The Nuggets don’t need their bench to be flashy. They just need it to stop the bleeding when Nikola Jokic heads to the sideline. On Wednesday night, that part of the script fell apart in a hurry.
Denver came out flying against the Clippers, ripping off a 21-6 lead before the game had even settled in. But once the reserves checked in, the cushion vanished before the first quarter was done.
What had looked like a clean start turned into a 122-110 Clippers win, and the biggest problem wasn’t the starters. It was everything that happened after them.
When Jokic and Jamal Murray were on the floor, the Nuggets actually held their own, with both finishing +4. Aaron Gordon was +6. The trouble started with the non-Jokic minutes, where the game tilted hard in the other direction.
Marvin Bagley was -15 in 15 minutes. Julian Strawther finished -14.
Tyus Jones was -12. Cam Whitmore and Trevon Brazile were both -21.
That kind of damage doesn’t happen by accident, and it swallowed Denver’s early work almost immediately.
The injury to Strawther only made the night worse. He exited with an ugly-looking injury, and he’s supposed to be one of the few dependable shooters and scorers in that second unit. Without him, the margin for error gets even thinner.
There is at least one potential wrinkle still to come. DeMar DeRozan and Spencer Jones didn’t play in this game, and they’re expected to be the sixth and seventh men. The hope is simple: DeMar brings offense, Spencer brings defense, and the bench can finally give the starters a break without letting games slip away.
But Wednesday was a rough reminder of why this has been such a persistent issue in Denver. The Clippers weren’t even overwhelming the Nuggets with a veteran-heavy group; they were leaning on rookies and role players and still ran the second unit out of the gym.
It’s just one preseason game, but it matters because this has been a recurring problem for the Nuggets for years. If Bagley, Strawther, Jones and the rest can’t hold the line when Jokic sits, Denver risks replaying the same story again: the starters carrying too much, too often, and arriving in the playoffs worn down.
Maybe this was just an ugly night. Maybe it’s an outlier.
But it was also a clear warning. The Nuggets can look dangerous with Jokic on the floor.
The real test is whether they can survive the minutes when he isn’t.
In Other News...
Nuggets Suddenly Have A Julian Strawther Problem They Didn't Want
The Nuggets preseason loss to the Clippers was already the kind of October result teams mostly file away and move past, but the sight of Julian Strawther leaving after a third-quarter knee injury changed the tone quickly. Strawther has been part of Denvers effort to build out its depth, and any issue involving a rotation player this early in camp tends to land harder because it interrupts the work of sorting out roles and finding rhythm.
Trevon Brazile gave Denver something more encouraging off the bench in the same game, which is a small preseason bright spot the Nuggets can point to while they wait for clarity on Strawther. For now, though, the injury is the part hanging over everything, and the lack of an official report only adds to the uncertainty as Denver moves deeper into preseason without a clear read on how serious it might be. [Read more 🡒]
Julian Strawther Injury Scare Clouds A Crucial Nuggets Opportunity
Julian Strawthers night against the Clippers had an encouraging start before it turned tense, with the second-year wing leaving Denvers preseason game after a lower-body injury and not returning. Strawther had given the Nuggets useful minutes before the exit, finishing with 11 points, two rebounds and two turnovers in 19 minutes as Denver fell 122-110.
For a team trying to sort out its rotation and lean on young depth, any setback in the preseason carries extra weight. Strawther has been in the mix for a more meaningful role, and the Nuggets will now be waiting to see how serious the injury is before they can know whether this was just a scare or something that could slow his push for a bigger opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Rookie Is Suddenly Forcing A Real Bench Debate
The Nuggets may have found a little more summer intrigue than they expected in Trevon Brazile, the rookie second-round pick who looked anything but tentative in a preseason game against the Clippers. He was the first man off the bench, played with obvious confidence, and brought the kind of athletic pop Denver can always use, finishing with 22 points while flashing impact on both ends of the floor.
There were still the usual rookie rough edges, especially a few defensive lapses, but Braziles overall showing gave the Nuggets something to think about as the rotation starts to take shape. For head coach David Adelman, the question is no longer just whether Brazile can hold his own in preseason minutes, but whether a real bench role is beginning to open up in front of him. [Read more 🡒]