Author: Jonathan Peter

While the basketball world anticipates Victor Wembanyama’s first moments as an NBA player when he is sure to hear his name called first on June 21, draft fans know there is a lot more to this draft than just the generational talent out of France. The second pick is still up in the air, and the 2023 NBA draft is sure to be a rollercoaster ride full of unpredictability. 

The draft is shaping up to have tons of pick movement. Some teams are looking to trade out of their draft slot in hopes of acquiring veteran players, while others are looking to consolidate some of their assets and move up in the draft to find a star prospect to lead them into the future. Below you’ll find Bailey Bassett’s final mock draft.

1. San Antonio Spurs: Victor Wembanyama, C, Metropolitans 92

The Spurs won’t surprise anyone on draft night. Wembanyama is one of the easiest picks in a long time. The generational prospect out of France is considered one of the best prospects of all time. At 7-feet 5-inches, Wembanyama towers over opponents, but also has the skillset of a wing. Offensively, the big man has a variety of moves on the perimeter and can shoot the long ball, unlike anyone we’ve seen his size do before. He also projects as a future defensive player of the year candidate due to his elite-level rim protection. 

2.  Charlotte Hornets: Brandon Miller, SF, Alabama

The Hornets’ decision with the second pick is still unknown, at least to the public. Both Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson were brought in for a second time to work out in front of the Hornets decision makers. While I believe Henderson’s athletic abilities would fit well next to franchise player LaMelo Ball, the Hornets ultimately go with the cleaner fit in Miller. Miller is 6 feet 9 inches tall and will give the Hornets a tall core of the future with Ball and Mark Williams. Miller was the best collegiate freshman in the nation and his shooting talent and secondary ball handling and playmaking abilities will fit well on the Hornets roster.

3. Portland Trail Blazers: Scoot Henderson, PG, G League Ignite

The Blazers are still looking to move this pick for a superstar veteran, but in this scenario, they keep the pick, and it works out as they land a player who would go first overall in a number of draft classes. Henderson is a freak athlete who is superb at driving to the rim. His change of pace is among the best I’ve ever seen, and even though he doesn’t have the ideal size to pair with Damian Lillard, Henderson’s ability to get into the paint will fit nicely next to the sharpshooting Lillard. The Trailblazers need to start winning soon, or the Damian Lillard era will be coming to an abrupt end. Henderson would also be a great cornerstone player to build around in the case that Lillard’s day in Portland are coming to an end.

4. Houston Rockets: Amen Thompson, PG, Overtime Elite

The Rockets have a lot of self-creators, so getting one of the best playmakers in the class is a huge plus for Houston. Thompson will walk into the NBA as arguably the best athlete in the league, and while he will need to improve his shooting to reach his star potential, the Rockets seem willing to gamble on the draft’s biggest risk-reward prospect.

5. Detroit Pistons: Cam Whitmore, SF, Villanova

The Pistons’ roster construction makes this an easy pick. With a roster full of guards and bigs, the best remaining wing is the obvious choice. There have been some reports that Whitmore’s medicals are scaring teams off, but I believe that to be smoke from teams hoping to snatch up the forward. Whitmore has an NBA body and is incredibly physical driving to the rack. 

6.  Orlando Magic: Taylor Hendricks, PF, UCF

The Magic roster is super deep, so they may look to trade one of their two first-round picks. If they keep their picks, they seem likely to add shooting. The Magic desperately need the three-point shooting that Hendricks provides, and the mid-major star will also bring help-side rim protection. Hendricks can even play backup center to the often-injured Wendell Carter Jr. 

7. Indiana Pacers: Jarace Walker, PF, Houston

The Pacers’ biggest positional need is power forward, and Walker is also the best player available in many people’s minds. Walker is a Swiss army knife prospect that can do a little bit of everything. His defensive prowess will help the young Pacers, but Walker brings even more as he also has some untapped playmaking skills from high school that he flashed on occasion in college. 

8.  Washington Wizards: Ausar Thompson, SG, Overtime Elite

With the Wizards trading away their star duo of Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis, the team starts their rebuild with the other Thompson brother, Ausar. Like his brother, Ausar is a great athlete, but he may provide a little more shooting and defense from day one. He can carry the ball-handling burden, or settle into a more complimentary role.

9.  Utah Jazz: Anthony Black, SG, Arkansas

Black would be a great connective piece for a young Jazzsquad. He excels at getting into the paint and is a great kick-out passer once he gets there. Black doesn’t have the highest ceiling in this class, but he appears to be a sure thing as a guy who will stick around for a long time, allowing the Jazz to pursue more upside swings with one of their other two first-round picks.

10.   Dallas Mavericks: Bilal Coulibaly, SF, Metropolitans 92

The Mavericks desperately need more size and defense. The teammate of the number one overall pick provides both on the wing. Coulibaly came out of nowhere as a prospect and ended his season as a key contributor as Wembanyama’s teammate.

11.   Orlando Magic: Gradey Dick, SG, Kansas

After snagging Hendricks earlier, the Magic further look to fix their shooting woes. Dick is one of the best long-ball shooters in this class. He also has great feel for the game as displayed by his cutting prowess and offensive rebounding abilities.

12.   Oklahoma City Thunder: Jett Howard, SF, Michigan

The Thunder have a crowded roster, so it may be smart to snag a multi-positional player who can play inside-out due to his size and shooting combination. Howard showed a lot of the skills that the Thunder covet before he struggled through ankle injuries towards the end of his freshman season.

13.   Toronto Raptors: Kobe Bufkin, PG, Michigan

Michigan Wolverines go back-to-back with Bufkin landing in Toronto. Bufkin was a late bloomer in the sense that he didn’t do a lot in his freshman season, but he is still one of the younger players in this draft class. Fred VanVleet seems destined to leave the organization in free agency, so the Raptors will need someone to fill his shoes at the point guard position.

