Nugg Love
Fansided

Mason Plumlee ready for a breakout year

By Mathew Huff

DENVER, CO - OCTOBER 05: Mason Plumlee #24 of the Denver Nuggets dunks the ball over Terrico White # 23, Tom Jervis #13 and Nick Kay #3 of the Perth Wildcats at the Pepsi Center on October 5, 2018 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. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - OCTOBER 05: Mason Plumlee #24 of the Denver Nuggets dunks the ball over Terrico White # 23, Tom Jervis #13 and Nick Kay #3 of the Perth Wildcats at the Pepsi Center on October 5, 2018 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. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Mason Plumlee of the Denver Nuggets looks poised to have a great season coming off the bench.

The Denver Nuggets were criticized by many for overpaying Mason Plumlee. While he may have gotten overpaid, what he brings to the table is a serviceable center who can give Nikola Jokic a breather when needed and still find ways to produce at an effective rate more times than not.

He is not going to be lighting up defenses with his three point shot anytime soon as he is a more traditional big man than what we see nowadays in guys like Jokic, Joel Embiid and Karl Anthony Towns.

Last year, Plumlee had an up and down season. He finished averaging an offensive rating of 112 to go along with a box plus/minus of 2.7. Plumlee also shot an abysmal 45.8% from the free throw line which has to improve this season. Otherwise, teams will start to resort to a “hack a Plumlee,” strategy.

More from Nugg Love

After what we saw this preseason though, it looks like Mason is poised to have a break out year as a back up center.

In the second win of the preseason over the Los Angeles Lakers, he was perfect from the field as he came away with a game high 23 points to go along with a box plus/minus of +10. In the win over the Perth Wildcats, Plumlee recorded 11 points  and also came away with eight rebounds while shooting an effective 57.1% from the floor.

Really, the only dud of the preseason for Mason was the last preseason game where the Nuggets narrowly escaped with a win over the Chicago Bulls. In this match up, he finished with only six points, but did at least come away with nine rebounds.

Per NBA.com, Plumlee finished the preseason averaging a healthy 67.6% from the field to go along with a player differential of 7.6. Not to mention, he averaged 12 points per game and also collected six rebounds per game.

If these numbers carry over into the regular season, then he is on pace to have his best year of his career if you look at his numbers from his past seasons.

Plumlee may not be the most glamorous back up center for Nikola Jokic, but he is certainly proving that he is not the worst option either.

dark. Next. Top 10 defenders in Nuggets' history

Hopefully, the Nuggets faithful will see a new and energized Mason Plumlee in the regular season like we saw this preseason.

Home/Nuggets News