The Nuggets’ season opener at Oklahoma City hardly started cleanly, and the injury list grew before the night was even over.
Spencer Jones was scratched at the last minute after dealing with a hamstring issue since training camp. Jones had said over the weekend that he expected to be ready, but Denver opted not to take the chance. Coach David Adelman said the team had enough concern to keep him out rather than risk making the injury worse.
“He went through the whole day, the whole process. We’re not gonna play him tonight,” Adelman said in his pregame meeting with the media.
“It’s not a serious thing, just precautionary. It’s one of those injuries that could turn out to be a serious thing.”
Adelman said the evaluation stretched deep into the day, with Jones going through shootaround before the final call was made. The coach framed it as a careful decision, especially with Denver relying on Jones to strengthen a bench unit that lost pieces over the summer. The Nuggets matched the two-year offer sheet he received from the Thunder in July, and he’s expected to have a bigger role.
“Today was one of those ‘longest days ever’ kind of things in the NBA. So we had a lot of opportunity to get him checked by the medical people,” said Adelman, whose team was in the late game on national television.
“And there was enough concern that you can’t lose your backup power forward on night one. I just think it’s a smart play.
Not to mention, sometimes when guys don’t play, it brings opportunity. … I think it does educate to see your roster.
So being careful with Spence, bringing opportunity to other people.”
Jones wasn’t the only Nugget who had a rough opener. Cameron Johnson exited after spraining his right ankle late in the first half. He was listed as questionable after halftime treatment, but he never returned, and Alpha Diallo moved into the starting lineup for the second half.
There was at least one bright spot in the second unit. Trevon Brazile came on as one of the first subs alongside DeMar DeRozan, and the rookie forward made his presence felt immediately. In 18 minutes, he pulled down 12 rebounds in his NBA debut.
DeRozan, meanwhile, is adjusting to a role he hasn’t played since his rookie season: coming off the bench. For a player who has been a star in Toronto, San Antonio, Chicago and Sacramento, the move is new territory. But DeRozan signed with Denver this summer with a clear aim in mind.
“I still have a lot to give,” he said. “I don’t want to short-cut or cheat the game.
I think that for me means more than anything. For me just to still have that opportunity.
(This is) not me feeling like, ‘Oh, I can take a back seat, let me just see where it’s taking me.’ Nah, it’s still me feeling like I can go out there and contribute and still give so much to the game that I love.”
Jamal Murray is also looking ahead after earning All-Star and All-NBA recognition for the first time last season. He spoke with Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette about wanting to do even more.
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Nuggets Opener Has An Unexpected Subplot Tied To The Thunder
The Nuggets regular-season opener against the Thunder already had a little extra edge to it, and the injury report has added another layer of intrigue. Denver listed Spencer Jones as questionable because of bilateral hamstring injury management, while Julian Strawther is out with a left knee sprain, leaving the roster with a bit less wing depth heading into a matchup that usually carries plenty of attention anyway.
Jones has been part of the conversation around Denver since the offseason, when his place on the roster became a talking point in its own right. With the Thunder also dealing with multiple unavailable players as they work back from surgeries, the opener still has the feel of a game where the margins matter, and the Nuggets will be watching closely to see how the latest lineup decisions shape up before tipoff. [Read more 🡒]
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David Adelman has already signaled that the rotation is still a work in progress, which means the first few games may be as much about sorting roles as chasing a clean result. Denver will need those answers quickly against the Thunder, because early-season experimentation is one thing on paper and another when the opponent is sharp enough to expose every shaky minute. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets May Not Be Done Addressing A Backup Guard Problem
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Finding a path to him is another matter. Denvers salary-cap situation leaves little room for maneuver, and bringing Porter in now would require the front office to navigate a crowded roster picture while also managing the financial consequences of a move. The Nuggets can keep looking, but any attempt to add another guard would come with real complications attached. [Read more 🡒]