The Nuggets 10-piece is the 10 things you need to know from every Denver Nuggets game from Locked On Nuggets. Here are the 10 things you need to know from the Nuggets’ wild win over the Toronto Raptors on Monday night…
Aaron Gordon hurt: About four minutes into the game, Davion Mitchell took a charge in transition on Gordon. When he got up, Gordon wasn’t the same, and he left the floor soon after. Michael Malone shared after the game that Gordon’s calf strain wasn’t anything sigificant, but it’s something to monitor.
Turnover Happy: Without Gordon, the Nuggets grew lackadaisical with the ball, racking up 12 turnovers by halftime. Westbrook and Jokic each had three and Porter had two. The Raptors turned them into 13 fast break points.
Watson replaces AG: Peyton Watson got the biggest opportunity tonight to replace Gordon. He didn’t disappoint, hitting an incredibly clutch corner three with under two minutes to go to put the Nuggets up late.
Strawther joins him: Michael Malone called Strawther’s first half “subpar” tonight. He stuck with Strawther late, and the scoring wing paid off Malone with some big buckets, some free throws, and a great steal. Malone has little choice but to trust Strawther at the moment, and it paid off.
Tyson and Nnaji get a shot: The two young guys combined to score two points in 29 total minutes, but the effort and defensive intent were apparent. The Nuggets were able to win this game while Nikola Jokic was -1 in plus-minus on the game.
Brodie excels: Russell Westbrook didn’t close the game, but he still played 34 minutes, scoring 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists while shooting efficiently. Some of the jump shots still confuse me, but that’s a stat line no one can sneeze at. He helped win this game.
Westbrook knows: I asked Westbrook after the game about how important wins like these are. “It’s good to see that we come together when things get tight and adversity hits. We don’t fall down. We don’t look around. We come together. We lock in.”
Porter big: Four offensive rebounds for Michael Porter Jr. last night. His shot wasn’t hitting in the second half, so he drove and finished over smaller players. His rebounding was essential. He even had two stocks and three key assists. The last two were the final buckets of the game.
Jokic ho-hum: 28 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists. It wasn’t a great game from Jokic with seven turnovers, sub 50% from the field, and subpar defense against Jakob Poeltl. Still, Jokic is inevitable. He carries the responsibility well in these moments.
Signs of spring: The youth movement is looking good in Denver after last night. Braun, Strawther, and Watson were all on the floor for a win. They will all have roles to play in the playoffs this year. If spring comes early for Denver’s youth, the Nuggets playoff rotation may end up being just fine.
