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Denver Nuggets: Player grades from a blowout win in Chicago

By Michael Longhofer

CHICAGO, USA - MARCH 21: Richard Jefferson (22) of Denver Nuggets in action during the NBA match between Chicago Bulls and Denver Nuggets at United Center in Chicago, USA on March 21, 2018. (Photo by Bilgin S. Sasmaz/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, USA - MARCH 21: Richard Jefferson (22) of Denver Nuggets in action during the NBA match between Chicago Bulls and Denver Nuggets at United Center in Chicago, USA on March 21, 2018. (Photo by Bilgin S. Sasmaz/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) /
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DENVER, CO – FEBRUARY 1: Kenneth Faried #35 of the Denver Nuggets goes to the basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder on February 1, 2018 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – FEBRUARY 1: Kenneth Faried #35 of the Denver Nuggets goes to the basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder on February 1, 2018 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Kenneth Faried – INC

Every available player on the Nuggets roster played last night save one:

The Manimal.

There’s not much value in launching another tirade about Malone and rotations and such.  Something is rotten in Denvark (pun intended), though.

As little logic as there is to Kenneth not playing while the Nuggets are dropping games to teams that are tanking, there is even less to his not being called upon with the Nuggets up 40.

Nuggets broadcaster Scott Hastings, on Twitter (@scotthastings) suggested that coaches often ask veteran players if they want garbage time minutes.  While it’s reasonable that Faried wouldn’t want to participate in garbage time, it’s not likely that Malone, who hasn’t called ol’ #35 to the scorer’s table in months is suddenly concerned with protecting The Manimal’s ego.

The Nuggets are in a tenuous position.  The Denver fan base, full of transplants from everywhere else are slow to warm to the Nuggets, traditionally.  While the franchise may feel that they are meeting expectations this season and that a playoff appearance wasn’t a requirement, the fans have expressed a different reality.  The team has shown enough that the fans believe they should be at least in the playoffs.  Now.  Pressure from media and fans can have an impact on the franchise’s decision-making.  A playoff miss may well cost Michael Malone and his staff their jobs.

It doesn’t matter whether that’s wise, this is a business and at the Kroenke level, it’s all about the bottom line.

So, it’s curious that Malone is so stubborn about his bench, particularly Faried.  We don’t know what that dynamic is because Malone will not say.  That leaves us to speculate.

Speculation can be dangerous because it can lead to wild theories. Let’s just throw out there that Faried has lesbian mothers and that he is Muslim.  There is no basis, no commentary anywhere to support those facts as germane to Faried’s exile. That’s exactly the point.  It is incumbent on Malone to explain the Faried situation.

I get that he’s New York tough (whatever that means) and all but he’s damaging both his brand and the Franchise by continuing whatever it is that’s going on with Manimal.

Next: Denver gets back in win column

As the Nuggets move toward Western Conference relevance, there’s no room for mysteries like the Faried situation.

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