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.
10-Piece: Aaron Gordon returns in Nuggets win over Mavericks
Jan 12, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Jaden Hardy (1) steals the ball from Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson (8) during the second quarter at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The 10-piece breaks down 10 things to know from each of the Nuggets’ 82 regular season games. Today’s edition discusses the Nuggets’ 112-101 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.
1. AG Back: It was great to see Aaron Gordon back on the floor for the Nuggets. He played 18 minutes off the bench and shot 6-of-7 from the field, including a key three-pointer in the fourth quarter. Gordon’s return gives the Nuggets some margin for error again.
2. Starters start REAL slow: The Nuggets trailed 19-3 after just five minutes in this game. The offense and defense both hit low points at the beginning of the first and third quarters. The Westbrook, Murray, Braun, Porter, and Jokic lineup was an incredible Minus-25 in 12 minutes.
3. Bench picks up the slack: With Gordon involved, the group of Julian Strawther, Peyton Watson, and DeAndre Jordan all contributed to get Denver back into the game. All three were double-digit positives in plus-minus, including +30 for Watson.
4. Jekyll and Hyde Jamal Murray: He shot 7-of-18 on the game and clearly looks hampered by the knee soreness that forced him to sit midway through last game. Still, his fourth quarter was aggressive, and it got the team going at the same time.
5. Jokic vs Mavericks defense: Nikola Jokic had merely 19 points, 18 rebounds, and 9 assists, attempting just 13 shots. The Mavericks were aggressive in their coverages against him, including Dereck Lively II playing physical post defense.
6. Westbrook continues to shine: Westbrook’s cutting to the rim, drives in transition, and rebounding prowess were all examples of his effort impacting Denver in a positive way. 20 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. ANOTHER excellent game.
7. Tough MPJ shooting night: Michael Porter Jr. shot 5-of-13 from the field and 1-of-8 from three. I thought he would play better/ The shots he got were almost all shots that he regularly takes and makes. Expect him to bounce back Tuesday.
8. Watson closes the game: Peyton Watson over Christian Braun. That’s becoming a more regular trend. Watson’s playing great ball on both ends of the floor. He hit a clutch three and continues to get stops with his length and hustle.
9. No Luka and Kyrie helped a ton: Spencer Dinwiddie created a ton of great shots for the Mavericks in the first half. They shot 10-of-15 from three-point range in the first half...then they shot a ghastly 2-of-19 from deep in the second half. Obviously, having Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving likely changes that result.
10. Up Next: The Nuggets play Tuesday night against these same Mavericks. Doncic will definitely be out. There’s an outside chance Irving returns, but it’s unlikely. In a two-game set, teams almost always split the games. Denver won the first. Dallas is going to fight, scratch, and claw their way to try and win the second.
Monday movers: Isaiah Collier and the resilient Pistons
Jan 12, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier (13) lays the ball up against the Brooklyn Nets during the fourth quarter at Delta Center. | Rob Gray/Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Isaiah Collier
If you thought tracking incremental improvements was just for teams, think again. Jazz rookie Isaiah Collier had himself a game on Sunday, with a career-high 23 points, seven rebounds and assists, plus a block, in 37 minutes on the floor. It was Collier’s longest sustained playing time this season.
I covered Collier over his McDonald’s All-American weekend in April 2023. As a USC signee he was in the shadow of Bronny James, also in the same “McDAAG” class. Collier was quiet, polite, and a little shy off the floor, on the floor, all those traits inverted. When I’ve circled around to check on how Collier’s been doing this season I haven’t been surprised to see him taking a secondary role. Sometimes the best thing for a rookie is to have a working balance between competitive pressure and developing at their own pace. What I have been surprised by is how much Collier, up to now, has been flying under the radar.
He had a sixth-sense for the game in high school, in his knack for passing, knowing where teammates would be, and dictating the pace of the game — a rarer thing for a young athlete. It showed it again in his single season at USC. The Jazz don’t necessarily want Collier to be the one deploying these things, they have Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson, and Keyonte George as a backup for them, but when Collier’s been trusted by the team to handle the ball it’s paid dividends.
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
Watch Roundball Rock is (almost) back. Giannis, Jayson Tatum, and Wemby star in NBC’s NBA promo. (NBC Sports)
Analysis Amid struggles, what’s the end game for the Suns? (NBA.com)
Trade Bleacher Report looks at one trade each team should make. So who should the Nuggets target?
Milestone Russell Westbrook made history when he stepped onto the court yesterday against Dallas, becoming only the 46th player to appear in 1,200 regular season games. (Sports Illustrated)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Waiver Wire Wisdom: Navigating Fantasy Basketball’s Ever-Changing Landscape
Jan 12, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Noah Clowney (21) passes the ball away from Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) during the first quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray/Rob Gray-Imagn Images
As we dive into Week 13 of the NBA season, it’s crucial to approach your fantasy basketball strategy with a keen eye on both the present and the future. The key is to play for the short term while keeping long-term potential in mind.
Donovan Clingan is an interesting addition. With Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams out, Clingan started and showed promise. However, his value may be limited when Ayton returns. This could be an opportunity to sell high on Clingan if you believe his current performance isn’t sustainable.
Noah Clowney and Nikola Jovic are two players with more long-term value. Clowney’s minutes may fluctuate, but he’s worth rostering for potential future gains. Jovic, despite coming off the bench, has shown promise and could see consistent minutes moving forward.
Click the button below to see which under-rostered players need to find their way onto your team.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Nuggets podcasts.
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Are the Nuggets Content At the Trade Deadline? | Nuggets Beat Pelicans | Luka Trade Afterthoughts The Denver Nuggets beat the New Orleans Pelicans by 12 and MPJ has his best game of the year. Are the Nuggets content to stand pat at the deadline?
