The Nuggets have spent years living with the same problem: life without Nikola Jokic has been rough. When he’s on the floor, Denver has posted a positive 10.8 net rating over the past five seasons.
When he sits, that number drops to negative 7.5. That gap has been the team’s soft spot, the part opponents have hunted again and again.
But in Denver’s second preseason game, a 117-106 win over the Utah Jazz, the bench looked a lot more capable of holding the line. Under head coach David Adelman, the revamped second unit showed real signs that the non-Jokic minutes might finally stop bleeding points.
Marvin Bagley III gave that group a different feel right away. Unlike Jonas Valanciunas, who often entered last season and saw leads slip away, Bagley brings more mobility and athleticism. Against Utah, he finished with 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting in 15 minutes, added a steal and a block, and posted a team-best plus/minus of 15.
Alpha Diallo was just as important on the defensive end. Cameron Johnson called him a "menace" in training camp, and Diallo backed that up against the Jazz. He hounded Utah’s guards with a full-court press and stayed connected through screens, giving Denver a true defensive weapon in those second-unit minutes.
Diallo also chipped in on offense, hitting both of his three-point attempts to finish with 8 points, even though he went 0-for-4 at the foul line. Those free throws figure to come.
Julian Strawther added another layer to the picture. He’s long had scoring talent, but he’s been buried behind veterans on the depth chart.
This time, he looked like a player ready to seize the opening. Strawther scored 15 points, hit 3 of 4 from deep, and finished with a plus/minus of 13.
Tyus Jones helped steady everything with 6 assists while running the second unit. And that’s before even getting to DeMar DeRozan, who is set to be the sixth man off the bench.
Put it all together, and Denver’s non-Jokic group suddenly looks a lot more dangerous than it has in recent seasons.
In Other News...
Christian Braun Is Suddenly Carrying Bigger Nuggets Expectations
Christian Braun came into Nuggets training camp with a straightforward goal: get back to the version of himself that could bend the floor with his burst and make life easier for everyone around him. After dealing with an ankle issue last season, Braun spent the offseason working to regain that explosiveness while also tightening up his ball-handling, and the early signs in camp and preseason have been encouraging for Denver.
The timing matters because Braun is now entering the first season of his five-year contract, which naturally raises the bar for what the Nuggets expect from him. If he stays healthy, he is no longer just another energetic rotation piece on a contender. He is the kind of young wing Denver needs to keep growing into a bigger role, and the next step is less about effort than whether his game can keep expanding with the opportunity in front of him. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Johnson Is Already Making The Nuggets Feel Better About That Bet
Cam Johnson has wasted little time easing any early nerves about the Nuggets decision to keep him in Denver at a $23 million price tag. After weighing options around the roster and salary sheet, the club held firm on Johnson and has already gotten the kind of preseason showing it was hoping for, with the forward looking more confident and comfortable as a steady part of the rotation.
The Nuggets clearly viewed Johnson as a player worth betting on for consistent production, even with the market around him drawing interest. Rather than treat him like a movable piece, Denver chose to make the financial fit work and leave open the possibility that the real payoff comes once the games count for more than tune-up minutes. [Read more 🡒]
Nikola Jokic Just Got Another Massive All-Time Center Endorsement
DeMarcus Cousins gave Nikola Jokic another strong nod in the ongoing all-time center debate, putting the Nuggets star in the top seven or eight centers in NBA history while making clear just how high he already views him. Cousins praised Jokics complete skill set and called him the greatest offensive center the game has seen, a compliment that fits the way Denvers big man has continued to stack historic seasons on top of a championship run.
Jokic already has the 2023 title and three MVPs on his rsum, and his recent numbers have only strengthened the case that he belongs in any serious discussion about the positions legends. Cousins left the conversation with one notable wrinkle, though, and it adds another layer to where Jokic might land when the full history of the center spot is judged. [Read more 🡒]