If their success in 2023 set any kind of precedent, then the Nuggets are most likely about to shorten their bench for the NBA playoffs.
Michael Malone stored his rotation eight-deep for almost all of Denver’s run to the championship. His bench trio consisted of Bruce Brown, Christian Braun and Jeff Green — three players with a chasm of profession expertise separating them. Braun was a rookie; Green was together with his eleventh franchise.
An identical combine of expertise and youth may be anticipated this season. Brown and Green are gone. Braun has upped his game within the second half of the season after a lull, regaining Malone’s trust and establishing himself as one thing nearer to the sixth man he was always meant to be in his sophomore 12 months of NBA ball. Reggie Jackson’s minutes are larger, however that’s largely a product of Jamal Murray’s injury-littered season.
Regardless, there have been a couple of notable omissions March 25 when Malone commented that “aside from (Braun) and Reggie off the bench, I don’t know who is going to play in the playoffs. I really don’t.” Peyton Watson has seemed just like the Nuggets’ greatest two-way bench participant at occasions this season, if not constantly. The 21-year-old is averaging a block per game in solely 18 minutes, rising as a high-ceiling wing defender whose athleticism can swing the momentum of an total game. Measured in each taking part in time and scoring, he’s ostensibly the eighth man who wasn’t initially talked about as a playoff eighth man.
Malone had more to say on the matter Tuesday, although, when he was requested about his playoff reserve choices again.
“I think Peyton Watson’s done a really good job as of late,” Malone mentioned. “Tonight obviously, 3-of-6 from the field, three rebounds, two blocks. That’s a really good night for Peyton Watson. I thought he played really well in the Cleveland game on both ends of the floor. And obviously, it would really be helpful to his development if he can get substantial playoff minutes. Because you can’t replicate that anywhere: regular season, whatever it is.”
Watson mentioned his precedence is to complete the common season robust and never bounce forward to the playoffs but. But when requested by The Denver Post whether or not he expects to be within the rotation, he mentioned, “I haven’t had any conversations with the coaches about it, but I’m not worried about it. I think I’ll be more than fine.”
“Continue to do what I do, continue to get experience and game reps even though it’s late in the season,” Watson continued. “When other guys slow down, I want to speed up.”
Typically, Malone likes to have both Murray or Nikola Jokic on the ground always, but when the ninth-year coach needs to stagger Murray with the second unit, he may need to navigate his level guard scenario rigorously. In 288 minutes of taking part in time, lineups that includes each Murray and Jackson are barely breaking even in internet ranking whereas posting a meager 1.41 assist-to-turnover ratio. That’s a worse ratio than all 39 of Denver’s two-man combos which have shared the ground more ceaselessly than them.
So does Murray stagger whereas Jackson plays with Jokic and the opposite starters? Does Malone go all-in on Murray and Jokic collectively, leaving the second unit to fend for itself with out a star participant? Or does he return to the Murray-Jackson mixture and subsequently tinker with a no-point-guards lineup that includes Christian Braun because the one? He has carried out that not too long ago to fill the minutes with Murray injured.
Nuggets officers contemplate Aaron Gordon an elite backup 5, however Malone additionally introduced up Zeke Nnaji during his feedback Tuesday. Nnaji has missed seven consecutive video games with a back damage, although the small-ball 5 had began to string collectively strong performances earlier than this setback.
Justin Holiday didn’t come up in Malone’s feedback regardless of an uptick in Holiday’s taking part in time all through the season. He has performed in all however one of Denver’s video games for the reason that All-Star break, capturing 41% from 3-point vary during that time whereas supplying respectable protection.
“A lot of it’s gonna come down to who we’re playing, to be honest,” Malone mentioned. “If we’re playing a team that’s really big, I’ll probably have to play a bigger lineup and some other guys. Obviously, trying to get Zeke Nnaji back healthy. He’s been out for a little while now. We know that we can go with Aaron as our backup five. … But there’s a lot of guys that we can throw into games. And obviously, Christian, Reggie, Peyton, Zeke, D.J. (DeAndre Jordan) — whoever the game calls upon, those guys will all be ready. I have no doubt about that.”
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