Ryan Blackburn here, the host of the daily Locked On Nuggets podcast, with your daily Locked On Nuggets newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Nuggets and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Denver Nuggets pass first test this NBA season
Nov 8, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson (8) reacts to his three point basket in the second half against the Miami Heat at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images|Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
It was just a bit ago when the Denver Nuggets were struggling with sub .500 teams and getting blown out at home.
Now, they’re 7-3 after their first ten games, fresh off of a 5-0 home stand.
Nikola Jokic deserves the most credit, as he often does, with the turnaround. After roughly six quarters of easing himself into the year as a scorer, it’s clear he sensed the team needed him to be more aggressive.
So, he became the best, most imposing scorer in the NBA overnight. Through 10 games, Jokic is averaging 29.7 points per game (4th in NBA) on 66.7% True Shooting. Among the top ten per game scorers in the NBA, that level of efficiency ranks second, merely 0.3% behind Kevin Durant.
Oh, and Jokic leads the entire NBA in assists and rebounds per game on top of that. Pretty good.
Beyond Jokic, Michael Porter’s shooting efficiency (40.8% from three on 7.6 attempts per game) has normalized in a big way. He’s playing with tremendous confidence and deserves a ton of credit.
Christian Braun has evolved into a new player for the Nuggets too. He had his first subpar defensive game on Sunday night, but he’s 9-out-of-10 on “games with positive impact starting minutes” on the year.
Peyton Watson started the year uncomfortable from three-point range and finding his impact throughout the flow of the game. Ever since he took over for the injured Aaron Gordon, he looks like a different player. He’s shooting with confidence, defending with better energy, and clearly more sure of himself.
Finally, Russell Westbrook and Julian Strawther have each had important moments, especially when replacing Jamal Murray. Westbrook can be hit-or-miss on his shooting efficiency, but he always passes the ball well and defends with energy. Strawther is finding his rhythm as an NBA player, but he’s quickly discovering what he can do on both ends of the floor, and it’s helping Denver.
So, 7-3 in their first 10 games? That seems like a win after Denver started as poorly as they did.
Aaron Gordon is still out, and he may miss some extended time still. Jamal Murray is still figuring out just how aggressive or passive he needs to be within this version of the team (and his defense needs some work).
Oh, and the backup center problem for the Nuggets featuring Dario Saric, Zeke Nnaji, and DeAndre Jordan looks more like a roulette wheel with one option: discomfort.
Those are things the Nuggets can try to figure out over time.
For now, the Nuggets have four days off. Then, they fly to New Orleans for the first NBA Cup game of the season.
I’m sure after a historic start, Jokic could use the rest.
The second annual NBA In-Season Tournament/much catchier ‘NBA Cup’ begins tonight, kicking off roughly a month of tournament games that fall on Tuesdays and Fridays. Then, we get into the quarterfinals and conference semifinals, the rules of which I am still not 100% clear on and am not ashamed to admit.
The newness of the Cup is what makes people skeptical of it. It’s what made me skeptical of it last season. It’s difficult to introduce new things into competitive ecosystems that seem largely “set”, which is why it happens rarely. My skepticism of the tournament came from the need to gameify what is already a game, but then I thought about how often the “product” of the NBA (e.g. basketball) gets complained about and realized the league was trying something. Trying something different versus just complaining about what already exists for the sake of griping is also rare.
Part of the fun of the tournament in its current, very green iteration, is its messiness. Last season, athletes were clear about how they, too, were stumped on the rules. How did the point system work? What were the knockout rules? Why were the custom courts so garish? But for the most part, players leaned into it. Did the Lakers lean a little too hard into it by hanging the In-Season Tournament banner in the rafters? Absolutely. But these are Tuesday night games in November — nothing about them should be sacrosanct.
