Since the All-Star break, there have been two main storylines surrounding the Nuggets’ play: turnover struggles and a lapse on the defensive end.
Although Denver is 4-3 since the break, the team’s defense has slipped to 27th in the league in defensive rating during that stretch. When you struggle to take care of the ball and to get stops on the defensive end, it’s going to be difficult to win at a high level.
Diving into the numbers during this stretch, Denver’s defensive struggles can be tied to three key areas. Since the Nuggets kicked off the “second half” of the season against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver has ranked 21st or below in opponent turnover percentage, offensive rebound percentage and free throw rate.