14.  New Orleans Pelicans: Leonard Miller, PF, G League Ignite

The future is murky when it comes to Zion Williamson’s future in New Orleans. The former first-overall pick has been incredible when he’s been on the court, but he’s really struggled with injury problems. Miller provides insurance in the case the team moves on from Williamson or if the star continues to get hurt. If things work out with Williamson, the Pelicans still get a great player who loves to get better and plays with a great motor.

15.   Atlanta Hawks: Brice Sensabaugh, SF, Ohio State

With the pick of Brice Sensabaugh, the Hawks pursue a strategy of living and dying by the three-point shot. Trae Young is already one of the highest-volume three-point shooters in the NBA, and AJ Griffin, last year’s first-round pick, also is an excellent deep ball shooter. Sensabaughwill need to improve his defense though if he will be able to play with Young.

16. Utah Jazz: GG Jackson, PF, South Carolina

There are some maturity and defensive concerns with Jackson, but the bucket getting forward has some of the highest potential in the draft. After securing a playmaker earlier in the draft, it makes sense to pursue a player that can hit the toughest of shots. 

17.   Los Angeles Lakers: Cason Wallace, PG, Kentucky

The Lakers end Wallace’s slide, and simultaneously get the steal of the draft. Wallace is the exact player that LeBron James likes to play with. An elite and gritty defender who’s very capable as a spot-up shooter. Wallace is likely to be yet another Kentucky guard who outplays his draft position. 

18.   Miami Heat: Noah Clowney, PF, Alabama

The Nuggets exposed the Heat’s lack of size in the NBA finals. Clowney’s frame will need to be filled out, but he is 6 foot 10 inches and is still one of the youngest players in the draft. The Heat still have championship aspirations, and Clowney was a key contributor to the number one overall seed in college basketball.

19. Golden State Warriors: Jordan Hawkins, SG, UCONN

Hawkins is a perfect fit for Golden State. An exceptional movement three-point shooter, Hawkins will give the Warriors another deep threat that opponents will have to deal with. Hawkins is a play-now player that can extend the Warriors’ championship window as he is coming off of a championship victory in March Madness. 

20.  Houston Rockets: Dereck Lively, C, Duke

Lively will provide a yin and yang thing with the Rockets current center, Alperen Sengun. While Sengun thrives as a passer at the high post with footwork and touch to work as a post player, Lively is a rim protector that can make up for Sengun’s defensive limitations. Lively only scored 5.2 points in college, but he has shown a lot of promise as a three-point shooter in the pre-draft process. Even if the shot doesn’t develop, Lively doesn’t need a lot of touches and can thrive as a rim runner and play finisher. 

21.  Brooklyn Nets: Jalen Hood-Schifino, PG, Indiana

Hood-Schifino was very streaky in his lone season at Indiana, but when things were clicking he looked like a great piece. The guard is excellent at finding teammates out of the pick-and-roll, which works perfectly for a team that is wing heavy.

22.  Brooklyn Nets: Keyonte George, SG, Baylor

The Nets find their backcourt of the future with back-to-back selections. George struggled with inefficiency issues in the second half of the season at Baylor, but he is uber-confident and can hit any shot on the court.

23.   Portland Trail Blazers: Kris Murray, PF, Iowa

Portland seems motivated to win now so drafting an upperclassman like Murray could make sense. Murray is the twin brother of Keegan Murray, the rookie who just broke the all-time rookie three-point record. The Blazers’ biggest positional need is power forward and Murray can be a nice role player at the four spot.

24.   Sacramento Kings: Dariq Whitehead, SG, Duke

Injuries seemed to sap some of Whitehead’s athleticism at Duke but the Blue Devil really turned a corner as a three-point shooter. The Kings draft Whitehead because of his improvements in that area and they hope that with a healthy season, Whitehead can strengthen his body and improve as a finisher. 

25.   Memphis Grizzlies: Brandin Podziemski, SG, Santa Clara

The Grizzlies have shown a willingness to draft players who aren’t coming out of the biggest schools. While I’m lower on Podziemski than consensus, he has a lot of fans in the draft world who glamour at his feel for the game. The Santa Clara product follows in the footsteps of Jalen Williams as a Bronco selected in the first round after Williams was taken 12th in last year’s draft.

26. Indiana Pacers: Maxwell Lewis, SG, Pepperdine

Lewis has a lot of flaws to his game, especially defensively, but the Pacers can gamble on his upside with one of their many picks. His scoring/size combination will be a luxury if he pans out.

27.   Charlotte Hornets: Colby Jones, SG, Xavier

Jones fits the mold as a “three and D” player, but he is another guy who can help LaMelo Ball with some of the ball-handling duties.

28.   Utah Jazz: Rayan Rupert, SF, New Zealand Breakers

This pick is all about defense for the Jazz. Rupert is one of my favorite point-of-attack defenders in the class and he thrives locking guys down in isolation. 

29.  Denver Nuggets: Julian Strawther, SG, Gonzaga

The NBA champions have been making moves to acquire more and more draft picks, including this pick here, in an effort to create a dynasty. Shooting is always a nice skill to have when you’re teammates with Nikola Jokic, and Julian Strawther is one of the best in the class. He will receive a lot of open looks off of passes from the Joker, but even when guarded, Strawther can get his shot up thanks to his super quick release. 

30.  Washington Wizards: James Nnaji, C, FC Barcelona

The Wizards also just acquired this pick at the end of the first round in a deal that sent Kristaps Porzingas to Boston. They look to replace his spot in the front court with James Nnaji, a monster of a man that is a beast in the paint on defense. Nnaji will need to refine his offensive repertoire to become more than just a backup big.

