Denver Nuggets: Grading Nah’Shon ‘Bones’ Hyland’s Summer League debut

Nah’Shon ‘Bones’ Hyland made his debut for the Denver Nuggets in game two of the NBA Summer League against the Boston Celtics. The Denver Nuggets rookie showed poise on the ball and willingness to facilitate for his teammates. The most encouraging skill Hyland displayed was his ability (and willingness) to penetrate the defense in search of either an easy bucket or an open man on the perimeter.

After missing game one, Nah’Shon Hyland was Denver’s best offensive weapon as a ball-handler, consistently putting the Celtics defense on the back foot. With Jamal Murray currently injured and a lack of penetration from the other guards on the roster, there could be a clear path to consistent minutes from the bench for the rookie.

Hyland finished the game with 16 points, 2 rebounds, and 7 assists, making this a very encouraging debut. Shooting 45 percent from the field, it’s clear that Nah’Shon Hyland prefers to get his work done inside the restricted area and around a mid-range, while his three-point shots may need some work after going two for seven from deep.

However, Hyland’s three-point struggles could be because he was playing against an increased competition level for the first time. What is encouraging, is that Bones seemed to create a good relationship with Bol Bol from the get-go, which helped keep the Nuggets offense ticking when the Celtics bared down on defense.

This was the first game that the Denver Nuggets had their full Summer League squad after multiple players missed the first game due to the league’s COVID tracing protocols. There were some clear bedding-in issues, as the Celtics ran away with the game early due to their intense three-point shooting.

Luckily, Bones was willing to penetrate and attack the rim at will, showing a complete disregard for the Celtics’ defense or anything they tried to throw at him. At times, it appeared Hyland was trying to outrun the wind with the speed of his decision-making and pass recognition.

Hyland also managed to do some work from the free-throw line, using his aggressive brand of offense to draw fouls – draining 80 percent of them. Drawing contact is essential for smaller guards in the NBA, and at just 6’2’’, the rookie will need to develop his footwork if he wishes to get more “gimmes” once he’s playing against NBA-caliber defenses.

With this being his first venture into Summer League basketball, Hyland’s performance was a sign of things to come. Showing no fear when running the pick and roll, going ISO, or attacking off-ball, Bones provided an insight into why the Nuggets drafted with the 26th pick in the first place.

Defensively we saw some good flashes, too, with bones operating at both points of attack and as a helper during different points of the game. With a 6’9’’ wingspan, the rookie can be a reliable force in the passing lanes.

With another game less than two days away, we will get to see more of Hyland’s skill set as he becomes more comfortable against this level of competition. Still, for an initial first impression, he has proven more than capable of making the step-up from the college ranks. The next question he needs to answer is if he can overtake third-string point guard Facundo Campazzo in the rotation – which will be especially hard due to Mike Malone’s reluctance to play rookies.

Denver Nuggets: Grading Nah’Shon ‘Bones’ Hyland’s Summer League debut: B+

For now, though, Nah’Shon ‘Bones’ Hyland gets a B+ for his Summer League debut, and we should all be excited about watching his development over the next few games.