Alas for the Denver Nuggets, their trump card Nikola Jokic returned against the Milwaukee Bucks. And it instantly galvanized the team. The Joker came back from a five-game absence by dropping a 39-point triple-double, his 30th of the season. The Bucks fell short on firepower as both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard missed the game. And with Jokic operating the offense, the Nuggets function like a bullet train on offense.
However, there are still repairs to be made. Notably, while they do rank as the third-best offense, their defense is all the way to 22nd in the league. They are still the only team within the top six to have not been in the top half defensively. After the loss to the Bulls, Jamal Murray attributed these struggles to a lack of communication in defense.
And Jokic couldn’t agree more. Not only from getting the defense organized but the three-time MVP feels just “noise” alone can have an impact on opponents. “Yes, of course I mean communication is a big thing. I think there is communication, there is listening. You know one guy can tell you what to do and you don’t listen. So yes I think the things that communicate and make noise makes sense I think it can make can confuse players, opponents,” he advised the Nuggets.
Mar 7, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) looks to pass the ball in the second half against the Phoenix Suns at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
In terms of having control tonight, the Nuggets did hold things down. Except for a split moment in the third quarter, they never trailed against the shorthanded Bucks. But that’s where the concerns lie. Even without Milwaukee’s two premiere scorers, Denver required Nikola Jokic to match Brook Lopez. They still only won by ten.
In the playoffs where matchups can get physical, at times even the best offenses can falter. That’s the reason it’s said that defense wins championships. When teams don’t present easy scoring opportunities, it becomes a game of getting stops. And so far, the Nuggets have only allowed fewer than 100 points four times this season.
Defense lies at the core of winning for Malone
The defense has been an area the Nuggets have struggled to master all season long. Michael Malone has attempted to instill the importance of doing within his troops. But so far, they haven’t reaped great results. Still, tonight the Denver Nuggets did fix up in some areas. Last game, the Bulls scored 31 points off fast breaks giving them a 10-point advantage. Tonight, they only allowed the Bucks to score 5 points in transition.
But it’s not enough. With just eight games remaining before they start the playoffs, Malone is still concerned about the Nuggets’ defensive integrity. “I know as we approach these games coming up and in the postseason we just can’t rely upon that offense,” said the Nuggets head coach.
He doesn’t say this because he doesn’t trust their well-engineered offense isn’t capable of winning games in the playoffs. Just having won the title with them two seasons ago, Malone knows how crucial their defensive strength was. “In the postseason you’re going to have to get stops and so I just don’t want to be a team that thinks we can outscore our teams and try to win a championship. I’ve never seen that done,” Malone admitted to the scary reality.
When they won the championship, the Nuggets posted the fourth-best defense during the entire postseason. However, they don’t have the same personnel present now. Hence, reaching back to that level has been difficult. But with a splendid offense, even a decent defense could provide them with a massive advantage in a closely contested battle.
If not often, the Nuggets need to have the ability to have a sound defensive structure in case the renowned offense doesn’t deliver. So the need to consistently play as they did tonight is what Michael Malone wanted to highlight. Because without such pressure and teamwork on defense, teams could eat them up.
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