31.  Detroit Pistons: Olvier-Maxence Prosper, PF, Marquette

32.  Denver Nuggets: Marcus Sasser, PG, Houston

33.  San Antonio Spurs: Amari Bailey, PG, UCLA

34.  Charlotte Hornets: Jordan Walsh, SF, Arkansas

35.  Boston Celtics: Nick Smith, SG, Arkansas

36.  Orlando Magic: Jaime Jaquez, PF, UCLA

37.  Denver Nuggets: Trayce Jackson-Davis, C, Indiana

38.  Sacramento Kings: Sidy Cissoko, SF, League Ignite

39.  Charlotte Hornets: Tristan Vukcevic, C, Real Madrid

40.  Indiana Pacers: Andre Jackson, SG, UCONN

41.  Charlotte Hornets: Ricky Council, SG, Arkansas

42.  Washington Wizards: Ben Sheppard, SG, Belmont

43.  Portland Trail Blazers: Jalen Wilson, PF, Kansas

44.  San Antonio Spurs: Terquavion Smith, PG, NC State

45.  Memphis Grizzlies: Kobe Brown, PF, Missouri

46.  Atlanta Hawks: Emoji Bates, SF, Eastern Michigan

47.  Los Angeles Lakers: Julian Phillips, Tennessee

48.  Los Angeles Clippers: Adama Sanogo, C, UCONN

49.  Cleveland Cavaliers: Keyontae Johnson, SF, Kansas State

50.  Oklahoma City Thunder: Mouhamed Gueye, C, Washington State

51.  Brooklyn Nets: Chris Livington, PF, Kentucky

52.  Phoenix Suns: Mike Miles, PG, TCU

53.  Minnesota Timberwolves: Jalen Pickett, PG, Penn State

54.  Sacramento Kings: Azuolas Tulbelis, PF, Arizona

55.  Indiana Pacers: Isaiah Wong, SG, Miami

56.  Memphis Grizzlies: Jordan Miller, SF, Miami

57.  Washington Wizards: Drew Timme, C, Gonzaga

58.  Milwaukee Bucks: Oscar Tshiebwe, C, Kentucky

Written by Jonathan Peter on April 29, 2023.

The pressure is at an all-time high for the Denver Nuggets. In their quest for a championship, the Nuggets are facing a daunting next challenge, a rematch against the Phoenix Suns.

Two postseason’s ago, the Nuggets got swept out of Ball Arena at the feet of the Suns. Shorthanded, due Jamal Murray’s torn ACL and other injuries in Denver’s backcourt, the Nuggets looked helpless against Phoenix. Nikola Jokic gave it his all attempting to carry Denver through the series, but it did not matter.

Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon were also part of the 2021 sweep, but neither has memorable performances. Porter shot an uncharacteristic 38% from the field, while averaging 15.3 points and 5.5 rebounds. Gordon’s series was just as forgettable, averaging 9 points and 3.8 rebounds.

Quite simply, the Nuggets got undressed in front of the NBA world by the Suns. The stench of the 4-0 sweep was strong and Denver appeared to be no where close to being a championship caliber team.

Now, two years later, the Nuggets are healthy and are a far more formidable team and the Suns might be too.

Phoenix acquired future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant at the deadline, pairing him with star guard Devin Booker. The talented offensive duo proposes a difficult challenge for opponents attempting to defend them. Add in veteran guard Chris Paul and former #1 overall pick Deandre Ayton or “DOMINAYTON” as he likes to refer to himself, the Suns have an impressive four players leading their squad.

“I think we all understand who we are about to play and the problems that the team presents across the board,” said Coach Michael Malone in a media scrum on Friday. “But we got a lot of guys who have a significant amount of playoff games under their belt, second round, Western Conference Playoffs, guys are locked in.”

Denver truly does have all of the components necessary to defeat this loaded Phoenix roster. Partially due to Denver also having a quality roster, but there is something greater ingrained in the Nuggets’ identity. They are the best version of themselves when they play unselfish basketball.

Reflecting back on the Nuggets first round series, they eliminated Minnesota in 5 games, winning the series 4-1. Denver was in command of the series from the get go and they did not even play their best basketball.

In the first round, the Nuggets only averaged 25 assists per game as a team, lower than their regular season average which was about 29 assists per game. While the numbers may seem similar, there were many instances in which the Nuggets were not playing in their free flowing offense. Often, they were bailed out by knocking down difficult shots from the likes of Murray, Porter, and Jokic.

Going forward, the Nuggets should continue to fall back on the style of basketball they love playing. The isolation moments are great, but the Nuggets are equipped to wreck havoc on their opponents by utilizing all five of their guys on offense.

It’s imperative the Nuggets make their brand of basketball the focus in this series. They can be a contrasting force against what the Suns want to do. While Phoenix’s offense is deadly, it’s simple to understand how they like to operate which is the pick and roll with the ball in the hands of their best players. Their offense doesn’t force the defense to think, it’s just a matter of being able to make their shots as difficult as possible.

Many are making this series out to be a battle of the stars, but the truth is it’s going to be the others who are the swing factors in which way this series goes. Denver has the upper hand on paper because of their depth, but it will only be a difference maker if they get everyone involved. The Nuggets objective should be to make Phoenix look silly for losing all their depth in the blockbuster deal for Durant. Make the Suns feel tormented for losing Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and to a lesser extent Jae Crowder.

…

Generally, whenever the Nuggets play a nationally televised game, a graphic appears consisting of the names Erik Spoelstra, Gregg Popovich, Steve Kerr, and Michael Malone. The graphic informs viewers that these are the longest tenured head coaches in the NBA. Malone is the only coach on the list who has not won a championship yet.

