Nuggets vs. Suns: 3 takeaways from Denver's third loss to start preseason

An 0-3 start to the preseason didn’t sit well with Nuggets coach Michael Malone.

“We have a lot of work to do,” Malone said after Sunday’s 118-114 loss to Phoenix at Ball Arena. “That’s what preseason is for. Tomorrow, we’ll watch a lot of film. There’s a lot to clean up.”

Here are three takeaways from the Nuggets’ third loss of preseason:

1. One thing improved in Denver’s first two preseason games, but one problem remained the same. After struggling with transition defense against the Celtics, due to turnovers and lack of discipline, the Nuggets committed 14 turnovers, six from Nikola Jokic, and outscored the Suns, 15-11, in fast-break points. The problem that persisted came from the 3-point line. After Boston made 38 3-pointers to Denver’s 20 in the first two games, the Suns made 23, on 50 attempts, to Denver’s 12 on 36 tries. The 33-point disparity from the 3-point line more than covered the margin of victory on a night Phoenix rested Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, Grayson Allen and Jusuf Nurkic, while Denver played its expected starting five.

“We dominated the glass, dominated the paint, but we got our ass kicked from 3,” Malone said.

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2. Julian Strawther had the better game, but Christian Braun remains the best option to be Denver’s starting shooting guard. Braun made 4 of 9 shots and finished with 11 points to Strawther’s 21 points on 12 shots. Both players grabbed three rebounds and dished out four assists, but Braun’s defensive ability fits better with the rest of the starters, while Strawther’s scoring is needed more with the second unit. Strawther led the Nuggets in scoring Sunday alongside Nikola Jokic and Michael Porter Jr.

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3. It doesn’t seem like Jalen Pickett’s going to get much of an opportunity to start the season. Denver’s third point guard didn’t play despite Jamal Murray getting the second half off for some extra rest. Russell Westbrook played alongside the starters to start the third quarter, and the Nuggets went without a true point guard to start the fourth quarter. Braun and Strawther split the duties before Trey Alexander, a guard on a two-way contract, checked in with less than four minutes to go. If Denver needs to free up a roster spot at any point, Pickett looks most likely to go.