Denver Nuggets Fantasy: Implications From Preseason Opener

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Nov 9, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Emmanuel Mudiay (0) celebrates with guard Will Barton (5) after a play in the fourth quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets defeated the Trail Blazers 108-104. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /

Potential Mid-Late Round Gems: Will Barton, Nikola Jokic, Emmanuel Mudiay, & Wilson Chandler

Each of these players did well, considering their minutes, but could have been better.

Barton and Jokic

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Will Barton and Nikola Jokic played the most minutes on the team (26 min and 28 min respectively) and both had pretty typical nights. They were able to score, but Barton went 0-4 from three, and Jokic only managed 6 rebounds. From a fantasy standpoint, they seemed to be in a similar place as last season, which makes them valuable mid-to-late round picks.

Fans may be expecting more fantasy production from both players, and they may very well be able to supply it. Jokic played very well, but his fantasy numbers were a bit low. Barton had a perfectly acceptable night, but was ice cold from three. The potential is there, as it is similarly with Emmanuel Mudiay and Wilson Chandler.

Emmanuel Mudiay

Mudiay started off strong, but then found himself falling back into the same bad habits of last season. Thankfully, it was only a preseason game. If Mudiay can manage to keep his composure in the regular season, he may be a solid mid-late fanatsy draft pick. His FG% and 3P% were both low, at 3-11 and 1-5 respectively. He also turned the ball over 3 times, compared to only two assists.

Really, what seemed to happen, was that Mudiay started off composed but then fell to overconfidence. Throughout all of this though, he DID manage to bring in 7 rebounds. If Mudiay can play with more maturity, then his scoring and assist numbers should increase naturally, along with a decrease in foolish turnovers.

With this in mind, Emmanuel Mudiay is looking capable of notching a triple double or two in the 106-17 season. This comes from hoping that he moves on playing with a higher basketball IQ, and continues his impressive rebounding performance.

Wilson Chandler

Feb 27, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler (21) looks to shoot the ball during the first half against the Utah Jazz at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /

On the other hand, Wilson Chandler shot the ball quite well and didn’t commit a single turnover, but only managed to secure one rebound. As an athletic forward, rebounding has long been a big part of Chandler’s game. Perhaps this had faded with age, or maybe his single rebound was due to a low amount of playing time. Chandler was only on the court for 16min. But in that time, he shot quite well.

Chandler only took 5 shots, but he made three of them. The interesting part is that he went 2/3 from three-point range. Chandler has been shooting threes for some time now, but doesn’t usually convert more than 35% of his shots. It could have been a fluke, or it could be an indication of a more fine-tuned shot, developed in his recovery from injury. Chandler may be less aggressive on the drive, but if he has transformed into a sharpshooter, then his fantasy value may have been upped. Time will tell.

As Chandler’s minutes get into the twenties, fans should expect more rebounding from Chandler, and hope for a continued success from three-point range. After sitting out last season with an injury, and being on the Nuggets, Wilson Chandler is not likely to be drafted in most fantasy leagues. Keep your eyes on him though, he could be an excellent late round addition.

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