This is a golden opportunity for Malone to make his mark. The other three other coaches listed next to Malone on those graphics have specific styles of coaching. There is an expectation about how those teams will perform on a game by game basis. Malone’s mantra of unselfish basketball can be on display if the Nuggets dominate this series. He’s been the driving force behind Denver’s past playoff success and impressive feats and can continue to add to it in this series. It’s his time to shine.

“‘Selfless’ on that wall [in the Nuggets’ practice facility], and it’s a big part of the culture that I’ve tried to create since day one,” said Malone. “All the teams that win championships, everyone sacrifices.”

It’s time for Denver to embody this message and what they have been building on for the past eight years. Their opportunity begins tonight at 6:30 at Ball Arena.

Written by Jonathan Peter on April 10, 2023.

The Nuggets ended their season with a home win against the Sacramento Kings, but they should still thank the New Orleans Pelicans. Because of the Pelicans win against the Memphis Grizzlies last Wednesday night, the Denver Nuggets clinched the number one seed in the Western Conference.

This historic feat for the franchise has been somewhat overshadowed because of the team’s lackluster end to the regular season. In the Nuggets’ last 23 games, they are a mere 12-11. Their record looks like it embodies a team which was coasting to get to the end of the regular season, rather than chomping at the bit to win a championship.

The biggest doubt surrounding the Nuggets is if their lack of urgency carry over into the playoffs. Only time will tell because it appears the team is only focused on getting to the playoffs healthy after knowing where they stand out West.

Recapping the Season

Still, there is so much to be appreciative about this Nuggets’ team. Nearly every regular season goal which the team had was accomplished.

First, it’s important to mention that the Nuggets stayed remarkably healthy this season. Every starter played 60+ games this season and the five starters (Jokic, Gordon, Porter Jr, Caldwell-Pope, and Murray) have played in 41 games together. Given that Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray are coming off major injuries, this has to be a win for Denver.

In light of the return of Murray and MPJ, it should be noted how they have seamlessly fit back into the lineup. After Nikola Jokic has had two MVP seasons, there was a level of interest about how the returning stars would play next him, given how Jokic has ascended to the best player in the league. The the truth is Denver has become one of the most difficult teams to play against. The starting lineup posted a 14.3 net rating, exemplifying their dominance on both ends of the court.

Both Murray and Porter Jr. did not have career seasons, but they were damn near close to it. After missing about 1 1/2 seasons of basketball, Murray averaged 20 points, 6.2 assists, and 4 rebounds per game, while shooting 45% from the field and 39% from three. On 48% field goal shooting and 41% three point shooting, Porter averaged 17.5 points per game while also snagging 5.5 rebounds. Both players were able to return to form and made it to the playoffs healthy. The team will expect the two of them to be ready to step their performances up for the playoff run.

Aaron Gordon’s season shouldn’t get lost in the mix either. Gordon certainly had a career season efficiency wise, by shooting 56% from the field. He has adjusted to playing off Jokic, Porter, and Murray by being able to scale his game up or down depending on the matchup and rhythm of the game. Another major aspect of Gordon’s game has been his willingness to take some of the physical burden off of Jokic and Porter. Gordon is generally buried in the paint among, absorbing hits and elbows from opposing teams big men. He has become the best version of glue guy that the Nuggets could ask for and they will need to him to replicate his mindset come playoff time.

Calvin Booth’s biggest offseason acquisitions made some noise too. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has been the perfect shooting guard for Denver. His elite three point shooting (41%), defense, and availability are a huge component of the Nuggets success. KCP has brought his championship experience to Denver and it is something intangible that the team desperately needed. They needed a guy who could do the little things to help push them over the edge, and Caldwell-Pope has been that guy.

He won’t receive it, but Bruce Brown deserves consideration for the Sixth Man of the Year award. Brown provides the squad with energy every single they play and he fills in wherever he is needed. Brown has played in 80 games overall and started in 31 games for the Nuggets this season and he was major reason Denver was able to stay afloat this season. Both Murray and Porter Jr. missed many games this season due to injury, but Brown filled in for them seamlessly. He has been the ultimate Swiss Army knife for this Nuggets team.

The rookie draft picks made a splash this season too. Peyton Watson had a fun last six games of the season and the future looks bright for him, but Christian Braun made his presence felt all season long. Braun was impactful enough where Denver was comfortable trading away Bones Hyland for next to nothing, in order to get him some more playing time. His defensive instincts are perhaps the best on the team and he has earned himself a rotation spot come playoff time. Not bad for the 21st pick in the draft.

And last, I can’t forget about the most important player in the league, Nikola Jokic. After two consecutive MVP seasons, Jokic doubled down by having his best season to date. Averaging nearly a triple-double per game on 24.5 points, 11.8 boards, and 9.8 assists, Jokic also shot 63% from the field and 38% from three. This absurd offensive season should not be taken for granted.

However, it’s important to note the significance behind this season, especially as it relates to Jokic. There is an immense amount of pressure surrounding #15 this postseason. It is the first season in a couple years where he has quality supporting talent next to him. The constant expectation is for Jokic to set the tone for his teammates. Everyone follows his lead.

He has done a good job at times, but there have been lapses throughout the regular season. It is noticeable recently that if he does not care about a game, the team is likely to lose the contest. He deserves some blame for the Nuggets latest skid. Believe what you want to believe, but this is the Jokic way. I expect him to turn it on for the playoffs.

Be Proud

All the way back on December 20, 2022, the Nuggets played the Memphis Grizzlies in a battle for the number one seed in the Western Conference. Denver bullied Memphis in that contest, grabbed the number one seed, and haven’t looked back since.

