Of the many things he needs to improve upon, Nuggets point guard Emmanuel Mudiay knows there is one area that will bring everything together.

Improved shooting.

“I didn’t shoot it great during the preseason, but I just got to keep working on my game, stay the course,” said Mudiay in reference to shooting 30.2 percent from the field, 7.7 percent from the 3-point line and 63.6 percent from the free throw line.

But Mudiay, heading into his second season, said he’s not worried.

“No, because I put in the work,” he said. “It’s going to click. I’m not too worried. It is what it is. The preseason is over with, so now it’s the real deal.”

The Nuggets begin their season Wednesday at New Orleans.

Nuggets coach Michael Malone isn’t concerned, either. He said Mudiay’s shot selection has been good during the preseason, and he expects his shooting percentage will soon climb based on the quality of shots he’s taking. Mudiay agrees.

“I feel like I’m getting to my spots,” he said. “We’re running a new offense and I was still trying to figure it out in the four games that I played. But other than that, I feel pretty good.” Related Articles October 20, 2016 Kiszla: For Nuggets to dream big, Kenneth Faried must accept coming off bench

October 20, 2016 Nuggets coach Michael Malone to treat preseason finale like “home opener”

October 23, 2016 Denver Nuggets 2016-17 player bios

Confident Barton. Will Barton has flown under the radar to a certain extent during the preseason but he’s quietly had a solid training camp. He enters the regular season feeling confident.

“I’m relaxed, I feel good,” he said. “This is the best I’ve felt going into a regular season as far as confidence. I’m real confident right now. I feel like I’m prepared and I’m ready to go.”

Thankful Stokes. Making the Nuggets roster was work but not nerve-wracking, said forward Jarnell Stokes, who claimed the 15th, and last, spot with the team after the final exhibition game.

Why?

He trusted himself, and the process that brought him to Denver.

“I’ve kind of installed in my mind that God doesn’t make mistakes,” Stokes said. “So that’s pretty much helped me not worry throughout this entire process. Just being here now, I’m able to look back and look at the work that I’ve accomplished.”

Footnotes. Shooting guard Gary Harris (groin) participated in parts of Monday’s practice, then went through more extensive individual work after practice. He is questionable for the season opener, Malone said. Meanwhile, veteran forward Darrell Arthur was able to get through Monday’s practice and is on track to be available for Wednesday’s game.