The Nuggets have been playing over their heads recently, managing to keep things rolling without Nikola Jokic. But this shorthanded version of the team can only keep it going for so long, and it seems like they’re starting to hit a wall.
They got destroyed on Sunday night at home by the Hornets, then followed it up with a brutal collapse at home against the Lakers. There was one common theme in both losses: rebounding. Without Jokic and his backup, Jonas Valanciunas, the Nuggets have been playing without a true center, and it’s finally starting to catch up with them.