If you support the Nuggets, take pride in this historic season. They have done something no other Nuggets team of the past has been able to accomplish and that means something. They also did it in their own fashion. As Nuggets fans should know best, you never appreciate how good things are until they aren’t.

Written by Jonathan Peter on Feb. 28, 2023

It’s becoming clearer with each passing day that Western Conference will have to run through the Denver Nuggets in order to reach the NBA Finals.

Despite getting embarrassed by the second place Memphis Grizzlies during last Saturday’s matchup, the Nuggets still sit 5.5 games ahead of them. With only 20 games left in the regular season, Denver appears to be comfortably in control of clinching the first seed in the West.

Yet, after a bizarre trade deadline, many basketball spectators are hesitant to give the Nuggets validation as the team to beat. The Western Conference added a lot of star power. After the implosion of the Brooklyn Nets, Kevin Durant became a Phoenix Sun and Kyrie Irving is a Dallas Maverick. Oh and the 12th seeded team in Los Angeles added some role players.

But none of these trades created a team which was leaps and bounds ahead of the Denver Nuggets. Out of desperation, opposing teams made these moves at the deadline to give themselves an opportunity to try and takedown Denver, whether anyone wants to admit it or not.

Will it matter? Probably not, but the Nuggets still have to figure out how to eliminate some of their few weaknesses before playoff time hits. Here’s a couple of things to watch for as the Nuggets wrap up the regular season.

The New Look Bench

The bench unit has been the Nuggets’ version of a common cold all season long. Just how a cold might not bother you enough to stop going about your daily activities, the Nuggets bench has not dragged the team down enough to affect their overall success. However, the reserves need to be good enough to provide the starters valuable time for rest.

The Nuggets’ front office addressed this problem at the trade deadline by trading away Bones Hyland and Davon Reed, in return for center Thomas Bryant. They also signed guard Reggie Jackson after he was bought out by the Charlotte Hornets.

Bryant provides Denver with an energetic interior presence that the bench unit lacked prior to his arrival. Jackson is a veteran in this league, who has plenty of playoff experience and should be able to take off some of the burden from Jamal Murray being one of the few smaller creators on the team.

In the three games where Jackson and Bryant have been the leaders for the bench, they have struggled mightily. This shouldn’t be surprising given the lack of time the group has had together, but it will be important for them to figure it out within the next 10 games. If there is still a vague identity surrounding this unit by then, Malone needs to look at changing things up.

The Stagger

Another issue surrounding this unit is whether or not a starter will stagger with them. It appears that Malone wants to play Jamal Murray with the bench, but it appears that the same dilemma will arise which happened prior to the trade deadline.

A lineup consisting of Murray, Jackson, and Bruce Brown will result in Denver being poor defensively. They just give up a lot of size and it will be challenging for Denver to matchup with anybody.

Also, Murray and Jackson have a similar role when they play with bench based lineup. Their objective is to be offensive catalysts, but if they share the court, only one of them will get to be the primary option. It would be best to have the two play separately to avoid confusion and for their to be no lack of identity.

Perhaps getting Jackson more minutes with slotted in Murray’s place with the starters could help him get acclimated with his new team. Murray could use more time rest during games as it seems that the workload has taken a toll on him throughout the season. This could happen during the first half of most games and Denver would be able to run their dominant starting lineup more during the second half to close games out.

The Starters Increasing Their Chemistry

The Nuggets starting lineup has been among the best 5-man lineups in the NBA this season. The starters (K. Caldwell-Pope – A. Gordon – N. Jokic – J. Murray – M. Porter Jr.) have posted a 16.2 net rating according to the NBA’s advanced stats.

The only problem is this lineup has only played 26 games together this season for a combined 437 minutes. All of the starters have been in and out of the lineup over the course of the season. It feels like they need to play together more to continue to work out the kinks in order to be increasingly dominate in the postseason.

One tradeoff of this group not playing as much together has been more chemistry being built between Jokic and each of the other starters. Out of necessity, Denver can feel comfortable running any action with Jokic and a starter against any opposing defense. But, it is imperative that this starting five can blowout anybody’s best punch against them in the playoffs. Hopefully, they can get 12-15 straight games together during the closing part of the season, even though it seems unlikely because of lingering injuries.

The Nuggets will be on the road against the Houston Rockets tonight at 6.

Written by Jonathan Peter on Dec. 22, 2022.

If Nikola Jokic is on the court, the Denver Nuggets have proven to be one of the best teams in the NBA. The only problem is that he doesn’t play 48 minutes a night.

The Nuggets look like one of the worst teams in the league without Jokic. With the two-time MVP only averaging 33 minutes per game, the Nuggets are incredibly vulnerable to bleeding points during the 15 minutes without him.

This has been a common occurrence for the Nuggets throughout Jokic’s career. They are incredible with him on the court, and terrible when he is on the bench. This season, the Nuggets have the depth to help diminish this issue.

To Coach Malone’s credit, he has started to implement more staggered units, leaving at least one starter in at all times. With Michael Porter Jr. returning on Friday against the Trail Blazers, this strategy should continue to work. But Denver needs to start strategizing in some different ways to get the most out of this roster.

Give Bones Minutes with the Starters

Much has been placed on the shoulders of young Bones Hyland this season. During the majority of his minutes, he has to captain the second unit by generating everything on offense for them. This isn’t an easy task for Hyland, and it has manifested in him having the worst plus-minus on the team at -121.

Lineups with Hyland are also very poor defensively. But the issue is a little deeper than it seems on the surface. If shots aren’t falling, Bones is far less engaged on defense. The opposite is true too. If Bones is playing well on offense, his defense gets better. That’s why it should be a priority to get him minutes with the starters.

