It’s time for the Nuggets to go big or go home against the Warriors

Maybe you’ve heard the news. The Nuggets are without their second- and third-best players in their playoff series against the Warriors.

That’s right. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. – as they’ve been for all of and most of the regular season, respectively – were on the bench in street clothes in Game 1.

As a result, no one is allowed to have any expectations for the Nuggets. The decked is stacked against them. There’s nothing they can do to win, compete or even keep things close against a Golden State team that boasts Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

That’s the consensus. That was the overwhelming reaction to Denver’s 123-107 loss in the opening game of the series.

There’s nothing Michael Malone can do, given that the cards he’s been dealt. So the Nuggets head coach might as well not even try.

On Saturday night, Malone lived up to those expectations. He had no answers for the Warriors, in part because he hardly seemed to look for any.

Denver rolled out the same lineup combinations they’ve used most of the season. Rotations were the same. Rest periods came at the same point in the game. It was the same old, same old.

The Nuggets were the epitome of predictable. And it’s the exact opposite of what they should be doing.

Given that Denver is shorthanded and outgunned in the series, a fact that no one would deny, they need to be creative. They need to think outside of the box. They need to throw random ideas at the wall and see what sticks.

Nobody gives them a shot to win the series. Most are predicting it will only go four or five games. So what do they have to lose?

If Malone tries something radical and it doesn’t work, what’s the harm? There’s absolutely no risk in trying something new.

It was frustrating to watch Steve Kerr play chess, while Malone played checkers. The Warriors head coach started the game with Kevon Looney in the middle. But at multiple times in the game, he went with Draymond Green at center, going with a small lineup.

That allowed Golden State to have more shooters on the court. Jordan Poole killed the Nuggets with 30 points, including five three-pointers. Klay Thompson poured in 19, and Andrew Wiggins and Steph Curry each had 16 points. They all played a ton of minutes, while Looney played just 13.

What would be wrong with countering small by going big? Why let Kerr dictate the rotations?

If Green guards Nikola Jokic when Golden State goes without Looney on the court, who would cover DeMarcus Cousins in Denver’s big lineup? Sure, the Nuggets might be scrambling on the defensive end, but they were anyway. At least they’d cause havoc when the ball was in their hands, forcing Kerr to think about another option.

Looney was the only Warriors starter with a negative plus/minus in Game 1. He was -7, while the other starters were +21, +16, +7 and +5. Curry was +17 and Otto Porter Jr. was +21 off the bench. The tallest player in the positive group is 6-foot-8.

Meanwhile, Golden State’s main big man off the bench – power forward Nemanja Bjelica – was just +1. He had eight points, but the Warriors weren’t nearly as effective on the defensive end with him on the court.

Instead of forcing Kerr to make a decision, Malone played right into his hands. Despite being just 6-foot-6, Green can cover Jokic. The former NBA Defensive Player of the Year has that ability. But no one else in the small group could guard Cousins.

Put the big man in the post. Let him dominate a smaller defender and dare Kerr to stick with the small lineup that killed the Nuggets on Saturday night.

Would it work? Maybe. Maybe not. But what’s the harm in trying it?

Attempting to match up with the Warriors with Will Barton, Monte Morris and Austin Rivers certainly didn’t. Those three played 35, 31 and 26 minutes, respectively. They were a combined -34.

It was maddening to watch the Barton and Rivers flail around on the defensive end. Barton lost Curry in the final seconds of the first half, giving up a dagger three just before intermission. Rivers committed a pair of fouls on three-point shots, surrendering six free throws in the process.

And that was just the tip of the iceberg. Both players were lost on defense.

But Malone stuck with them. Why? Because he’s stubborn.

In this case, Malone is going down in flames with Barton and Rivers. They have no chance on the defensive end and cause no headaches on the other side of the court. It’s easy for Kerr and the Warriors to play whatever lineup they want to, as they have no worries about defending any of Denver’s perimeter players.

This is nothing new for Malone. Last year, he rolled out the same plan in four straight games against the Suns, watching his team get swept out of the playoffs.

Saturday night was a fifth-consecutive embarrassing loss in the postseason. If that’s not the impetus to try something drastic, nothing ever will be.

Denver doesn’t have a lot of option in the series. That’s obvious.

But they can try a tactic that undermanned teams have used in various sports for ages. They can try to force their superior opponent to play a game they aren’t comfortable playing.

Allowing the Warriors to go small is silly. It’s time for the Nuggets to go big or go home.

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