The Denver Nuggets lost their first game in nearly three weeks in Monday’s 115-101 setback against the Houston Rockets, but they rebounded with a bounce-back 135-112 win over the Utqh Jazz at home on Monday. 

The most impressive part of the Nuggets’ performance was their ball movement and offensive flow. Jamal Murray led the team with 27 points, but he was one of four Nuggets to score at least 20 points in the win and none of them were named Nikola Jokic. In total, seven Nuggets (including Jokic) scored 10+ points, highlighting Denver’s depth and ability to find the open man.

Following the game, Nuggets coach David Adelman made it clear that it wasn’t exactly rocket science behind what allows the team’s offense to thrive. It’s just about finding the open man and the best shot on the floor and trusting the chances that enough of those shots go in.

“Yeah, not to sound boring, but just throw it to the open man,” Adelman said. “Spence [Jones] missed shots tonight, but those were all great shots. They were created by ball movement. I loved seeing Jamal [Murray] be aggressive in transition to score, and then I thought made the proper play when two were on him or multiple bodies were brought to him.”

Of course, Adelman’s philosophy sounds great in theory. But a major reason why the Nuggets have been so successful offensively this season is that they have the personnel to execute those open looks at a high enough percentage to be the arguably the best offense in the NBA. 

Adelman knows this, and he also knows that he has perhaps the most trustworthy group in the league when it comes to taking care of the basketball.  

“It’s a testament to the guys,” Adelman said. “Peyton [Watson] comes back, Julian [Strawther] out there, it just felt like everybody was trying to make the right play for each other. Usually that leads to a low turnover night, and it was tonight, only 11. Thirty-eight-to-11 is a ridiculous, ridiculous two numbers. So, it’s a really good win."

The other obvious reason behind the Nuggets’ early success is the leaders they have on their team, beginning with three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic and continuing with Jokic’s sidekicks Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon.

“I think leadership is consistency,” Adelman said. “It's not emotions that change daily and nightly. It's who you are, your temperament. They know that it's not just in-the-moment leadership. It's throughout the season, when guys miss shots, who's the first guy there to tell them to keep shooting?”