The solution is simple. Malone has been consistent with subbing Jamal Murray out fairly early in the game, around 5-6 minutes into the first quarter. But he subs in someone who isn’t Bones. It was Vlatko Cancar for a few games, then it was Christian Braun, but it should probably be Hyland to fill in at point guard.

Every single player benefits when sharing the court with Jokic, and it could definitely benefit Bones. They have displayed the chemistry of playing off each other and the game is a lot simpler for Hyland if he has Jokic there with him.

In an ideal world, Hyland gets his opening stint with the starters when he subs in place of Murray. This can generate easy looks for Bones, taking some pressure off of him that is normally there with a mostly bench lineup. This is a good way for his confidence to build and his feel for each game to improve. It also doesn’t hurt if Murray plays a little bit less each night because of his knee soreness.

Don’t be afraid to switch lineups around

The Nuggets’ shorthanded win against Memphis proves this point the best. Malone had to depend on his bench to give the team decent minutes and it worked! He turned to Christian Braun to start in the absence of Murray and MPJ. Zeke Nnaji and Cancar played some good minutes as well. The Nuggets had their best win of the season against the Grizzlies.

The irony from this game was that Malone had to rely on players he normally would not turn too. And we can only hope he realized something from this result.

There is no need for Denver to have a rigid 9 or 10 man rotation every game. They have the pieces to stay flexible and adjust based on who they are playing against. There are nights when Denver needs veterans to get playing time, but there are also plenty of matchups where they could use youth, athleticism, and hustle. It truly is a luxury to have a roster where you can tinker with different options and Malone needs to maximize it.

Leadership

This is not truly related to the rest of this post, but it deserves to be talked about. The Nuggets accomplished a lot this offseason. Not only did they improve their roster, but they brought in quality veterans.

DeAndre Jordan has been someone who has received a lot of grief from anyone who watches the Nuggets, including myself. His play has not been something to write home about by any means. But it is obvious that he is a great teammate. He is constantly coaching up his younger teammates and encouraging them. This has been obvious if you catch a game on TV or in person.

Bruce Brown has filled in at nearly every position for Denver due to injury and he has done more than anybody can ask of him. He brings energy every single game and is the ultimate competitor. The Nuggets are lucky to have him and we are lucky to witness his play.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is the championship player the Nuggets needed. He deserves his flowers for being able to scale his game for whatever Denver needs on any given night. He knocks down timely shots, plays well defensively, and rarely takes a play off.

It is also noteworthy how he battles too. During Sunday’s game against the Hornets, he got a pretty bad leg injury after colliding with an opponent. He was helped to the locker room, but finished the game and played on Tuesday against Memphis. The Nuggets don’t force players to play through injury, he could’ve taken both games off. But he didn’t. His toughness is an example to the rest of the team and it’s the kind of mentality they need to inherit if they are serious about winning a championship.

…

The Nuggets take on the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night at Ball Arena. It might be the first time the Nuggets have been fully healthy for quite some time. It should be a good one.

Written by Jonathan Peter on Dec. 6, 2022.

After two pathetic road performances, the Denver Nuggets are hoping to get a much needed bounce-back win at home against the Dallas Mavericks.

The Nuggets had the opportunity to cushion their top seed in the Western conferences standings, but losses to the Hawks and Pelicans have caused them to fall to fourth in the West. Currently, Denver only sits 0.5 games above the Sacramento Kings. Frustration is starting to boil over throughout Nuggets nation.

Michael Malone was just ejected.

— Mike Singer (@msinger) December 4, 2022

Coach Malone had a weird ejection on Sunday. He got tossed near the end of the game, when the Nuggets had no shot at winning. Whether Malone was mad with the officials, himself, his team, or a combination of all of these things is unknown. The most apparent thing is that the pressure is getting to Malone.

Feeling the pressure and being upset about the state of the team is a fair reaction to have. This is the best roster in the history of the Nuggets franchise and expectations are high, higher than they have ever been. And the Nuggets have to figure out away to steer this ship in the right direction. If the Nuggets want to make a deep playoff run, Malone has to adapt quickly.

I don’t want to harp on the Nuggets poor defense to start the season. Because the bigger issue is that the young guys on the team are not getting enough playing time. Zeke Nnaji, Christian Braun, and Bones Hyland need to get playing time in order to determine whether or not they players who are going to be impact players for this team.

All three of these players are first-round picks for the Nuggets. Not every first-round pick turns out to be a reliable NBA player, but they obviously have a measurable level of talent which warrants why they were drafted so highly. Despite Nnaji and Hyland missing games to injury, we still have not seen enough of these players when they have been healthy to determine if they improve the Nuggets deficiencies.

Bones got benched.

— Ryan Blackburn (@NBABlackburn) December 4, 2022

The blame has to fall on Malone. He has been opting for the likes of Ish Smith, DeAndre Jordan, Davon Reed, and Jeff Green instead. Not to be disrespectful to these players, but none of these players have proven to be consistent bench players and they don’t have the resume to prove it either. Reed was a G-league player last season, Jordan is on his seventh team in 5 years, Smith is on his 13th team in 13 seasons, and Green is on his 11th team in 15 years.

None of Malone’s veteran options have displayed the ability to be consistent NBA rotation players in all of their stops throughout the league. And he continues to play them whenever they are available.

Now, I am not saying that Braun, Hyland, and Nanji will solve Denver’s problems. But, they deserve opportunities because the Nuggets can elevate their ceiling if these players are able to contribute. Also, they don’t need to be consistent staples of Denver’s rotation every night. Like I pointed out last week, Denver has a luxury this year with their depth. There are nights where certain players get playing time and others don’t. It should be a good thing.

