Nuggets embarrass with worst defensive effort in 34 years

DENVER—For the second time in a month the Cleveland Cavaliers (27-4) proved they were simply on another level than the Denver Nuggets (16-13), thumping the defenseless Mile High City crew 149-135 on Friday.

The Nuggets had no answers for the NBA’s top-ranked offense led by a two-guard and two-big attack. While Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland preyed on the perimeter, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen pounded Denver in the paint. It resulted in the most points the Nuggets have allowed in any regulation game including the playoffs since the 1990-91 Paul Westhead run-and-gun teams who famously didn’t defend. The mark is a sore contrast for the current Nuggets, who have achieved it twice this season while still trying to pride themselves on defense.

“149 points and 23 made threes is not going to cut it,” Michael Malone said after the game. “When we’re at our best, we have tremendous discipline, we have tremendous fly around, multiple effort, mentality and great communication. And we’re not defending well, we’re not disciplined, we’re not communicating, and we have very little multiple effort. And I think you don’t have to be a member of Mensa to look at us and to see which team we are on any given night. And that’s the unfortunate thing.”

Malone says the defense isn’t going to cut it. Talks about roster construction and more. pic.twitter.com/qdhkqfu7oZ

— Jake Shapiro (@Shapalicious) December 28, 2024

The fact is it’s the fourth time this season a team has made more than 20 threes in a game against the Nuggets, something that didn’t happen once in the 196 games Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was on Denver’s roster. As much as Malone can’t really talk about it—and while he is right that the effort was lacking against the Cavs on Friday—the Nuggets have a dire roster construction problem. The Nuggets do not have a player who can cut off the water of an attacking guard.

“When it’s that high volume pick and roll you need your ball handler against the likes of Garland and Mitchell, pull-up three-point shooters, to be able to navigate that screen and fight over and get great rear view pursuit. And sometimes we do a good job of that, and other times we struggle,” Malone said. “The big difference this year from last year is that we’re still not making and taking a lot of threes, but we’re giving up and allowing so many more made threes, and that differential is crucial, and I think playing a big part in some of our struggles.”

The Nuggets season high for makes in a game from three this year is 18. They’re not a heavily dependent three-point shooting team and haven’t been most of the Nikola Jokic era. But this year the team has been basically lapped. In last place, they’ve taken 109 fewer deep shots than 29th-place Philly. The gap from the 76ers to the middle-of-the-league Hawks is 109—showing just how big the disparity in shooting Denver is facing. But that was basically true last year when the Nuggets were last in the pack in shots from deep. The change is that the Nuggets allowed the second-fewest threes per game on defense last season and now they’re a woeful 24th.

“We’re getting outplayed for a good chunk of minutes, and now we’re climbing back into the game, and that’s exhausting,” Jamal Murray said. “Even when we do bring it, sometimes it’s not enough. It wasn’t enough tonight. It’s too good of a team to dig yourself a 20-point hole and try to climb.”

The Cavs went on a 21-2 run late in the second quarter that gave them a double-digit lead that eventually ballooned all the way out to 21 points. Murray’s return to a stronger offensive game going for 27, Michael Porter Jr. starting off the game as a flame-thrower and another Nikola Jokic triple-double for 27 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists are all just not enough when the defense lacks.

Mitchell had a game-high 33 points on 17 shots, making six triples. Mobley slashed in four triples for 26 points. Garland cashed two threes for 25 points. All the while the non-shooting Jarrett Allen collected 10 boards and added 22 points. It’s all just too much to keep up with, even if Denver is shooting 50% from three on 30 attempts and scoring 135—the Nuggets just don’t have the defense now and maybe not at all this year.