If someone told you 24 hours ago that the Denver Nuggets would beat the Rockets by 36 points, would you have believed them? Probably not. If they told you that Cam Johnson actually looked like Cam Johnson, would you have believed them? Definitely not. He's had a rollercoaster of a season, but on Wednesday, he had the kind of performance that reminded everyone who he is.
Johnson finished with 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field and 3-of-5 from three. He added four assists, two rebounds, two blocks, and two steals in 25 minutes. Fittingly, he had a +/- of +23.
In the span of 48 hours, he went from looking unsure of himself and his capabilities in Oklahoma City to being confident and aggressive back at Ball Arena. After the game, Johnson said, "I've found myself being way too indecisive for too long." A switch flipped against Houston.
There was a lot to like about the win. To name a few: another 30-point game from Jamal Murray, Christian Braun shooting 8-of-10 for 19 points, and, most importantly, the Nuggets moving up to fifth in the standings. It was a full-team effort, and Denver reminded everyone (even itself) that it is indeed a contender.
If you asked fans what they like most about the win, though, they'd probably note Johnson's performance, saying that's the kind of player they want to see consistently moving forward.
Cam Johnson is still who the Nuggets thought he was
Johnson isn't just a spot-up shooter, although his marksmanship is a plus, and a large part of what made the trade such a thrill for Denver fans when it happened. He's a good defender (better in that category than Michael Porter Jr.) and is capable of matching up against tougher assignments on that end.
It wasn't just about his assertiveness on the offensive end in Wednesday's win, as he was just as active and engaged on the opposite end, disrupting passing lanes and fighting through screens for two blocks on Jabari Smith Jr. from behind.
His outing gave Denver fans the reminder they all needed — that he can actually help this team win a championship (believe it or not!). Maybe the way Monday's game could've ended had he made that corner three at the end of regulation helped fuel Johnson. Whatever it was, it helped spark a shift for the Nuggets that couldn't have come at a better time.
If you had already written Johnson off for this season, it's okay. No one is going to ask you to fill out an apology form just yet. We still need to see how he (and the Nuggets) will build off his momentum from last night, starting with tonight's game in San Antonio. What matters, at least for right now, is that things are trending in the right direction again.