Jeff Green today on why the Nuggets' defense hasn't clicked: "It's still the beginning of the season. People act like the playoffs are right around the corner…together we have to buy in as a team, which we will. That takes time." pic.twitter.com/W5rrjWdCGj

— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) December 6, 2022

Green does bring up some good points in this clip and he is right. It is early in season and Denver has time with plenty of room to grow. They also have the talent to turn things around.

So is it time to panic? Not necessarily. Two losses is in a 82 game season shouldn’t sound the alarms. However, Malone and the team have to address their shortcomings. They have to instill more confidence in each other before the wheels fall off.

Playing in the Western Conference does not give teams the opportunity to fool around. It’s time for this Nuggets team to follow the motto of former fan favorite Monte Morris and “Lock In”.

Written by Jonathan Peter on Dec. 1, 2022.

After playing 21 games, the Denver Nuggets have a 14-7 record, good enough for second place in the Western Conference.

I believe there are multiple ways to view Denver’s beginning to the new season. The Nuggets early-season success was somewhat expected, given their favorable schedule against easier opponents. According to ESPN’s RPI rankings, the Nuggets have currently had the second easiest strength of schedule.

To be fair, the Nuggets should have taken advantage of this luxury more than they did. Denver did blow some easy games to inferior teams and those losses could have implications for seeding and home-court advantage. The remainder of Denver’s season entails a much more difficult slate of opponents.

The injury bug has hit Denver hard so far this season. No major injuries have occurred, but there have still been enough small issues to wreck havoc on the team’s goals. Currently, Michael Porter Jr. has missed the last four games due to a heel injury. Prior to that, Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon missed multiple games due to illness. Factor in other injuries to rotation players like Bones Hyland, Jeff Green, Ish Smith, and Zeke Nnaji, Denver hasn’t been in the greatest position to succeed. Despite the lack of players, the Nuggets find themselves in a good spot because of their impressive depth.

The Nuggets’ depth has been the most important element to their success this season. Denver has the perfect pieces because many of the rotation players realize when it is their time to step-up by contributing more than usual because key players might be missing. No player has exemplified this more than Bruce Brown.

Brown has been the glue which has held the Nuggets together. As a player who comes of the bench generally, Brown has found himself in the starting lineup on many occasions already. He has filled in for the starters at both guard and forward spots. He knows what to do in any situation which he has been placed into and has been the perfect fit for this roster.

For a more recent example, look no further than Vlatko Cancar. Cancar has been a staple as a Nuggets’ benchwarmer for a few years now. But this season, Cancar is getting playing time and is proving he can bring stability to the Nuggets bench. He provides a Jokic-esque quality for the bench unit. He’s a dependable option who knows what to do when he gets the ball. If he plays off-ball, Cancar is just as comfortable playing within the flow of the offense, but cutting to the hoop or setting solid screens.

Cancar is similar to Brown because of his ability to play in for multiple roles. He has gotten playing time because of current injuries to forwards Jeff Green and MPJ but is also comfortable playing the center spot as well. It’s only been four games where Cancar has been truly in the rotation, but Coach Malone should continue to ride with him. Honestly, the bench has never looked more cohesive and it will be important to see whether they continue to play well against stronger competition.

Depth is a crucial component to making a deep playoff run. All of the Nuggets have shown flashes of brilliance, but it is a matter of continuing to replicate it consistently. That will be a thing to keep an eye on throughout the rest of the season.

Written by Jonathan Peter on November 16, 2022.

The Denver Nuggets are playing some of the most beautiful basketball during the young season. Through 13 games, the Nuggets are averaging 28.9 assists per game, which is tied for first in the league.

The Nuggets success passing the ball has allowed them to be the best shooting team in the NBA. Currently, Denver leads the league in field goal and three point percentage at 50.4% and 42.3%. But their league leading assists average is indicative of a principle embedded in this team.

For years, Coach Michael Malone has fostered an objective for his teams to play with a selfless attitude. This season, that goal could become the reality the Nuggets live in.

When your team is led by one of the most unselfish players, this objective can be easy to accomplish. Nikola Jokic is the epitome of ideal Nuggets basketball because of his approach to the game on a nightly basis. As the team’s leader, Jokic has been consistently looking to get his teammates involved on every offensive possession, especially this season as he averages a career high in assists per game with 8.9. His reluctance to look for his own shot and decrease in scoring can bring frustration to fans, but his style of play should be appreciated.

When teammates share the court with Jokic, there is an understood concept that everyone should be looking for the best shot possible. This means passing up a good look for yourself because your teammate has a better shot. If the Nuggets have this collective mentality, it can bring them the highest levels of success. Jokic might be the best player on this team by a wide margin, but keeping everyone constantly involved on offense can lead to increased trust in each other, eliminating any ego-driven decision-making. Trust leads to players feeling empowered and playing comfortably.

Individual’s ego is another area where the Nuggets’ selfless identity is imprinted throughout the team. There isn’t a more clear example of this than Michael Porter Jr. being on the bench during the closing stretches of multiple games this season.

Coach Malone has opted to go with Bruce Brown in the closing lineups of multiple games this season, most likely for defensive purposes. This means Michael Porter Jr. has been benched during crucial end-of-game situations. A player of Porter Jr.’s caliber who makes about 5x more in salary than Brown, would rarely find himself in a situation like that. These kinds of coaching decisions have frustrated many players who have been in this scenario and it leads to frustration throughout the organization.

When asked about his decision after win against the San Antonio Spurs, Malone gave a response echoing the teams’ mantra.

