How Will Barton plans to rediscover his pre-injury form and impact the Nuggets when it matters most

The All-Star break is typically a time for some much-needed R&R. Players around the league might enjoy a weekend getaway to Miami, the unofficial destination for those not taking part in the league’s All-Star festivities, or a quick respite back home before the regular season’s stretch run.

Will Barton usually heads to Baltimore for a few days over the All-Star break or jets to warmer climates rather than sticking it out in Denver’s frigid February temperatures. But after missing much of the first three months of the season with a hip injury and struggling to recapture his 2017-18 self since returning to the lineup in January, Barton stayed local during last week’s break in the NBA calendar, opting to lock himself in the Nuggets’ practice gym in an effort to ready himself for Denver’s close to the season. Panoramic views of Biscayne Bay and a Mai Tai in hand were replaced with four walls, a basket and a leather ball.

“For me, the All-Star break was about me getting my rhythm back and trusting my body again,” Barton said. “To know that I can make quick bursts and leaps and get to the rim.”

Barton’s the first one to admit that he hasn’t been himself since returning to Denver’s rotation on Jan. 12 following a three-month absence due to a hip injury. He rejoined Denver’s starting lineup two weeks later but hasn’t yet returned to the player he was last season when the swingman posted career scoring numbers: 15.7 points per game on 45.2 percent shooting from the field and 37 percent shooting from three.

Simply put, Barton was indispensable for Denver a year ago. The Nuggets were 2.0 points per 100 possession better on offense a season ago with Barton on the floor (they were statistically the same defensively with or without Barton in the lineup), and that was with the do-it-all wing logging heavy minutes at backup point guard alongside Denver’s inconsistent bench contributors. When Barton was a part of the Nuggets’ starting lineup, Denver flourished, posting an elite 121.8 Offensive Rating, an 88.1 Defensive Rating and a 33.7 Net Rating, making the Jamal Murray-Gary Harris-Barton-Paul Millsap-Nikola Jokic five-man lineup the league’s second-most efficient lineup that logged at least 50 minutes together last season. That prowess carried over to this season. In the 46 minutes that Denver’s starting lineup played before Barton was injured this year, the Nuggets’ first five posted similar 114.7/84.2/30.5 slash lines.

Barton’s ability to get his shot when Denver’s read-and-react free-flowing offense stalled has always been instrumental for the Nuggets. He played a team-high 163 clutch minutes (when the score is within five points with five minutes or less remaining) last year, and Barton’s 86 clutch points during the 2017-18 season were tied for the most on the Nuggets with Murray. He didn’t always do it efficiently, but Barton came up big in winning time for Denver. When healthy, he’s arguably the Nuggets’ most potent playmaker in the pick-and-roll and an expert finisher once he gets into the teeth of the defense.

But Barton hasn’t had the same burst or consistent cadence around the basket that he did last season. According to Cleaning The Glass, Barton is shooting just 53 percent at the rim this year, which places him in the 27th percentile among all combo guards. Last season, Barton hit 64 percent of his field goals from that distance. It’s the main reason why Barton’s field goal percentage has hovered around 40 percent this year.

The trust in his body that Barton says he’s trying to rediscover clearly hasn’t been there.

In Barton’s last five games before the All-Star break, he struggled mightily, averaging just 9.6 points on 30.9 percent shooting from the field and 26.3 percent from three. As of late, Denver has been a significantly better team with Barton on the bench.

But it hasn’t been all bad news for Barton. He’s still converting from three-point land, hitting 35.9 percent of his threes this season. From midrange, Barton’s shooting 35 percent compared to the 32 percent he shot from midrange last year. He doesn’t appear to be limited by the injury either. He’s logged at least 30 minutes in seven of the Nuggets’ last 12 games and has his wind back after missing three months.

A week in the gym plus 5-on-5 practice reps, which Barton got Wednesday and Thursday, should help him eventually find his rhythm in time for Denver’s final 25 games. The Nuggets have the fourth-toughest schedule in the league to finish the year and 16 of their 25 remaining matchups come against teams currently in playoff positioning. Then comes what will likely be Denver’s first playoff appearance since the 2012-13 season.

“I think the more he’s out there, the more comfortable he gets, he’ll find his rhythm in these last 25. And that’s the goal,” said Michael Malone. “You want to finish the season playing your best basketball so you can go into the playoffs and be hitting your stride.”

Barton’s value will increase once the Denver enters uncharted territory in the postseason. The Nuggets’ first-rate half court offense should thrive in the playoffs, but with more time for defenses to scheme for Jokic and the intricacies of Denver’s attack, some aspects of the Nuggets’ offensive game plan could be stymied. That’s when Barton will come in handy.

Few on the Nuggets’ roster can break their man down like Barton when he’s operating at peak performance — a skill that will gain more value in a playoff environment. Barton can and is more than willing to play Denver’s unselfish brand of basketball, effortlessly waltzing into dribble-hand-offs with Jokic and connecting with the Nuggets’ point-center on cuts to the rim, but his 1-on-1 ability is a rare commodity on Denver’s roster.

In what’s been a mentally and physically taxing season for the 28-year-old, the Nuggets will need Barton’s best when it matters most.

“I just try to tell myself that every season at some point in the season, whether it’s at the beginning, middle or end, you’re going to get tested mentally as a player and as a person. And this has been my test so far,” Barton said. “First dealing with the injury then rehab then getting back then fighting not being my normal self yet. It’s all going to be worth it in the end though.”