We are doing a good job so far: Barton

Mumbai, Dec 31 (SocialNews.XYZ) Denver Nuggets have had a good run this season and will be looking forward to start 2020 on a high.

They are placed second in the Western Conference standings and they will be eager to ensure that their opponents on Wednesday, Houston Rockets (placed fourth), don't overtake them in the Western Conference standings.

This year there are more than two title contenders from the Western Conference with Nuggets being one of them.

Talking about how the competition has improved this season compared to the last, Denver's shooting guard Will Barton said: "We knew coming into this season it was going to be more open, more spread out with the Warriors kind of bugging out with Kevin Durant departing and Anthony Davis going to the Lakers, the moves that could be made with Kawhi and Paul George, [Kristaps] Porzingis going to Dallas with Luka. We knew there would be more parity and more teams competing and it would make the West more competitive.

"We knew what we were going up against and we knew we had to be ready, and I feel like so far we're doing a good job of that."

Will Barton has been a prominent player in the Nuggets' lineup this season. The 28-year-old has just been ranked five in ESPN's real plus-minus rankings behind three MVPs like Giannis, LeBron, James Harden and one finals MVP in Kawhi Leonard. Harden and Clint Capela are doubtful to play against the Nuggets on Wednesday.

"It's pretty cool to see my name up there with some of the best players in the NBA. But my role in my team is to go out there and compete at a high level and just try to make one play for our team. That's the whole thing that we focus on. I can't get all caught up in those type numbers and things. I don't need to have the same role on my team as those players. It's pretty cool to be up there with them, but I've just got to keep trying to play good basketball," said Barton.

Ever since the 28-year-old joined Nuggets in 2015, his role in the team and his leadership qualities have substantially improved, he said.

"My role has definitely grown in the team. Definitely kind of funny to see when I first came up here, I was just one of the young guys, and now being one of the oldest ones in the team, having so much experience in the team, it's something I embrace, though," he said.

"The young guys, they remind me of myself coming in, just trying to find their role, find their place in the league, establish themselves, and you just try to talk to them about how to be professionals and how to go about everything the right way and try to give advice on how not to make some of the mistakes you made," added Barton.

Source: IANS