Nuggets have league’s best big man depth
By Evan Siegel
The Denver Nuggets have the league’s deepest front court, as evidenced by their tall ball lineup against the Wizards.
The Denver Nuggets went with the largest lineup in NBA history against the Washington Wizards during their first scrimmage game. Nikola Jokic, Paul Millsap, Bol Bol, Mason Plumlee, and Jerami Grant comprised a lineup that when stacked upon each other could have become a literal mile high.
Even with Jokic’s recent run-in with the coronavirus, he still provided a strong game. The Nuggets’ slow turnaround of their once aging roster has produced a very deep overall team, especially in the front court. The Dallas Mavericks had a similar thing said about them before the season, as Kristaps Porzingis, Boban Marjanovic, Dwight Powell, and Maxi Kleber made up a nasty front court made up of entirely international players.
Millsap and Jokic have done their part to punish helpless defenses over the years, but the presence of Plumlee and Jerami Grant has given the Nuggets a huge edge in the paint. The NBA seems to be ever so slightly trending towards implementing bigger players all over again, after the Golden State Warriors put to rest their famed ”death lineup.”
The Los Angeles Lakers have invested heavily in their front court since Lebron James’s arrival. Anthony Davis, Javale McGee and Dwight Howard were all acquired by the Lakers in the last two years. The Toronto Raptors supported Kawhi Leonard with a nasty front line featuring Pascal Siakam, Marc Gasol, and Serge Ibaka.
The Nuggets, meanwhile, continue to boast a lethal combination up front that is going to take tons of pressure off their backcourt as Michael Malone sorts out his rotation. Monte Morris is only just arriving to Orlando, while P.J. Dozier hasn’t gotten his feet wet in the bubble yet.
Next. More on the Nuggets gigantic lineup. dark
The Nuggets will next play against the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night.