The Nuggets have opened the season in a mess, but DeMar DeRozan has already given them one thing they desperately need: a little shooting relief.
Denver is 1-2 after three games, and the early noise around the team has centered on Nikola Jokic’s comments calling the home crowd “not real fans” after the boos in the opener. Lost in that drama has been DeRozan’s steady production off the bench, which has quietly become one of the few bright spots in the rotation.
In his first time coming off the bench since his rookie season, the 17-year veteran is averaging 15.3 points in 26.7 minutes through three games. He also turned in 21 points in Denver’s 134-114 loss to the Warriors. But the part that stands out most is what happened beyond the arc: DeRozan went 2-for-5 from three against Golden State.
That matters because DeRozan has never been known as a deep threat. Over his previous two seasons with the Sacramento Kings, he shot 32.4% from three. If he can lift that number to his career-best mark of 35.2% or better, that would give Denver a real boost.
The bigger point is spacing. DeRozan has always made his money in the mid-range, and he’s at 53.8% from two to start the year.
That’s the shot everyone expects from him. The concern was that he’d clog the lane for Jokic, forcing defenders to crowd the paint and help off DeRozan.
Against the Warriors, though, he showed a willingness to spend more time outside, which at least gives his defender something to worry about.
That kind of adjustment could matter more than a single box score line suggests. If DeRozan keeps hitting threes at that kind of clip, the Nuggets offense gets cleaner and Jokic gets more room to work.
Right now, Denver needs that help badly. Cam Johnson, Julian Strawther, and Spencer Jones are all out, and the team’s long-range numbers have been shaky. Jokic can’t hit a three again, Aaron Gordon has made just 33.3% of his attempts, and Jamal Murray has been the one consistent bright spot from deep at 47.8%.
That contrast is glaring. The Nuggets led the league last season by knocking down 39.6% of their threes, but through three games they’re down at 31.1%, which leaves them 23rd in the NBA. With the offense already searching for answers, DeRozan’s willingness to stretch the floor could end up being more important than anyone expected.
In Other News...
Nuggets Just Got A Reminder About The Wolves Without Anthony Edwards
Minnesotas latest injury update is a familiar one for the Nuggets to keep in mind, because Anthony Edwards has already gone through arthroscopic knee surgery and is expected to miss a couple of months. It is a significant blow for a Timberwolves team that leans on Edwards as its engine, but it is not uncharted territory for a group that has shown it can still function without him, including during last springs playoff matchup with Denver.
The Nuggets will also have to remember that Minnesota is not short on ways to survive a star absence. With other pieces capable of taking on more, the Wolves believe they can keep competing while Edwards is out, which makes the schedule ahead worth watching from Denvers side. Their next two meetings come at the end of December, and there is at least a chance the picture looks different by then. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Suddenly Have An Energy Issue They Can't Ignore
Through the first three games, the Nuggets have looked better at one end of the glass and noticeably shakier at the other. Their offensive rebounding has climbed into the top five early on, a sign the coaching staffs emphasis on crashing the boards is already showing up, but the defensive side has been a different story. Denver is giving away too many extra chances, and that has become an early energy test the team cannot really dismiss.
Nikola Jokics presence usually steadies that area, which is why his quieter start there stands out so much. After leading the league on the glass last season, he has been held to 7 rebounds in both the Thunder and Warriors games, and the Nuggets have felt the difference. It is still a tiny sample, but if Denver is going to clean up this part of its game, it likely starts with Jokic setting a firmer tone on the defensive boards. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Backcourt Rumors Just Got More Interesting Around Jokic And Murray
Denvers uneven opening stretch has already stirred up enough noise around a team that expects to be judged by much loftier standards. After the loss to Golden State and Nikola Jokics pointed remarks aimed at fans who booed, the Nuggets now find themselves dealing with the kind of early-season scrutiny that tends to follow a contender when the rhythm is off and the rotation has questions.
Into that backdrop comes a fresh wrinkle in the backcourt conversation. Jake Fischer reported that Denver is among the teams taking a look at Kevin Porter Jr. as a possible addition, with the idea centered more on giving the second unit another scoring option than on reworking the entire guard picture. It is the sort of rumor that does not change the roster overnight, but it does say plenty about how the Nuggets are probing for help while trying to steady a season that has already produced more friction than they would like. [Read more 🡒]