3 things to consider for when the Mavericks visit the Nuggets

The Dallas Mavericks suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of the Portland Trail Blazers and seek to right the ship against the Denver Nuggets 2-0. One of the favorites in the Western Conference, the Nuggets are deep and led by MVP candidate Nikola Jokic is a double triple threat walk.

The Nuggets are almost dominant in the Pepsi Center where they won 34 games and lost only seven last season. When these two teams met last season, Doncic threw one of his most memorable works before Jokic saved the Nuggets to finish the game.

The last two games have posed difficult challenges for Dallas, but fight tonight it is the hardest yet and a great barometer for the upstart Mavericks.

Here's what to watch for when the Mavericks visit the Nuggets:

Slowing Jokic

Jokic got his first All-Star berth last season on a herculean 20 points, 11 rebound and seven assists per night, and Serbian has picked up right where you left off with an average of 22 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists while shooting of 43 percent from three.

Like most teams, Dallas is equipped to handle almost Nuggets star who can score from all areas, handle the ball and make one of the best plays in the league. Maxi Kleber probably get the first crack, but you probably will have a hard time staying on the ground has since picked up four fouls in two of three games of the Mavericks. Jokic is of particular concern for Kristaps Porziņģis, which uses its length to compensate lightweight body as Jokic can make its full length frame to mitigate Porzingis'.

Defending the three-point line

While the Mavs have struggled to find its range, the Nuggets are at the opposite end of the spectrum, which connects in a league high 43 percent of the depths as a computer 30 attempts per game. Denver has six players who have canned 43 percent of his threes or better through the first two games with Paul Millsap and Malik Beasley both splashes in 50 percent of his attempts. Dallas kept Washington and New Orleans in the bay behind the arc, but allowed Portland to shoot 41 percent three. Dallas should dispute snipers Denver to steal one on the road.

Rotations

Rick Carlisle said Plater alignments, seemed to have found something that worked from Jalen Brunson and bringing Delon Wright and Seth Curry of banking in the decade of the Mavericks scored 40 points in the first quarter. Carlisle went further to play curry with Doncic for long periods in the first half, and the offense hummed against a good team Trail Blazers.

I will not go so far as to say Carlisle will settle now, because he wants, and he'll still see what sticks, but found a recipe for success starting another creator as Brunson and maintenance of curry , the best shooter on the team, on the floor with players like gravity pulling Doncic and Porzingis. The Nuggets can play big or small with Jokic with the versatile Millsap and Jerami Grant, so Carlisle will have his work cut out for him figure out what works best alignment work.

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