The Nuggets’ new bench look has one obvious problem, and it keeps showing up when Tyus Jones and DeMar DeRozan are on the floor together.
Denver has plenty of optimism around its second unit this season, but one of the key pairings in that group has been a mess. The numbers are ugly, and the eye test matches them.
In the Nuggets’ 127-120 win over the Phoenix Suns, there were stretches where the defense fell apart and Phoenix made them pay by hitting 12 threes in the first half. That wasn’t a one-night blip, either.
In 50 minutes together, the DDR / Jones combination, with any combination of the other three, is net -20.8 points per 100 possessions, according to Databallr. The defense, at 113.1, is not disastrous.
The real damage comes on offense, where the group sits at 92.3. That number would look even worse if they hadn’t logged so many minutes alongside rookie second-round pick Trevon Brazile, who has been a defensive monster.
DeRozan’s defensive issues are no surprise. Coming into the season, everyone expected that side of the ball to be shaky, and that’s exactly how it has looked.
He’s often out of position in half-court defense and too often leaves shooters open on the perimeter after failing to rotate when the ball is swung. That was part of why the Suns finished with 18 made threes.
Jones has not helped matters. He’s not a strong defender either, and the Nuggets’ hesitation to trust him is showing in his playing time.
He’s averaging just 10 minutes per game off the bench, while Jamal Murray leads the league in minutes played at 38.2. Until Denver settles the backup point guard situation, Murray may have to keep carrying a heavy workload.
The offensive side of the equation hasn’t rescued Jones, either. He’s averaging 2.4 points and 0.6 assists this season. DeRozan, meanwhile, has given Denver 11.0 points and 3.0 assists per game as he adjusts to his new role off the bench after 1,250 straight games as a starter.
So what’s the fix? The source points to a few options: try Ryan Nembhard in Jones’ spot, let DeRozan handle the playmaking when Murray gets his five minutes of rest each half, or pair DeRozan with defensive ace Alpha Diallo when Diallo returns from a wrist injury. However Denver handles it, the issue is clear: the non-Jokic minutes are becoming the non-Murray minutes the Nuggets have to survive.
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