With Malone in "search mode," Nikola Jokic poised to step into Nuggets' starting lineup

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DENVER — With a banged-up roster that has made carving out a consistent rotation difficult, Michael Malone is still searching for a starting five he can trust 25 games into the 2016-17 season.

In total, the Nuggets have used ten different lineups so far this year. The group Denver started the season with, that featured the twin towers frontcourt of Nikola Jokic and Jusuf Nurkic, was abandoned after seven games.

The Nuggets’ most used starting five; Emmanuel Mudiay, Will Barton, Danilo Gallinari, Kenneth Faried and Jusuf Nurkic, that has started six games for the Nuggets has a -37.1 Net Rating and is a -43 plus-minus in 59 minutes this year.

Denver finally found some consistency (or so it seemed) on their recent six-game road trip in Washington, by trotting out Darrell Arthur in place of Faried at the four spot. With Mudiay and Jameer Nelson splitting time at the one, flanked by Barton and Gallinari with Arthur and Nurkic up front, the Nuggets found immediate success winning the first quarters against the Wizards and Magic by a combined 62-47 margin.

However, that same group came out flat against the Mavericks was outscored 10-2 off the opening tip and the Nuggets found themselves in a 27-19 hole after the first quarter, one they couldn’t climb out of.

It’s safe to say Malone is in “search mode,” as he described it Wednesday at practice for a group he has confidence in to start games.

“I know that I have to find a group of guys that are going to go out there and at least compete,” Malone said. “So win lose or draw, you walk out of the arena saying at least we gave ourselves a chance tonight, and that’s all I can ask.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more changes to the lineup,” Malone later continued. “Read into that what you may.”

"I wouldn't be surprised if there were more changes to the starting lineup. Read into that what you will" Full story on Nikola Jokic to come pic.twitter.com/K4CcwcSO9q

— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) December 15, 2016

One of those changes figures to be the return of Jokic, who has not started a game since the second-year center asked to come off the bench following Golden State’s 125-101 win in Denver on Nov. 11 signaling the end of the Jokic and Nurkic pairing, a combination that Malone has not deployed since.

After five double-doubles in his last six games and coming off a monster 27 points on 10-12 shooting and 11 rebounds against the Mavericks, Jokic appears poised to re-engage himself with the starters.

“Nikola Jokic has been out best player over the last ten games,” Malone said. “The guy’s been unbelievable.”

“Jokic is playing great and I have to find more minutes for him,” Malone later remarked.

It has been a struggle to find a consistent rotation and playing time for everyone on the Nuggets’ roster with arguably 12 players on salary who deserve minutes. Even someone like Jamal Murray, a 19-year-old rookie who has shown flashes of greatness already this year, has struggled to carve out playing time.

“Jamal Murray has the chance to be a special player, I have to find more minutes for Jamal Murray. Those two players are a huge part of our future and if that’s the case, I have to give them as many minutes as possible,” Malone said of Murray and Jokic. “Now, it’s not easy because we still have a lot of other good players, but Jokic, he deserves as many minutes as I can get him.”

Usually, 25 games in, more than a quarter of the way through the regular season, a team is confident in their rotation, who’s starting games, and who’s closing them out. But because of injuries, youth, and other variables, the Nuggets have not been so lucky.

“We’re constantly analyzing and evaluating roster and combinations, who’s our best lineup,” Malone said. “And to be honest, I don’t have an answer after 25 games.”

Hopefully, with Jokic seemingly starting games beginning Thursday night against Portland, the Nuggets can find some sort of consistency to their rotation.