The Denver Nuggets played a topsy turvy game in Dallas today, a Sunday matinee that they ended up winning 112-101.
Denver mounted a fourth quarter comeback led by Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon, helping the Nuggets get the lead early on with some impressive shotmaking. Gordon was effective in his return to the floor, playing 18 bench minutes and logging 13 points, six rebounds, and two assists. He was consistent throughout the game and gave the Nuggets a major lift off the bench.
Murray had a bad game overall, looking hampered by the knee inflammation that caused him to exit the second half of Friday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets. At one point, the Nuggets were minus-29 in Murray’s minutes midway through the third quarter. Murray finished just minus-5 though, which means the Nuggets were plus-24 in the final 12 or so minutes that Murray played. He saved his best for the fourth quarter, hitting some important shots, setting up teammates and locking in defensively. He finished the game with 17 points on 18 shots, and the Nuggets will likely have to evaluate his status for Tuesday’s game as well.
The Nuggets as a team were two different versions of themself today. In the first and third quarters, the Nuggets lost both periods by a combined 60-38, unable to score and making costly mistakes. On the other side, the Nuggets won the second and fourth quarters 74-41, a combined 33 points. They won the fourth quarter 33-12, locking in defensively and capitalizing on Mavericks mistakes.
A ton of credit defensively goes to Gordon, Peyton Watson, and Russell Westbrook. Those three were energized, physical, and athletic on defense, giving Denver the stops they needed to get back into the game. Watson in particular was plus-30 in the plus-minus department, making important plays on both ends, including multiple clutch threes and defensive stops.
Nikola Jokic had what I would consider a “subpar” Jokic game, going for only 19 points, 18 rebounds, and nine assists. The physicality and athleticism of Dereck Lively II, along with the help side defense of PJ Washington, Naji Marshall, and Klay Thompson, bothered Jokic a bit. Still, he powered through it and made important plays when it mattered.
Westbrook went for 21 points, 10 rebounds, and seven rebounds, one steal, and two blocks. He continues to fill up the box score for Denver, making important hustle plays, transition and halfcourt drives, getting involved on the glass, and more. This was a bit of a grimy game, and Westbrook stayed above that and didn’t allow it to affect his efficiency, shooting above 50% and limiting the turnovers to just four. That might sound like a fair amount, but it could have been more based on how the Mavericks were guarding. Good on Westbrook for playing a stable game when Denver as a team wasn’t shooting well.
Overall, a big time game for the Nuggets. Yes, the Mavericks didn’t have Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, but that’s the point. They fought anyway and made the Nuggets earn this one.
Welcome Back Aaron Gordon
No matter what the result of the game ended up being, it was fantastic seeing Aaron Gordon back in a Nuggets uniform.
The Nuggets starting power forward has missed 20 games this season due to injury. He’s playing his 18th in Denver’s 38th game, and to say the Nuggets have missed Gordon’s production and stability would be an understatement.
The Nuggets have had to manage through his absence over two different extended periods of time. The first time, Watson started in his place and got some valuable development time. The Nuggets were 6-4 in those games, finding a rhythm with Watson playing the Gordon role on both ends of the floor. The second time, Westbrook started in his place and got some valuable chemistry development with Jokic and the Nuggets starters. Westbrook had played predominantly bench minutes before, so seeing him out there with the starters (and seeing how well the starters played) was fascinating. The Nuggets went 6-3 in the last nine games and found a different wrinkle with Westbrook and Murray together with Michael Porter Jr. spacing at power forward.
Now that Gordon is back, the Nuggets are going to have to make some decisions. Gordon may continue to play some bench minutes while he’s ramping back up in Denver’s rotation, but eventually, the Nuggets are going to have to choose a starting group when fully healthy. The opening night lineup featuring Christian Braun is the safe bet. That was Denver’s initial plan and they will probably go back to it.
But evidence is mounting that Westbrook deserves to be a starter, or at least to play starting minutes. He has figured out how to maximize Jokic, how to set up Murray and Porter, and how to push the pace in transition, all while taking on tough defensive assignments. It’s been fun to watch, and the numbers back up how deserving he is. There’s a bit of an adjustment to playing with Gordon, but the Nuggets might have to try it.
Whatever the case, it has to feel good for the Nuggets to get as many great reps for Braun, Watson, and Julian Strawther as they have this season, all with Gordon missing 20 games, and to still be fourth in the Western Conference. They should try and move into the top three eventually, but they’ve somehow managed development and winning at the same time this season. It didn’t look good when they were losing to the Washington Wizards, but the Nuggets are 13-5 since that loss on December 7th. Perhaps a galvanizing moment for the group.
Gordon’s presence, despite the Nuggets figuring some things out in his absence, is much appreciated. The Nuggets are a better team with Gordon out there. Maybe their defense can get on track now that they have an extra rotation player they can trust to do the job.
Final Rotations
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