What happened: Denver's offense stalled across the floor while piling up giveaways after the opening period and missing seven attempts at the stripe. Those self-inflicted mistakes offset a disciplined defensive showing that kept the opposing attack in check.

Why it matters: Squandering a strong defensive night through ball-security breakdowns and missed free throws leaves the Nuggets with minimal margin for error against conference competition. Limiting a primary scorer is rarely enough when empty possessions and points left at the foul line prevent the offense from capitalizing on stops.

What to watch: Denver will look to clean up its ball handling and perimeter shooting to convert its defensive stops into wins over the opening stretch of the schedule.