“That’s a big part of our culture. Being selfless, get over yourself. It’s not about you, it’s for the good of the team,” Malone said.

Needless to say, Porter Jr. has handled it well and with the right attitude. He is always cheering on his teammates whether he is playing or not. It’s refreshing to witness a player handle it this way in a league where everyone is ready to fracture relationships for their own gain.

…

Some bad news: The Nuggets are going to be without Nikola Jokic for some time because he has entered the NBA’s Health and Safety protocols. The team has been without Bones Hyland who was also in protocols. Also, when multiple players go down with Covid, it’s just a matter of time before more teammates get it as well. It might be a couple of rough weeks for the Nuggets, but there is no reason to panic.

Will the Nuggets be able to continue their “share the ball” mentality without the reigning MVP? Hopefully, they will.

Written by Jonathan Peter on November 1, 2022.

Through seven games, the Denver Nuggets are posting a 39.4 three-point percentage, the fifth best in the NBA. Every Nugget deserves some love for this success, but Michael Porter Jr. should get the lion’s share of the credit.

Porter’s impact on this Nuggets team is quite polarizing. Many are quick to point out his ineffectiveness on defense when he is not focused. The criticism is valid. There are a number of defensive possessions where Porter gets lost and is out of possession, or the opposing team targets him. He can also pick up dumb fouls, which hurts the team in a plethora of ways based off how the game will be managed without him.

Despite his flaws, MPJ is a crucial component for the Nuggets success throughout this season. Currently, he is shooting a ridiculous 48.9% from three, while attempting 7.8 shots from the perimeter, which is the most on the team by 2.5 shots. Porter believes he can even improve on that mark.

MPJ was asked about his 3P%

“50% isn’t an unrealistic number for me. Making 1 out of every 2 shots doesn’t seem that crazy to me.”

— Asher Levy (@asherlevynba) November 1, 2022

The confidence is incredible and it’s great to see a quote like this, considering how much time he missed because of his back surgery. Porter has come back looking like a better version of his past-self. It’s very impressive given that he missed essentially an entire season.

MPJ’s presence has a greater effect that cannot be replicated if he is not playing. Last Wednesday, Denver took on the LA Lakers without Porter, who was resting due to a back spasm. The Nuggets shot an abysmal 26.5% from the perimeter, only knocking down 9 threes that night.

Compare this to Sunday night, when Denver had a rematch with the Lakers, only this time Porter was playing. The Nuggets improved their team three point percent to 37.5. Porter had a poor shooting performance by his standards, only knocking down three of 10 attempts from deep. Still, by just being on the court, Porter attracts defenders to him because of his shooting skills, which results in his teammates getting looks.

Credit to Statmuse.com for the shot chart. The chart displays all of Porter Jr.’s shot attempts through the six games he’s played in. 58% of his shots come from beyond the arc, with the remaining 42% coming from the mid-range and in the paint.

Porter’s impact as a rebounder can’t be understated. He’s been pulling 7.5 boards per game, second best on the team behind Nikola Jokic.

As the season progresses, it would be nice to see Denver running more plays to get MPJ more shots from three. He’s not the best ball-handler, which means it has to be a concerted team effort to get him the ball by generating looks for him. Given his high efficiency, 7.8 attempts from three is too low for Porter, and that should increase in the future.

If Porter can continue to produce on offense at this rate, the Nuggets are destined to be an offensive juggernaut. If he improves on his deficiencies with decision making and defensive, Denver will be the title contender they expect to be.

Written by Jonathan Peter on October 24, 2022.

The Nuggets started the regular season in classic Nuggets fashion. A poor 3-point shooting performance and a lack of effort resulted in Denver losing their season opener to the Utah Jazz. They quickly bounced back with impressive back-to-back wins against the Golden State Warriors and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

It’s unnecessary to draw any major conclusions about the team this early into the season, but I am still going to do it.

If they can stay healthy, it’s obvious how versatile this Nuggets team is. Unlike many iterations of past teams, these Nuggets are able to matchup well against any team and there have been glimpses of that through the first three games.

Coach Malone has been notorious for hockey-style line shifts when playing his bench unit and his starters. He likes playing units with either all bench players instead of staggering them in with the starters and vice versa. Malone did this a lot of this last season and it resulted in the starters returning to the game with a major deficit to makeup.

To his credit, Malone has been adjusting his rotations constantly over these three games. He’s starting to mix it up by putting players in different spots. There has been an all-defensive minded unit consisting of Bruce Brown, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Christian Braun, and Aaron Gordon around Nikola Jokic. Michael Porter Jr. is getting minutes to stagger with some of the bench players. It is likely that many different lineups will be tinkered with during the season.

This is one of the best things for the Nuggets to do going forward because of how it can help them in the long run. The ability to go to different lineups in various situations is a luxury because the Nuggets can either compensate for a weakness or showcase their strengths.

Final Rotations for the Nuggets as they defeat the Thunder 122-117.

-Jokić with 19-16-13 and a clutch steal
-MPJ 22 points on 5 threes
-KCP 21 points on 6 threes
-Murray 16 points on 12 shots

Nuggets made TWENTY threes tonight. pic.twitter.com/R915pmCBgZ

— Ryan Blackburn (@NBABlackburn) October 23, 2022

The defending champion Golden State Warriors are the perfect example of why having versatile lineups is helpful to be a successful team. The Warriors got through last season’s playoffs by altering lineups to expose or challenge their opponents. They played Jordan Poole against the Nuggets because of Denver’s lack of perimeter defense and the inability to stop them. But during the Finals against the Boston Celtics, the Warriors subbed Gary Payton II for Poole because they needed more defense rather than offense.

The Nuggets have many resource available this season. Watching this team develop chemistry is a going to be a blast.