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The Denver Nuggets' 2021-22 NBA season will be a bit complicated for Michael Malone due to the absence of Jamal Murray. Murray suffered a torn ACL in April, and the Nuggets subsequently lost to the eventual Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns in the second round of the postseason.
Murray's absence will be felt, but the continued presence of 2020-21 NBA MVP Nikola Jokic will help. As one of the best offensive hubs in the entire NBA, if not the best, most of Denver's actions in the halfcourt run through the Serbian big man.
Along with Jokic, Aaron Gordon is a capable ball-handler who will lineup alongside him in the frontcourt. Michael Porter Jr. has displayed an improved ability to create for himself but is elite when functioning with just a few dribbles and complimenting Jokic.
The perimeter creation for the Denver Nuggets is limited, but their MVP hub is a genius passing center, so expect most of their offense to be from the inside out.
Three sets the Denver Nuggets could succeed with in the 2021-22 NBA season
#3 - Elbow Dribble Hand-Offs
The predicted starting lineup for the Denver Nuggets on opening night surely includes Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr., and Will Barton. The final spot, usually filled by Murray, could be given to any of PJ Dozier, Facundo Campazzo, Austin Rivers, or Monte Morris. In my eyes, Morris seems to be the most likely candidate.
The aforementioned lack of perimeter creation makes dribble hand-offs optimal for the Denver Nuggets. Morris can stand atop the perimeter, while Gordon and Jokic are at the elbows, and Porter and Barton on opposite extended wings or corners.
Barton would come across the paint first, using both elbow screens and flaring out to the three-point line and overloading that side of the floor. Morris feeds Jokic, who is now looking at a fairly open side that Morris heads towards with the possibility of a handoff.
Porter would then come from the weakside corner, past a diving Gordon, leading to an eventual dribble handoff with the two most potent offensive weapons the Denver Nuggets have in Porter and Jokic.
Jokic is given the opportunity to survey the floor and take his pick from a variety of movements and cuts or even spin and attack the rim himself. Gifting that sort of playmaking opportunity to the best passing big man of all-time seems like a good formula for the Denver Nuggets.
#2 - Screen the Screener
Michael Porter Jr. cemented himself as one of the league's premier three-point shooters with the Denver Nuggets last season. He converted 44.5 percent of his 6.3 attempts per game, the fifth highest mark of any player with at least five attempts per night. He only trailed Joe Harris, Marcus Morris, Joe Ingles and Kevin Durant.
Porter is exponentially more effective when his decision making and self creation is limited. Luckily for him, Nikola Jokic is on the Denver Nuggets roster alongside him.
A screen the screener action is basically what the name entails, with a handful of variations. For the Denver Nuggets, it would make sense for Jokic to receive the ball at the top of the arc, with three teammates on one side and one alone on the weakside perimeter.
Porter would begin on the strongside block and proceed to set a downscreen for a teammate on the wing. Jokic swings the ball to the lone weakside player before positioning himself to allow Porter to come around to the top of the arc.
Most defenses tend to key in on the cutting player rather than the screener, and all it takes is a brief second for them to fall behind enough that the subsequent screen from Jokic allowing enough room for the 6'10" Porter to get off a good look from three.
#1 - Inverted Zipper Seal
A zipper cut is a very common NBA action to begin plays that can probably be seen most times you turn on a game. A standard version begins with two bigs/forwards at the elbow while one player fills the weakside corner. A guard would move from beneath the rim towards the free throw line extended to receive the ball.
That movement is a zipper, and it typically is just the beginning of an action. Like every set, there are a handful of variations, and the inverted aspect I mention simply has a big man cut towards the nail while a smaller teammate sets the screen.
From there, the big who did not supply the screen would come over and set a punch screen on the guard now at the block.
With the intention being to seal (pinning your defender in an unideal position), that screening big would be careful to remain close to the rim while the guard gets through. A smooth entry pass could lead to an easy post up opportunity.
As for who plays what role, the main focus is of course Jokic. He has two potential positions here as either the big who surveys from the nail, or the eventual post-up threat sealing. If the Denver Nuggets choose the latter then Aaron Gordon can utilize his strength to seal just fine.
It all comes back around to the Denver Nuggets allowing Nikola Jokic to be the centerpiece of their offense, making plays for himself and others.
