It’s time to get excited about the Nuggets’ second unit.
That feels like a crazy sentence to write, especially after losing Bruce Brown, Vlatko Cancar’s ACL tear, and the 20-minute hole that Jeff Green’s departure left on Denver’s bench. But that’s what you came away from the Nuggets’ 108-104 win over the Grizzlies feeling.
Reggie Jackson, Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, and Zeke Nnaji, Calvin Booth’s bench as we can call it, looks promising.
On Friday night in Memphis, the Nuggets were only outscored by two points in the 13 minutes that Nikola Jokic was off the floor. That’s a huge success.
The Nuggets’ second unit was flying around defensively. Peyton Watson showed on one play why the Nuggets believe he has All-Defense upside.
Zeke Nnaji didn’t record a rebound, but he held his own in the paint. He drew several fouls during Nuggets defensive rebounding opportunities and saved possessions for Denver with his defense.
Reggie Jackson, who’s pacing Denver’s second unit right now, poured in 16 points (7-13 FG’s, 2-5 3FG’s) 6 assists, and 0 turnovers in 22 minutes. He played his best game in a Nuggets uniform.
The Nuggets’ second unit has the ability to be a switch-everything, fly-around, chaotic, defensive-minded group, that can score enough to keep pace with its opponent. Denver’s 37 bench points were integral on a night where the Nuggets’ starters didn’t play with their usual mojo until that five-man group closed the Grizzlies out in clutch time.
You can see the vision that the Nuggets have for their second unit.
Here’s what else you need to know from Friday’s win
Nikola Jokic threw maybe the greatest pass I’ve ever seen.
But he did play one of his worst games of the last couple of years. Jokic finished with 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists but turned it over 9 times. In a lot of ways, it was a natural, predictable comedown after an emotional ring night and banner-raising earlier this week.
Still, Jokic was a +6 in 35 minutes and had 10 of the Nuggets’ 19 points in the fourth quarter.
Jamal Murray continues to play at a really high level to open the season. There aren’t many players who are reading the game like him right now. He’s also doing stuff like this to Marcus Smart.
Here’s why the Nuggets won.
