Lost in the Broncos’ return to the NFL’s uppercrust, overshadowed by the Avs’ record points pace, the Nuggets have been better on the road than The Rolling Stones.
They clobbered the Kings 136-105 on Thursday night. It underscores why Denver can still compete with Oklahoma City for the NBA championship. The Thunder rolls. And rules. They boast a 24-1 record.
And yet, the Nuggets have kept them within reach because of their 11-game road win streak, despite the continued absence of starters Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun. Trust me. When a team is comfortable with a wheel in its hand, four on the pavement and any five on the court, it will deliver in the playoffs.
Anyone can win at home. Even the Nuggets, who have authored awful losses, are 6-4 at Ball Arena.
Good teams break even in visiting arenas. Great ones dominate. The record a quarter into the season guarantees nothing, but it does mean the Nuggets are who we thought they were. They can stand nose-to-nose with the Thunder and not flinch.
“I think we are really together,” said Jamal Murray, who should get picked for his first All-Star game this season. “Doesn’t matter where we go, what arena we are in, who we are playing against, we are bringing our own energy and sustaining it.”
Behind the winning streak is a funky schedule — “We are probably so good because we play only one game here then we have to go play three on the road,” quipped Tim Hardaway Jr. –– and maturity. This is a team of veteran players who are “professional” to steal Nikola Jokic’s buzzword for explaining this season’s success.
Denver hasn’t done anything yet. But the Nuggets’ performance on the road tells you they will.
“We are resilient. We don’t freak out as much as the outside noise. I know losing at home is never good, but winning on the road as many times have we have is very good,” coach David Adelman said. “They accept the challenge. They are very connected. There is only one OKC right now. … so you have to understand who you are and where you are in the season. But if you asked before we started if I would feel good about an (18-6) record, I would feel really good about it.”
Coaching Character: Sherrone Moore woke up Wednesday as the head coach of Michigan. He woke up Thursday in jail. He was fired for an “inappropriate relationship with a staff member,” and then was taken into police custody as the subject of an assault investigation. This incident makes two things abundantly clear. It is time to retire the term “Michigan Man” for good. And we must demand a high character from coaches and mentors. No excuses. No exceptions.
Old Man Rivers: Philip Rivers returning to quarterback for the Colts at the age of 44 is a great story. But it remains scary. I covered 49-year-old Jamie Moyer winning a game for the Rockies in 2012, and while it was a remarkable feat, it felt dangerous. Given Rivers’ conditioning — he probably weighs around 250 pounds — he will be a stationary target for a venomous Seahawks defense. This will be a must-watch game. Just hope it doesn’t end with fans as rubberneckers staring at No. 17 injured.
Red Wings, Red Faces: Claude Lemieux helped bring the Avs a Stanley Cup championship in the 1995-96 season. Let’s be honest. He will always be remembered for igniting the Avs-Red Wings blood feud. Not all the actions in those games were honorable. But the intensity remains unmatched in Colorado over the last three decades. “Rivalries are really good for sports. They are born, sometimes, just from not liking each other. Or playing in the conference finals or finals. But that became one of the greatest rivalries in league of all-time. It was good for the game,” Lemieux said.
