NBA Preseason: Nuggets Provide Big Test for Thunder Paint Players
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The Denver Nuggets roster is flush with size and big men, the Oklahoma City roster on the other hand isn’t as lucky.
The Nuggets and Thunder tip off Monday night to begin each teams preseason slate, the two teams have polar opposite goals for this season, but the meeting is beneficial.
The Nuggets have sky high aspirations for this season, while OKC is just playing for the end of the year again.
The Nuggets provide a nice early test for OKC’s small roster and can help gauge how OKC will be able to fair against teams with true big men in the paint.
Isaiah J. Downing / USA TODAY Sports
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl was able to hold his own at times last season and with more reps could see some slight improvement, but size isn’t teachable which will put him at a disadvantage despite his skill level.
Nikola Jokic is possibly the most difficult test for the Thunder to get out of the gate, but it provides a good benchmark for where the team is at with their big men early training camp.
Jokic is a back-to-back MVP winner as a dominant force both in the pick-and-roll and interior game and will be a force for OKC. Jokic isn’t the only issue facing OKC, the Nuggets also have Deandre Jordan and Jeff Green off of the bench. Green provides a better matchup for the small lineup of OKC while Jordan is a bigger force.
The Nuggets also match up well with length and height at all other positions with OKC, but the paint will be the biggest challenge in the opening preseason game.
While it’s only the first game of the preseason the test will be telling and OKC will have its first benchmark of a long grueling season without a true big man.
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