The Nuggets may not have signed Alpha Diallo expecting him to become a headline act right away, but the 29-year-old rookie has already forced his way into the conversation. A summer addition who arrived with the reputation of being the EuroLeague’s best defender, Diallo has stood out in Denver’s preseason as a relentless, disruptive presence.
That’s why there’s a strong case for the Nuggets to throw him directly at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander when the regular season opens against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Gilgeous-Alexander is already rolling, scoring 32 points on 13-for-27 shooting against the defending Western Conference Champion San Antonio Spurs, and he remains one of the league’s toughest players to contain. If Denver wants an early read on just how far Diallo can push his defensive value, this is the assignment.
Nuggets head coach David Adelman needs to get Diallo out on SGA early. Diallo has already shown flashes of why he could matter in a big way, starting with a preseason sequence against the Utah Jazz when he forced an 8-second backcourt violation by picking up the primary ball handler on the inbound pass. That kind of pressure could be a problem for Oklahoma City if Diallo can apply it to Gilgeous-Alexander and keep the Thunder from comfortably setting up their half-court offense.
The numbers from preseason back up the eye test. Diallo led the Nuggets with 1.6 steals per game, and his active hands give him a real chance to bother Alexander, poke at dribbles, and create deflections. He plays with the kind of constant pressure that can seep into an opponent’s rhythm, and that sort of style could make life even more uncomfortable for the reigning MVP.
None of that happens unless Adelman is willing to put his best defender on the league’s top threat right away. But that’s exactly why Denver brought Diallo in, and there’s no reason to wait to see what he can do in a spot like this. Opening quarter, opening game, highest-leverage matchup on the floor - that’s the time to find out.
The Nuggets shouldn’t shy away from it. Diallo was excellent in the final preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers when matched up with Luke Doncic, and if he’s sharing the floor with Nikola Jokic and DeMar DeRozan, the offensive burden doesn’t need to fall on him. Denver has a chance to test its new defensive ace immediately, and it would be something to watch if SGA’s night gets complicated by the “menace” Diallo.
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Nuggets Already Face A Rotation Concern After Ugly Opening Loss
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The bigger concern may be what happened to the rotation. Cam Johnson went down with an ankle injury during the game and did not return, leaving Denver to sort out an already uneasy opening night without one of the pieces it was counting on. With Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray both scuffling offensively, the Nuggets now have an early test of how quickly they can stabilize things if the lineup is forced to change. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Suddenly Have A Shooting Problem Aaron Gordon Cant Fix
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Aaron Gordon did his part in an unusual way, knocking down 3 of 4 threes and finishing with 20 points, but that kind of shot-making from a forward is not the same as having a true answer on the wing. Denver shot 8-for-30 from deep overall, and without Johnson's presence opening the floor, the Nuggets' spacing issues only got harder to hide. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Already Face An Early Rotation Test After Opener
The Nuggets did not even get through their season opener before the rotation started to wobble a bit. Spencer Jones was scratched with a hamstring issue, with coach David Adelman treating the move as precautionary, and the night also brought a promising debut from rookie Trevon Brazile, who hauled in 12 rebounds in his first NBA game.
There was also a tougher concern late in the game when Cameron Johnson exited with an ankle injury and did not come back, leaving Denver with an early availability puzzle to sort through. Add in DeMar DeRozan settling into a bench role after signing with the Nuggets, and Adelman already has a few moving parts to manage as the schedule gets going. [Read more 🡒]