The Bones Hyland experience isn’t always as electrifying as it was Tuesday at Ball Arena. Sometimes it’s rocky. Sometimes it doesn’t go as planned. That’s expected from a rookie guard.
But when Hyland’s clicking? He’s worth the price of admission every single time.
Hyland starred in the Nuggets’ 132-115 win over the Knicks, pouring in a team-high 22 points to go with 6 rebounds and 3 assists. He was a +27 in only 25 minutes. He turned the ball over only once on a late third quarter travel that might not have been a travel. He shot 4-7 from 3-point range. Every one of Hyland’s 3-point makes felt momentum-shifting. However, none changed the tone of Tuesday’s win more than his second-quarter stunt on Kemba Walker.
Hyland got the ball from Nikola Jokic on a hand-off on the right wing, took one dribble with his left hand, gave Walker a slight shove with his right that sent the Knicks point guard flying, and stepped back behind the 3-point line. With Walker still on the ground, Hyland stared him down, stroked a 3 and pointed.
Directly at Walker.
Bones Hyland stared down Kemba then pointed at him 😳 pic.twitter.com/THA7o8bI0b
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 9, 2022
It’s all his teammates wanted to talk about in the locker room at halftime.
“As soon as I came in they were all clapping and stuff like that. ‘Bones, you got him. That was a tough move. What were you pointing at?'” said Hyland as he burst into his signature laugh. “But the chemistry with the guys is everything. They just want to see everybody do good, and that’s something you want in locker rooms. Everybody’s on the same page. When one person performs, we all celebrate with them.”
There was a lot more to celebrate from Hyland’s night. The 21-year-old had his best overall game since moving from backup shooting guard to point guard in place of Facu Campazzo, an adjustment Michael Malone made seven games ago. Hyland has struggled at times while adapting to the new position but Malone has stuck with him.
In one of Hyland’s first games at backup point guard last week in Milwaukee, he wrote 7-8 play calls in sharpie on his left wrist.
Bones Hyland wrote 7-8 Nuggets' play calls on his wrist in sharpie when the Nuggets played in Milwaukee last week. It was Hyland's first game at backup point guard: "I wasn't used to calling plays out…Now, it's clicking instantly for me," Hyland said tonight. pic.twitter.com/jF3iLMdFeG
— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) February 9, 2022
“Now, it’s clicking instantly for me,” Hyland said Tuesday after the win. “I’m getting more comfortable running point guard with plays.”
Hyland switching positions feels like it will be an inflection point in the Nuggets’ season. Malone was comfortable with Campazzo logging most of the minutes at point guard in his second unit and made the change as somewhat of a last resort. Denver needed to try something different to jumpstart its bench after more than half the season had passed and that group still hadn’t shown any consistent signs of breaking out. Malone was talking Tuesday night like he’s willing to live with Hyland’s ups and downs while playing that position for the rest of the season, or until Jamal Murray returns.
“With a young player there’s going to be highs and lows,” said Malone. “Those are expected and we welcome it. That’s part of the maturation and development.”
Hyland has the resources to succeed in his new role. He’s playing under a coach that oversaw Murray’s ascension from a rookie to one of the best point guards in the league. He shares a locker room with Murray and Monte Morris, who could have a future as an NBA head coach when his playing days are over. Campazzo, who Hyland’s currently stealing minutes from, is one of the greatest international point guards of all time and has also served as a mentor and teacher.
“He’s just helped me in so many ways,” Hyland said. “I really appreciate that from him.”
Hyland and the Nuggets’ second unit ran off a 9-0 run against the Knicks’ bench to end the first quarter, which gave Denver a four-point lead. In the second quarter, that same second unit pushed the Nuggets’ lead to 20. Denver pretty much coasted from there. Nikola Jokic (21 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists) and Will Barton (20 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists) had strong nights but it was the Nuggets’ bench that really shined.
JaMychal Green also had his best game of the season, finishing with 20 points on 6-7 shooting and helping the Nuggets to a win in their final game before Thursday’s trade deadline. Green, who’s fallen behind Zeke Nnaji in Denver’s rotation, is a likely trade candidate but has also been an important sounding board for Hyland throughout his rookie season.
“We’ve got the same background. When you’ve got the same background with another person, that connection, it clicks instantly,” Hyland said of his relationship with Green. “Because they know your tendencies. They know how you are. Now, I feel as though he’s taking on that big brother role to me. Just showing me the ropes, inside the game, telling me what he saw, stuff like that.”
“That’s big for me because I’m a kid who always wants to learn and grow, even in games, after games, before games. When I have somebody in my ear like that who wants to see me be great, that means the most to me.”
Hyland also said Tuesday that he’s been talking with former Nugget Isaiah Thomas daily and WNBA legend Sue Bird about playing his new position.
It’s all part of his point guard education that’s only just beginning.
“These opportunities are allowing Bones to just kind of grow up in front of our eyes,” Malone said. “Which is tremendous.”
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ryan184@mail.com
I’m definitely high on Bones but would really like to see those backup PG minutes go back to Monte in a month or so.