Denver Nuggets vs Portland Trail Blazers: 10 Note-Worthy Takeaways

#7- Is the bench Faried’s place?

Faried came off the bench for 9pts, 5 reb, and 1 assist.

He looked good when he was in. Faried relies on others to create offense as usual, but seems to have worked on post-game. He still boasts the solid defense, rejecting shots and providing energy when in the game. The manimal is still a Manimal on the boards. Unfortunately, he is still weak at shooting, putting up an air-ball in the 4th. He was posting up and making floaters/hookshots with more consistency, but his jumper still needs work.

Interestingly, Hernangomez and Faried look good side by side on defense. Their max energies looked great on the floor together. This may be something to keep in mind for the future.

Overall, Faried can be a great asset this season for the Nuggets. Faried would be extremely dynamic off the bench, and can start when needed to. He provides that spark of energy that can be vital for a team with playoff hopes.