and the game is over by halftime. With another game tomorrow night in Utah it would be a great thing for the Pelicans to do.
Can Kenneth Faried defend Anthony hahahaha I couldn’t even finish the sentence.
Kenneth Faried can’t defend well at all. On-ball, off-ball it really doesn’t matter as Faried is consistently lost in what to do outside of a highlight block or two. He is also an undersized power forward that never seems to play well when the Nuggets struggle and his energy wavers. Anthony Davis is going to have a monster night. It should be a joy to watch.
Can Jrue Holiday shut down Ty Lawson?
Everything Denver does on offense is based around Lawson getting to the rim early and often. If he does he is an adept passer when help comes and a good finisher when it doesn’t. If Lawson gets a few buckets at the rim early his confidence rises and he starts to step out and hit some threes as defenders back off. Holiday is a big, long point guard who will make Lawson work on both ends which is huge in beating Denver. If Holiday can contain and wear out Lawson, Denver’s offense will sputter and the Nuggets won’t have a chance.
Can Tyreke Evans finish at the rim?
The Nuggets have three big bodies at the rim in Mozgov, McGee and Nurkic but none are really great rim protectors. Evans will get to the rim, especially out of the pick-and-roll and should have good chances to finish there. Now can he?