Reliable Monte

1. Here is a great example of how each of the players in Denver’s new-look second unit fit together so nicely.

It’s also a great example of one of a point I always harp on: it’s not always the openness of a three-point shot, but the rhythm of that show. JaMychal Green is open but it’s the bright green light created by knowing that he has an offensive rebounder that allows him to take the shot in rhythm and with confidence.

2. Speaking of fitting together, the execution from the second unit has been impressive coming out of the all-star break. The timing of every cut, shuffle, and pass on this play are perfectly executed to create a wide open shot at the rim for Boogie.

3. Perhaps my favorite clip on this list. Bones Hyland’s grasp of the playbook has been a topic of discussion over the course of his rookie season but in the clip below, he not only tries to help Bryn Forbes recognize the action, he figures out how to adjust to Forbes’ mistake on the fly in order to save the play. Quick thinking from the rookie.

4. I love how Aaron Gordon is able to force the switch and draw Drew Eubanks out on the perimeter, giving Jokic an enormous size advantage inside before attacking Eubanks on the closeout and making the nice drop-off pass after Jokic draws the double team.

Gordon has a wide skill set that augments the versatility of Jokic. 5-4 switches aren’t just a mismatch for Jokic, they are also a mismatch for Gordon.

5. Gordon did a nice job of attacking Harrison Barnes in transition in the first game against the Kings. In the clip below, watch how he immediately seals Barnes after his initial drive is well-defended. Jokic knows to reward a big man with a quick re-post whenever he establishes deep post position.

6. If there was one thing that I could change about Gordon’s game it would be to give him a reckless aggression for posterizing guys in the paint. In the clip below, he has an A+ opportunity to put Barnes on a poster but inexplicably hits the brakes and dribbles the ball back to the corner.

7. I’ve talked a lot about how Bryn Forbes isn’t a reliable shot creator but he has surprised me a few times over the last few games with plays like the one below.

8. Speaking of two-man game with Jokic, Monte Morris deserves the spotlight that has been shined on him these past two weeks after knocking down a pair of game-winners. There are two or three plays each game where those two find a quick slip on a screen or a curl that leads to an easy layup.

9. Another great read from Monte.

10. The Will Barton-Jokic two-man game isn’t too bad, either.

11. I’m such a fan of placing the power forward in the dunker spot to space the floor next to Jokic. The Nuggets haven’t utilized that baseline gravity quite as much as they have in year’s past, perhaps because of a lack of spacing from the corners. But substitute Michael Porter Jr. for Austin Rivers and I’m not sure there is a defense in history that will stop Jokic once he catches the ball on the short roll.

12. This play is a good example of what people mean when they say that Jokic forces the game to be played at his pace. The defender is quicker and springier than Jokic but Jokic has a clear strength advantage. Jokic gets him off balance just enough to speed him up and then slow him down, turning the finish at the rim into a physical battle.

13. It wouldn’t be THE LIST without a clip of Denver’s flare action. The highlight here is that Gordon and Monte’s patience on this play eventually leads to the Kings to making the fateful decision not to switch the screen which allows for the tiniest window for Jokic to deliver a perfect strike to Monte at the rim. His precision on passes like this is absurd.

14. Bones tweaked his left ankle at the start of the second quarter against the Sacramento Kings but was able to stay in the game. Then, later in the 4th quarter, he fully rolled it. Even though he was unable to play through the pain the following night in Portland, it’s probably a good sign that the coaching staff allowed him to test it out for a few seconds before pulling him in favor of Facu Campazzo. Don’t think that would’ve been allowed had the team even suspected that the injury might take a long time to heal.