A genuine lift I noticed and liked about last season’s tournament, and my real point of defense, is how these games operated as additional runway for a handful of teams on the verge. The In-Season Tournament was where we started to see the Pacers flourish and use the breakneck speed that went on to become a critical component of their entirely unique offense. The Pelicans also treated the tournament as something different, approaching the games like an escape from the early season injury woes that derailed them (unfortunately in a very cruel deja vu, we’re seeing the same thing this season). There’s going to be more emerging teams and play styles showing themselves this time around.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Injury The NBA has a ‘missing stars’ problem with injuries piling up faster than normal. (Yahoo! Sports)
Rumor Did Giannis Antetokounmpo’s fake handshake prank launch a new NBA rivalry?
Preview The tiny town and legendary 1980s NBA team that built NBA Draft phenom Cooper Flagg (ESPN)
Honor Former Nuggets player sends a passionate message to Victor Wembanyama, praising his talent and offering advice for his NBA journey. (Sports Illustrated) [Nov 10, 2024]
Fans NBA fans react to the latest Nikola Jokic news, expressing a mix of excitement and concern over his recent comments. (Sports Illustrated) [Nov 10, 2024]
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Monday’s NBA Fantasy Basketball Recap
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts during the second half against the Sacramento Kings at Frost Bank Center.|Photo by Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
Monday’s NBA action featured five games, each packed with performances and injury updates that could reshape your fantasy basketball strategy.
Injury Updates Affecting Lineups
Damian Lillard’s entry into concussion protocol means he’ll miss Tuesday’s game, with a slim chance of returning by Wednesday. This quick turnaround is unusual, so keep an eye on updates. Meanwhile, Gary Trent Jr. is still dealing with back spasms, and despite his fantasy position eligibility, he’s not a point guard, averaging only two assists per game. The Milwaukee Bucks are experimenting with their lineup, with Pat Connaughton and Ryan Rollins as potential backup point guards. Giannis Antetokounmpo can handle point guard duties, but he needs support, especially with Khris Middleton unavailable.
Zion Williamson’s injury update is a blow to fantasy managers. He’s expected to be out for four to six weeks, longer than initially anticipated. If you have an IR spot, hold onto him, but be prepared for a potentially extended absence. Malik Monk’s ankle injury will keep him out for at least two weeks, affecting the Sacramento Kings’ lineup. Kevin Huerter and Keon Ellis could see increased value in the short term.
Game Highlights and Player Performances
The San Antonio Spurs pulled off a surprising 116-96 victory over the Sacramento Kings. Victor Wembanyama was the standout performer, delivering a stellar 34 points and 14 rebounds, solidifying his status as a top fantasy player. De’Aaron Fox’s assist numbers are concerning, especially with DeMar DeRozan’s arrival affecting his role. DeRozan’s on-court fit with the Kings remains a question mark. Kevin Huerter’s inconsistency continues, and while he had a hot streak, his recent performance was lacklustre. Keegan Murray’s struggles are evident, and I don’t see him breaking into the top 75 players this season.
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Nikola Jokic INSANE Night | Nuggets Beat Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving Matt and Ryan break down the Denver Nuggets clutch win over the Dallas Mavericks. Michael Porter Jr. hit a clutch floater, Nikola Jokic continues to dominate, and the Nuggets went 5-0 at home.
Jokic and Murray Lead Nuggets In Dominant Win Over Miami Heat Swipa and Ryan break down the Denver Nuggets impressive win over the Miami Heat. Jamal Murray returned to the floor and looked pretty good. Nikola Jokic was his dominant self. Christian Braun and Peyton Watson continue to impress, and Russell Westbrook found a nice rhythm as a playmaker off the bench. The Nuggets look great. Swipa and Ryan discuss the improvements and give credit to Michael Malone.
Is Nikola Jokic Gonna Win Another MVP?!
Is Nikola Jokic primed to WIN ANOTHER MVP? He is off to an incredible start to the season and it looks like MVP #4 could be on the way? How good has Christian Braun been and is it sustainable? Let’s preview the Nuggets facing off Vs the Heat and Mavs this weekend.
