Ten games into the season, the Nuggets have already handed out a few clear verdicts. Some players have surged.
Others have stumbled. And with Denver sitting at 5-3 and ninth in the Western Conference, the early picture is starting to take shape.
A few names have made the first stretch of the year look a lot better than expected, while a couple of bigger pieces have left more questions than answers. Here’s how the first 10% of the season has shaken out for Denver.
DeMar DeRozan lands at the bottom of the fallers list, and the fit has been rough so far. He’s adjusting to coming off the bench for the first time in his career, but the transition hasn’t gone smoothly.
DeRozan is shooting just 42.6% from the field and a brutal 18.2% from three, while averaging 10.7 points in 24.6 minutes. The offensive rhythm hasn’t been there, and neither has the defensive impact.
Nikola Jokic is still Nikola Jokic, and that matters. He’s already posted four triple-doubles in eight games, which is the kind of baseline only he can make look ordinary.
But his three-point shot has been a real blemish early on. Jokic is down at 22.9% from deep, a long way from his 36% career average, and that’s enough to put his outside shooting on the fallers side for now.
The paint game is still elite, but the jumper hasn’t shown up yet.
On the other end, Christian Braun has checked a lot of boxes. The defense is back where Denver wants it, which is a big reason the Nuggets gave him that five-year, $125 million extension.
He’s been aggressive on the perimeter, physical, and active, averaging 2.0 steals per game. The shot has come around too, with Braun hitting 37.8% from three and even drilling a career-high seven in one game against the Phoenix Suns.
Marvin Bagley III has been one of the most encouraging surprises. He may already be the best backup center Jokic has ever had, at least through this tiny slice of the season.
Bagley has brought nonstop energy as the anchor of the non-Jokic minutes, giving Denver the interior defense it was missing last year. He’s fourth in 2P% vs. expectation, just ahead of Victor Wembanyama, who is fifth, and his per-36 numbers - 17.6 points, 10.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks - show how productive he’s been in limited minutes.
Jamal Murray belongs near the top of the risers because he’s playing with a different edge. Coming off his first All-Star and first All-NBA season, he’s somehow looked even more locked in.
Murray is shooting 49.2% from three and averaging 24.3 points per game, but the bigger story is his defense. He’s bringing pressure on the perimeter and playing the best defense I can remember seeing from him.
Part of that seems tied to having a little less on-ball burden, and it’s showing up in the way he’s attacking the game.
And then there’s Trevon Brazile, the rookie second-round pick who has come out of nowhere to become the biggest early surprise on the roster. The 6-foot-10 forward has already delivered highlight dunks and blocks, including the two three-pointers he blocked in Denver’s come-from-behind win over the New Orleans Pelicans in the home opener that he largely sparked.
He can stretch the floor, rebound above everyone else with two hands, and make plays on defense. Most expected a bench role, but Brazile has already shown he’s more than that - a solid rotation piece and a real part of what the Nuggets are doing.
In Other News...
Nuggets Suddenly Face A Major Availability Problem In Houston
The Nuggets trip from Mexico City has already turned into more than a routine travel day, and now the team is carrying a crowded injury report into Houston. Denver has listed Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Cam Johnson, Christian Braun and DeMar DeRozan as questionable for the upcoming game, leaving plenty of uncertainty around how much of the rotation will actually be available.
Jokic is dealing with an elbow injury, which adds another layer to a situation already complicated by the plane delays after the Mexico City game. Denver is expected to update his status and the rest of the injury report before tipoff, but for now the Nuggets are left waiting to see whether a difficult trip becomes a bigger problem on the court. [Read more 🡒]
Alpha Diallo Is Already Facing A Tough Nuggets Rotation Reality
Alpha Diallo arrived in Denver with a reputation built on defense, and for a while it looked like that skill set could carve out a real lane in the Nuggets rotation. He flashed enough in the preseason and early in the season to suggest he could be more than just a camp body, but the early returns have also made clear how narrow his path is if the offense does not come along.
David Adelman has leaned toward rookie Bryce Hopkins in the recent stretch, and that choice has pushed Diallo further toward a specialists role than a two-way one. With minutes already hard to come by, the Nuggets are now weighing whether Diallo can stay on the floor long enough to matter, or whether his value will remain tied almost entirely to what he does on defense. [Read more 🡒]