Malone "not sure" why Wilson Chandler left bench at end of latest Nuggets' win

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DENVER — Nuggets’ swingman Wilson Chandler is having a career-year in his ninth NBA season, averaging 16.4 points on 44.8 percent shooting to go with 7.0 rebounds per game – all numbers that are at or near career highs.

Yet, Chandler, like the Nuggets as a team, has been inconsistent as of late.

For Chandler, it was 13 points on just 5-13 shooting against the Clippers a week ago, then a huge 19-point night on an efficient 9-17 shooting in Denver’s loss to Atlanta Friday. Against the Clippers again Monday, Chandler was limited to just two points on 1-4 shooting in 29 minutes.

“Not just Wilson, but us as a team, we have to find ways to be a lot more consistent game to game, and even quarter to quarter,” Michael Malone said at practice Tuesday. “Last night, third quarter, I didn’t know who the hell we were, fourth quarter, we get back to being who we want to be. So consistency is obviously a big challenge when you’re such a young team like we are.”

“It’s funny, we’re 4-2 as I mentioned, but I think him starting is also taking away from some of his effectiveness,” Malone said of Chandler over the past six games. “What I mean by that, when he was coming off the bench, he was a focal point, we were running a lot of plays for him because we had guys out. No Gary, no Will and he was a guy that we’d go to a lot. As a starter, now, he’s probably not getting as many touches, play-calls for him because he’s out there with Nikola Jokic, Gallo, Gary, Emmanuel.”

The Nuggets moved Chandler to the starting lineup before their Dec. 15 game against the Portland Trailblazers after a disappointing six-game road trip where Denver went 2-4. Since then, the Nuggets are 4-2 and have the most efficient offense in the league but are struggling defensively.

Denver has given up 106 points or more in each of their past six games.

Towards the end the Nuggets’ 106-102 loss to the Clippers Monday, Chandler was subbed out with 3:56 left in the fourth quarter with Denver trailing 95-93. Chandler reportedly left the bench and went back to the locker room following the dead ball.

It wasn’t due to any sort of injury, but Malone was unsure why Chandler left the bench.

“To be very honest, I don’t even know where that came up, somebody mentioned it, but nobody said anything about an injury so I’m not sure what happened if he did leave the bench,” Malone said. “He played 28 minutes, did not have a great game obviously and we went with some other guys down the stretch but I haven’t heard either way on that. He was here today and he was fine and he was in a good place.”

Chandler was not available for comment at practice Tuesday.

Denver, whose record sits at 13-18, hosts Minnesota Wednesday and Philadelphia Friday at Pepsi Center before traveling to Golden State for a matchup with the Warriors Monday.