NBA Thanksgiving 2019: What each team has to be thankful for

Denver Nuggets

Defense

Last year, it was a blitzkrieg offense and a defense improving to top-10 territory that made the Denver Nuggets such a formidable opponent. This year, while the offense has been as sluggish as a Nikola Jokic sprint down court, a stifling defense has picked up the slack.

The Nuggets are 13-3 with a plus-5.5 Net Rating thanks to their top-ranked defense. They’re only giving up 102.1 points per 100 possessions, a major improvement from the 108.1 defensive rating they posted last season.

This has compensated for an offense that ranks 17th in offensive rating, dipping from last year’s 112.1 points per 100 possessions to 107.6. Call it the Gary Harris effect, credit Paul Millsap‘s influence, do whatever you have to, but as the offensive begins to find its groove, Nuggets fans shouldn’t forget it was the defensive prowess that got Denver off to such a hot start.