Wilson Chandler had to think about it.
On the Denver Nuggets’ opening possession of the game Sunday against the Indiana Pacers, Chandler was positioned in the right corner. Mason Plumlee‘s bounce pass was headed his way. The Pacers left Chandler all alone, granting him more than enough space to get his shot off.
Instead of firing immediately, Chandler jab stepped — a moment of hesitation from a player who’s struggled on the offensive end this season. Finally, Chandler flung it. The shot dropped straight through the net.
To see the ball go in that early must have felt good. Over the the first two months of the season, Chandler has struggled to get going. The 11-year NBA veteran is shooting 42 percent from the field entering tonight’s game against the Boston Celtics. But if the last two games are any indication, Chandler could finally be busting out of this funk.
Chandler’s corner three make against the Pacers helped him get off to a hot start. He made five shots in the first quarter alone. Chandler looked as aggressive on offense as he has all season. He finished the game with 18 points on 7-16 shooting. He followed that up with an 18-point performance two night later against the Pistons.
A little more than a quarter of the way through the season, Chandler is shooting the ball less than at any point since his rookie year. Even after high-volume games in Indiana and Detroit, Chandler’s still only attempting 8.2 shots per game — down from 13.2 a year ago. That nosedive can be explained in part by Chandler’s changing role. Last year, he came off the bench and created offense for Denver’s reserve units. This year, he’s started at small forward and been asked to fill in the gaps defensively.
Chandler is defending well. When he’s on the floor, the Nuggets allow 105.3 points per 100 possessions. When he sits, that figure jumps to 109.3 points per 100 possessions. At the same, he’s often looked hesitant offensively — passing up rhythm threes and holding the ball instead of getting to the hoop.
Chandler is starting to look like himself again, though. He’s shooting the three-pointer with confidence.
He’s also attacking closeouts. Chandler’s ball-handling ability and length make him a tough cover when he’s knifing his way to the rim.
He’s great at using a side-step move to create space inside.
Chandler finally appears to be finding some rhythm. He’s moving decisively on the offensive end. The Nuggets are better because of it.
[columns]
[column size=”1/2″]Nuggets Projected Starters
Jamal Murray
Gary Harris
Will Barton
Wilson Chandler
Mason Plumlee[/column]
[column size=”1/2″]Celtics Projected Starters
Kyrie Irving
Jaylen Brown
Jayson Tatum
Daniel Theis
Aron Baynes[/column]
[/columns]
